Rajae Belmlih
Encyclopedia
Rajae Belmlih also spelt Raja Belmalih (Arabic: رجاء بلمليح) (April 22, 1962 – September 2, 2007) was a well-known Moroccan
singer.
, Mawahib. Her first major hit in
the Arab World was Ya-Jara Wadina in 1986. The young Rajae, a University undergraduate at the time, decided to sing her first hit song at her Hassan II campus in front of her fellow students prior to the official premiere that same day. The love story with the Moroccan public was born. She later settled and worked from Cairo, Egypt whilst continuing her studies in Arabic literature and Philosophy at Mohamed V University in Rabat. She graduated in 1995 and enrolled for a doctorate. Belmlih was named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
in 1999 for her numerous actions in favour of charities within the Arab world. She was an outspoken supporter of women's education in the poorer parts of the Arab world. She was a widely admired and respected figure in her native Morocco but also elsewhere in the Arab world where her image as a highly educated singer is untainted. She was granted Emirati citizenship as a tribute by the ruling family in Abu Dhabi
. She enjoyed a huge fan base in the United Arab Emirates
where she is known to have interpreted many poems of the late Shaikh Zayd ben Sultan Al Nahyane.
Rajae Belmlih died in Rabat, Morocco, on September 2, 2007, after a long battle with cancer
. She was aged 45. Belmlih was passionate about Morocco and her romantic voice sang about love, about life and about the Palestinian cause. Her passing triggered an unprecedented pouring of public grief in Morocco with the King Mohamed VI declaring "Morocco has lost one of its most talented artists known for her authenticity and moral values [...] and whose memory will remain within all Moroccans and the Arab world". Rajae Belmlih was laid to rest in the Martyrs cemetery in Casablanca
in the presence of the Moroccan Prime Minister, the Emirates Ambassador, many artists and a crowd of an estimated 30 thousand people lining to pay their respects. She was survived by her husband Mohamed Sharaf Al Din and son, Omar aged 5.
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
singer.
Career
Belmlih's career began with the Moroccan talent showTalent show
A talent show is an event where participants perform their talent or talents of acting, singing, dancing, acrobatics, drumming, martial arts, playing an instrument, and other activities to showcase a unique form of talent, sometimes for a reward, trophy or prize...
, Mawahib. Her first major hit in
the Arab World was Ya-Jara Wadina in 1986. The young Rajae, a University undergraduate at the time, decided to sing her first hit song at her Hassan II campus in front of her fellow students prior to the official premiere that same day. The love story with the Moroccan public was born. She later settled and worked from Cairo, Egypt whilst continuing her studies in Arabic literature and Philosophy at Mohamed V University in Rabat. She graduated in 1995 and enrolled for a doctorate. Belmlih was named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors are celebrity advocates of UNESCO who use their talent or fame to spread the UNESCO ideals, especially attracting media attention...
in 1999 for her numerous actions in favour of charities within the Arab world. She was an outspoken supporter of women's education in the poorer parts of the Arab world. She was a widely admired and respected figure in her native Morocco but also elsewhere in the Arab world where her image as a highly educated singer is untainted. She was granted Emirati citizenship as a tribute by the ruling family in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
. She enjoyed a huge fan base in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
where she is known to have interpreted many poems of the late Shaikh Zayd ben Sultan Al Nahyane.
Rajae Belmlih died in Rabat, Morocco, on September 2, 2007, after a long battle with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. She was aged 45. Belmlih was passionate about Morocco and her romantic voice sang about love, about life and about the Palestinian cause. Her passing triggered an unprecedented pouring of public grief in Morocco with the King Mohamed VI declaring "Morocco has lost one of its most talented artists known for her authenticity and moral values [...] and whose memory will remain within all Moroccans and the Arab world". Rajae Belmlih was laid to rest in the Martyrs cemetery in Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
in the presence of the Moroccan Prime Minister, the Emirates Ambassador, many artists and a crowd of an estimated 30 thousand people lining to pay their respects. She was survived by her husband Mohamed Sharaf Al Din and son, Omar aged 5.
Albums
- Ya Jara Wadeena(1986)
- Sabri Alik Tal(1994)
- Ya Rhayeb(1996)
- Ietiraf(1998)
- Shoq el oyoun(2002)
- Haseb(2005)