Whitney Houston, Nancy Ajram wow Mawazine festival

Saturday May 24th saw the close of the seventh Mawazine Festival amid great fanfare. A full slate of international superstars drew fans to a city normally known for its serenity.

By Hassan Benmehdi for Magharebia in Rabat – 26/05/08 For nine days in Rabat, the seventh annual Mawazine Festival drew a sizeable crowd from all over Morocco who came to see high-calibre concerts given by internationally renowned performers. Whitney Houston wowed the audience on May 24th with an open-air concert to close out the festival, giving an excited crowd the opportunity to discover and admire the singer’s husky, sensual voice. Her young fans held up banners saying "We love you, Whitney". This final concert of the festival, given by American superstar of the 1980s and 90s will go down in Rabat history, which had never before played host to such a major star. The organisers of the festival believe that the seventh Mawazine was a resounding success. Aziz Daki, the technical director, said the five concert venues sold out completely on three of the nine days of the festival. The Moroccan public came out in force and appreciated the calibre of the artists, who lit up Rabat for the whole of the nine days. 30-year-old Yassine attended the May 17th concert by Ziggy Marley, eldest son of reggae legend Bob Marley. "I'll never forget Ziggy’s concert," he told Magharebia, still delighted at having been to a concert devoted entirely to reggae. Merouane from Casablanca went to a show by legendary US blues and jazz guitarist George Benson. "For me that was the highlight of the festival, and it was a great surprise for the Moroccan public to see an artist as famous as George Benson.” His friend, Houcine, said it was a long time since the Moroccan arts scene had seen artists of Benson’s calibre: "He’s an artist I really like, especially for the magical way he plays the guitar." For nine days Rabat was serenaded by leading Moroccan and international artists, who gave about 100 concerts. During press conferences, many of the stars expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to perform in Morocco. "I love Morocco and the Moroccan people, and it’s a real pleasure for me to bring my music even closer to them," George Benson commented. Ziggy Marley spoke of the glory years of reggae music, adding: "I'm delighted to be here in Africa." Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram expressed her delight at appearing before the Moroccan public. She said they were attentive listeners and they have great appreciation for valuable and genuine art. Her concert, held on the third day of the festival, drew an audience estimated at over 30,000 people. As well as showcasing these leading artists, this year’s Mawazine also catered to all tastes by featuring a broad spectrum of musical genres. Noting other performers such as Al Di Meola, Amr Diab, Nass El Ghiwane, El Bicho and Asalah Nasri, attendees said the organisers did an excellent job of hosting what is now one of the most prestigious festivals in Africa and the Arab world.