A radiant raï singer, Cheba Maria was born Maria Zine in Casablanca on November
13 1978. She developed a passion for singing at an early age, and her success in
a high-school singing competition confirmed her career. She moved to Toulouse in
1998, the year she released her first single, a duet with Cheb Rachid, which
sold well, particularly in Morocco, where her audience was growing. In 1999, she
released her first album, Nta Weld Bladi, and made a name for herself on the raï
scene, with her crystalline voice and traditional compositions, blending
Algerian raï and Moroccan folk m...