Saad Lamjarred
سعد لمجرد
Born
Saad Bachir Lamjarred
سعد البشير لمجرد

(1985-04-07) 7 April 1985
Rabat, Morocco
Occupations
  • Actor
  • rapper
  • singer-songwriter
  • record producer
Years active2007–present
Spouse
Ghita El Allaki
​
(m. 2022)​
Musical career
GenresArabic pop (Moroccan pop)
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • drums

Saad Lamjarred (Arabic: سعد لمجرد; born 7 April 1985) is a Moroccan singer-songwriter, actor, multi-instrumentalist, dancer, and record producer. His official music video for "LM3ALLEM" has received over 1 billion views on YouTube.

Early life

Lamjarred was born to Bachir Abdou, a Moroccan classical singer, and Nezha Regragui, an actress and comedian.[1] From an early age, Lamjarred had a special interest in playing the piano, as well as singing as early as the age of four.

Lamjarred then went on to study at the Conservatory of Music in Rabat, where he studied music, art theory and dance. He would perform many productions wherein he would collaborate with his father.

Lamjarred moved to the US in 2001 and cites this as one of the main sources of inspiration for his music, crediting the experience for exposing him to western music and having a defining effect on his style and the type of artist he wanted to identify as.[1]

Career

In 2007, Lamjarred took part in Super Star, a widely popular Arab talent TV show, and was placed second[2] in season 4 of the series that was defeated by the Tunisian Marwan Ali. His participation earned him recognition.

In 2011, Lamjarred started his acting career, playing the male lead in Ahlam Nassim, a Moroccan soap opera. He released an album in 2013, titled Wala Aalik. That same year, he released two more EPs, namely Salina and Enty. The title song of the latter, "Enty" (Arabic: أنتي), became one of Lamjarred's biggest hits and earned him an award at the Méditel Morocco Music Awards 2014,[3][4][5] as well as a nomination for the Best Middle East Act at the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards.[6]

Lamjarred was also nominated for the Best Middle East Act at the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards.[6] He won the Murex d'Or in the category of "Best Arabic Song" for his 2014 song "Enty".

The music video for Lamjarred's 2015 hit single, "Lm3allem" (Arabic: لمعلم), earned a Guinness World Record achievement after garnering 1 billion views on YouTube within three months of release.[7][8]

A year later, Lamjarred released another single titled "Ana Machi Sahel" (Arabic: أنا ماشي ساهل), which he soon followed up with a black-and-white music video released on YouTube that features dozens of Lamjarred's fans, who have filmed themselves singing along to the song at home, in their cars and out and about.[9] Lamjarred didn't wait too long to release another single by the name of "Ghaltana" (Arabic: غلطانة) in the form of a video clip directed by Amr Rouani. The video caught eyes because of its Wild West, gritty feel, inspired by Rouani's childhood love of Mad Max films.[10]

Following this success, Lamjarred's music production took a brief gap while he was on trial in Paris for sexual assault,[11] but soon made a come-back with his August 2017 comeback titled "Let Go". It was an immediate hit, it earned about half a million views on YouTube within an hour of its release.[12] Lamjarred later released new hit songs such as "Ghazali" (Arabic: غزالي), another big hit that earned more than half a million views only minutes after the video went live at an average of 50 thousand views every five minutes.[13] "Ghazali" was then succeeded by "Casablanca", in which Lamjarred sings in French.[14]

August 2018 saw Lamjarred incarcerated once more in Saint Tropez, halting his music career again until December 2018, in which he released another single, titled "Baddek Eih" (Arabic: بدك ايه). Within 4 hours of publication, the official music video received over a million views on YouTube.

In July 2019, Lamjarred performed and released a duet with Egyptian actor and fellow singer Mohamed Ramadan titled "Ensay" (Arabic: إنساي), which garnered over 100 million views within a month of publication.[15]

On 10 June 2020 Lamjarred reached 10 million subscribers on his official YouTube channel, and becoming the first Arab African singer to get the Diamond Button. In May 2022, his 2015 hit single "Lm3allem" became the first Arabic song to surpass a billion views on YouTube.[16]

In July 2023, Lamjarred appeared and sang the Arabic-Hindi song Guli Mata with Indian singer Shreya Ghoshal.

Personal life

There were reports in the media that Lamjarred was once married, and divorced around 2015.[17]

On 11 September 2022, he announced his engagement to businesswoman Ghita El Allaki.[18] They married later in the same month.[19]

Rape allegations and investigations

In February 2010 while visiting the United States, Saad Lamjarred was accused of beating and raping a woman from Brooklyn, New York. Lamjarred fled the U.S. after posting bail and was in risk of being arrested if he returned.[20] The case was dropped in 2016, after the accuser "stopped cooperating with prosecutors" and reached a settlement in a lawsuit.[21][22]

Lamjarred was arrested at the Marriott Champs Elysées at the 17th arrondissement of Paris on 25 October 2016, where he appeared before a French prosecutor to face the charges about an alleged sexual assault against a French woman.[20][23] He was scheduled to perform at the Palais des congrès de Paris on 29 October 2016. Lamjarred was released in April 2017, but still faced charges.[24] In early 2017, he was "prohibited from performing in public, traveling and speaking to media".[22] The King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, helped him cover his fees and hire a legal team.[21][25] In 2017, a French-Moroccan woman accused him of sexual misconduct and abuse at an apartment in Casablanca, Morocco, back in 2015.[21][25] She later withdrew the complaint "under pressure from her family".[25]

On 26 August 2018 he was once again arrested in Saint-Tropez on a new rape allegation in France. Lamjarred, who has denied the allegations, was released on a bail of 150,000 euros and could not leave France.[21][25] His release on bail was later appealed by the Parquet of Draguignan (public prosecutor). On 18 September 2018 he was incarcerated in France following a decision of the cour d'appel (court of appeal) from Aix-en-Provence.[26] On 20 November 2018 it was announced that he had been cleared of rape charges, but would be tried for "crimes of sexual assault and willful violence".[27] On 6 December 2018 it was announced that French authorities had released Lamjarred on a conditional release and that he was awaiting trial. His Moroccan passport was confiscated, he was not allowed to leave France and he had to report to the nearest precinct once a week.[28][29]

In December 2018, he was released from jail after serving his sentence, but was unable to leave France until August 2019.[30] In April 2019, the judge overseeing the case from October 2016 "redefined" the charges against him due to lack of evidence to prove him guilty and referred his case to the criminal court.[31][32] On 18 December 2019 he had his first public concert in Riyadh after three years. Days before the concert, a number of Saudi users on Twitter expressed their disapproval of Lamjarred's upcoming concert in the country's capital.[33]

In January 2020, the investigative chamber of the Paris Court of Appeal referred the case from October 2016 to the court of assizes.[31] In April 2020, The Paris Court of Cassation annulled the decision made by the investigative chamber as "the code of criminal procedure was not respected and referred the case back to the criminal court.[34][35]

On 24 February 2023, a court in Paris found Lamjarred guilty of rape by seven votes out of nine (in accordance with French criminal law), and sentenced him to 6 years in prison.[36] Lamjarred denied the charge, claiming that he did not penetrate the victim. He added that he and the victim had kissed and undressed consensually, and that his only violent act was pushing her face away reflexively after she scratched his back, an act which he claims to regret. According to journalist Marine DelaMoisssoniere, the court was convinced that penetration took place, despite the fact that traces of Lamjarred's DNA were only found on the victim's clothes. The court supported its decision also with testimonies of personnel working at the hotel.[37] He was arrested and tranferred to prison immediately after the verdict, which garnered protest from his legal defense. Later Lamjarred appealed the court decision, maintaining his innocence.[38] In April 2023, he was granted provisional release.[39]

Reactions

Following the third allegation, a campaign started on the social media with the hashtags "Lamjarred out" and "masaktach" (Moroccan Arabic expression meaning "I won't be silenced"), with the users demanding that his songs being taken off the radio stations. 2M and Hit Radio were among the first to take his songs off the airways, with the latter saying that they would ask their listeners whether they should keep the ban permanent or not.[40] In September 2018, after a campaign on social networks, some Moroccan media stopped their broadcast of Lamjarred's songs.[41]

Since 2020, Lamjarred has come under fire from feminists who have attempted—with different degrees of success—to stop him from performing. This movement started in particular in Egypt. Egyptian feminists also campaigned against Saad Lamjarred's presence in Egypt, with three major campaign waves in 2020, 2021, and 2022. In 2020 on Twitter and Facebook, thousands of Egyptians started a campaign demanding the "Cairo Show" Theatre to cancel Saad Lamjarred's show.[42][43] The opponents effectively cancelled his concert in December 2020,[44][45] and an appearance on the Egyptian talk show Sahranin in 2021,[46] but his December 2022 concert took place despite viral campaigns against it.[47][48]

In 2022 similar campaigns continued to be held in Egypt, Iraq and Lebanon.[49]

Discography

Albums

Title and details Notes
Wala Aalik (ولا عليك)
  • Type: Album
  • Released: 2013
No.TitleLength
1."Wana Mali (Club Edition) – وانا مالي ريميكس"3:11
2."Jiti Fe Bali – جيتي في بالي"3:41
3."Waadini – واعديني"3:52
4."Lemima – لميمة"3:55
5."Aziz Ou Ghali – عزيز وغالي"3:37
6."Salina – سالينا"4:37
7."Lemen Nechki – لمن نشكي"3:32
8."Wala Elik – ولا عليك"3:33
9."Wana Mali – وانا مالي"3:49
10."Katnadini – كتناديني"3:57
11."Chemaa – شمعة"3:45
12."Mal Habibi – مال حبيبي"3:15

Singles

  • 2009: "Waadini" (واعديني)
  • 2012: "Salina Salina" (سلينا سلينا)
  • 2014: "Enty" (أنتي)
  • 2015: "Lm3allem" (لمعلم)
  • 2016: "Ana Machi Sahel" (أنا ماشي ساهل)
  • 2016: "Ghaltana" (غلطانة)
  • 2017: "Let Go"
  • 2018: "Ghazali" (غزالي)
  • 2018: "Ya Allah" (يا الله)
  • 2018: "Casablanca"
  • 2018: "Baddek Eih" (بدك ايه)
  • 2019: "Njibek" (نجيبك)
  • 2019: "Ykhalik Lili" (يخليك للي)
  • 2019: "Salam" (سلام)
  • 2019: "Daba Tzian" (دابا تزيان)
  • 2020: "Adda Elkalam" (عدى الكلام)
  • 2021: "Lghadi Wehdou" (الغادي وحدو)
  • 2021: "Nadi Ya Allah" (نادي يا الله)
  • 2022: "Ya Ayouni" (يا عيوني)
  • 2022: "Altawbah" (التوبة)
  • 2022: "Ma Ahla Lmakan" (ما أحلى المكان)
  • 2022: "Alacheq Alhayem" (العاشق الهايم)
  • 2022: "El Hala'" (الحلق)
  • 2023: "Ach Khbarek" (أش خبارك)
  • 2023: "Nour Elsobh" (نور الصبح)

Duets

  • 2012: "Aziz W Ghali" (عزيز وغالي) – feat. Bachir Abdou
  • 2012: "Sa'aa Saaida" (ساعة سعيدة) – feat. Sofia Mountassir
  • 2014: "Wana Ma'ak" (وأنا معاك) – feat. Asma Lamnawar
  • 2014: "Ya Ensan" (يا إنسان) – feat. Salah Alkurdi
  • 2019: "Ensay" (إنساي) – feat. Mohamed Ramadan
  • 2020: "Asef Habibi" (آسف حبيبي) – feat. Fnaïre
  • 2020: "Chidde W Betzul" (شدت وبتزول) – feat. Salah Kurdi
  • 2020: "Bab Alrajaa" (باب الرجاء) – feat. Mohamed Reda
  • 2021: "Lewjah Tani" (لوجه التاني) – feat. Zouhair Bahaoui
  • 2021: "Sahra Sabahi" (السهرة صباحي) – feat. RedOne and Saber Rebaï
  • 2021: "Enty Hayaty" (انتي حياتي) – feat. Calema
  • 2022: "Min Awel Dekika" (من أول دقيقة) – feat. Elissa
  • 2022: "Viva El Rey Habibna" (عاش حبيبنا الملك) – feat. Nicolas Reyes
  • 2023: "Guli Mata" – feat. Shreya Ghoshal

Charted songs

Title Year Peak chart position Album
MENA
[50]
"Min Awel Dekika"
(featuring Elissa)		 2022 16 Non-album singles
"Ach Khbarek" 2023 9
"Guli Mata"
(featuring Shreya Ghoshal)		 2

Filmography

Television
  • 2012: Ahlam Nassim

Awards and nominations

Year Awards Category Nominated work Result
2014MTV Europe Music AwardBest SongENTYWon
2014 Morocco Music AwardsBest SongENTYWon
2015Murex d'orBest Arabic SongENTYWon
2015DearGuest AwardBest SongLm3allemWon
2016Murex d'orBest Male SingerSaad LamjarredWon
2016Big Apple Music AwardsBest Male SingerSaad LamjarredWon
2016MTV Africa Music AwardsListener's ChoiceSaad LamjarredWon
2017AnghamiMore than 100 millions playsSaad LamjarredWon
2017Arab Nation Music Awards Best Moroccan SongGhaltanaWon
2017Arab Nation Music Awards Best Music Video On YouTubeAna Machi SahelWon
2017Arab Nation Music Awards Best Arabic SongGhaltanaWon
2017Murex d'orBest Arabic SongGhaltanaWon
2017Murex d'orThe People's Choice AwardSaad LamjarredWon
2017daf BAMA Music AwardsBest SongLET GOWon
2017HAPA Music AwardsBest African ArtistSaad LamjarredWon
2017Morocco Music AwardsBest Music VideoLET GOWon
2018Africa Music AwardsBest Male Northern ArtistSaad LamjarredWon
2018Arab Nation Music AwardsBest Singer in North AfricaLET GOWon

References

  1. 1 2 "Saad Lamjarred finds success in simplicity". The National. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  2. ↑ "The career of Moroccan pop star – Saad Lamjarred". Al-Arabiya. 15 September 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  3. ↑ "Découvre les gagnants au Méditel Morocco Music Awards #MMMA 2014 avec HIT RADIO". HIT RADIO. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  4. ↑ "ENTY – Saad Lamjarred | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  5. ↑ "#BBCtrending: Why it's tough being a groupie in Kuwait". BBC News. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Mohammed Assaf wins Best Middle East Act at the MTV European Music Awards". The National. 23 October 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  7. ↑ "Saad Lamjarred New Song Earns Guinness World Record Achievement". Morocco World News. 27 May 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  8. ↑ "Singer who hit it big after fleeing rape charge in US sued by accuser". New York Post. 18 May 2016.
  9. ↑ "Saad Lamjarred's parents, fans feature in his new music video!". Albawaba. 13 July 2016.
  10. ↑ Lake, Alison. "Singer Lamjarred Exports Moroccan Dialect to Arab World". Forbes.
  11. ↑ "Moroccan Singer Saad Lamjarred Arrested in Paris for 'Sexual Assault'". Morocco World News.
  12. ↑ "Morrocan star Lamjarred releases new song after serving prison time for rape". Al-Arabiya. 9 August 2017.
  13. ↑ Lamjarred, Saad (10 March 2018). "AlArabiya 'Ghazali' report". Al-Arabiya. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  14. ↑ Lamjarred, Saad. "MWN 'Ghazali' report". Morocco World News. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  15. ↑ Marie, Mustafa (22 July 2019). "Ramadan, Lamjarred's 'Ensay' tops YouTube videos". Egypt Today. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  16. ↑ Latrech, Oumaima. "Lamjarred's "Lmaallem" Becomes 1st Arab Song to Hit One Billion Views". Morocco World News. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  17. ↑ "Saad Lamjarred Talks About Divorce". Arabia Weddings. October 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  18. ↑ Kasraoui, Safaa (11 September 2022). "Morocco's Saad Lamjarred Announces Marriage with Best Friend Ghita". Morocco World News. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  19. ↑ Rahhou, Jihane (25 September 2022). "Moroccan Singer Saad Lamjarred's Wedding Photos Go Viral". Morocco World News. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  20. 1 2 "Moroccan star Saad Lamjarred facing 'sexual assault' charges in Paris". Al Arabiya. 27 October 2016.
  21. 1 2 3 4 Breeden, Aurelien (29 August 2018). "Moroccan Pop Star Faces 3rd Rape Charge in France". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  22. 1 2 Lake, Alison (5 June 2018). "In the Middle East, It's Cool to 'Sing Moroccan'". Forbes. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  23. ↑ "Isabella Lawliet, l'accusatrice de Saâd Lamjarred, sort de son silence…". PanoraPost (in French).
  24. ↑ "Saad Lamjarred Is 'Letting Go,' His Rape Accusations Not So Much". Morocco World News.
  25. 1 2 3 4 "Saad Lamjarred: Moroccan singer faces third rape charge". BBC. 28 August 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  26. ↑ "Saad Lamjarred: France detains Moroccan star over rape charge". BBC. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  27. ↑ "Court Allegedly Drops First Rape Charges Against Lamjarred". Morocco World News. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  28. ↑ "Moroccan Singer Saad Lamjarred is Out of Jail, Again". Morocco World News. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  29. ↑ "Saad Lamjarred Cleared of Rape Charges in France". Albawaba. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  30. ↑ "Rape-Accused Saad Lamjarred Thanks Fans for Support After Release". Morocco World News. 10 December 2018. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  31. 1 2 Kasraoui, Safaa (22 January 2020). "Moroccan Singer Saad Lamjarred to Re-appear in Court for Alleged Rape". Morocco World News. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  32. ↑ Babas, Latifa (21 January 2020). "Saad Lamjarred to appear in France's court of assizes for the alleged rape of Laura Prioul". yabiladi.com. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  33. ↑ Hekking, Morgan (5 December 2019). "Trending on Twitter: 'We do not want Saad Lamjarred in Riyadh'". Moroccan World News. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  34. ↑ Kasraoui, Safaa (20 May 2020). "French High Court Dismisses Saad Lamjarred Rape Case". Morocco World News. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  35. ↑ Babas, Latifa (20 May 2020). "Morocco's Saad Lamjarred has the decision referring his case to the Assize court annulled". yabiladi.com. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  36. ↑ "Saad Lamjarred: Moroccan star singer convicted of rape in France". BBC News. 25 February 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  37. ↑ Kasraoui, Safaa (24 February 2023). "French Court Sentences Saad Lamjarred to 6 Years in Prison for Rape Charges". Morocco World News. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  38. ↑ "Lamjarred Appeals 6-Year Prison Sentence in Rape Case". 28 February 2023.
  39. ↑ Zouiten, Sara (20 April 2023). "Saad Lamjarred Leaves Prison on Provisional Release Ahead of Eid Al Fitr". Morocco World News. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  40. ↑ Dahan, Nadine (19 September 2018). "Moroccans call for radio ban on Saad Lamjarred as he faces third rape allegation". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  41. ↑ "Le chanteur Saad Lamjarred, écroué en France, banni des radios marocaines". Le Figaro. 20 September 2018.
  42. ↑ "All you need to know about reasons behind the cancellation of Saad Lamjarred's concert in Egypt". EgyptToday. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  43. ↑ Kasraoui, Safaa. "Cairo Show Cancels Saad Lamjarred Concert After Egyptians' Backlash". Morocco World News. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  44. ↑ "Saad Lamjarred concert in Egypt cancelled after backlash over rape allegations". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  45. ↑ Al-Youm, Al-Masry (15 October 2020). "Miss Morocco makes offensive comment against Egyptian women over Saad Lamjarred's canceled concert". Egypt Independent. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  46. ↑ "هل رضخ برنامج "سهرانين" للضغوط على تويتر وألغى إطلالة سعد المجرد؟". CNN Arabic (in Arabic). 6 October 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  47. ↑ ElGendy, Abdelrahman (26 December 2022). "Women's Rights Groups in Egypt and Lebanon Take Aim at Saad Lamjarred". New Lines Magazine. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  48. ↑ Staff, The New Arab (21 December 2022). "Campaigns to cancel Saad Lamjarred gigs in Egypt, Lebanon". The Newarab. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  49. ↑ ElGendy, Abdelrahman (26 December 2022). "Women's Rights Groups in Egypt and Lebanon Take Aim at Saad Lamjarred". New Lines Magazine. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  50. ↑ Peak chart position for single in MENA:
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