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About
Tunisian-American singer, songwriter, composer, and producer known for her protest anthem "Kelmti Horra" ( aka "My Word is Free"), which became a symbol of resistance and hope for many in the Middle East and North Africa. She is also known for her albums Kelmti Horra, Ensen, Everywhere We Looked Was Burning, The Tunis Diaries, and MRA.
Before Fame
She began singing at a very young age. She wrote her first song when she was 10 years old. She formed her first band when she was 19 years old while she was attending college. She began shifting her songwriting focus to more politically charged music after hearing Joan Baez's song "The Boxer." She moved to France in 2008 after her music was banned in Tunisia. She would then settle in the United States.
Trivia
Her work often explores themes of freedom, identity, and resistance. She performed "Kelmti Horra" at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo to honor the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet in 2015.
Family Life
She was born and raised in Tunis, Tunisia.
Associated With
She recorded The Tunis Diaries during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 which featured acoustic renditions of her songs and covers of artists like Leonard Cohen and David Bowie. She collaborated with Shirin Neshat on the video project The Fury.
