The veteran Moroccan singer made the comments as part of the Mawazine Festival in Rabat on Friday. Rumours swirled in Moroccan music industry earlier in the year that Raafat was planning to walk away from a successful three decade career.
“I don’t know where that came from, to be honest” said the 52-year-old. “I am still enjoying my work and it keeps me going.”
Ever since her debut single Mawwal Al Hob, Raafat has been one one of the leading purveyors of popular Moroccan music that blends western pop sensibilities with local flavour.
The success of albums such as Maghyara (Envious Am I), Dunia (O World), Al-Hamdu Li-Lah (Praise be to Allah), Ya Hli Ya 'Ashrani (O my Folk, O my Kin) have been widely credited for spreading the an appreciation of the Moroccan dialect across the Arab world.
Rafaat expects Moroccan artists to thrive even further in this age social media and television talent shows. “The question was not whether there was any talent in our homeland, but whether we had the platform,” she said. “When I started there was, offcourse, no social media so it was all done through word of mouth. Now with twitter and Facebook and all these shows on television there is always a Moroccan artist doing well and I suspect that from now on this will always be the case.”
Regarding her career, Rafaat says she will continue performing as long as there is demand. “You know, this is the key. Not the album sales or such things,” she said. “As long as I hit the stage and there is an audience who want to hear what I do, well that’s everything really for a performer.”
Check out Arts&Life for all the latest news and interviews from The Mawazine Festival in Morocco. The Festival continues until May 20.
