Mariem Hassan

World

Madrid, Spain

Biography

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Widely recognised by critics as the best voice in Western Sahara, Mariem Hassan has unavoidably become the representative voice for her people throughout the world. Her powerfully haunting voice calls-out for the liberalisation of her occupied homeland. Early on in her music career, Mariem joined forces with "Matir el Uali Mustafa Sayed" (better known as "El Uali"). With El Uali she toured other countries to take part in cultural events of high political impact.
From this supported base, Mariem Hassan has sung for more than thirty years. She had recorded and participated in A PESAR DE LAS HERIDAS, MARIEM HASSAN CON LEYOAD and MEDEJ, edited by Nubenegra. DESEOS (Nubenegra, 2005) is her first solo album .
She has performed with a cream of talent on numerous occasions and extensively toured Europe performing at numerous concerts and festivals as a solo artist. These include WOMEX, Fórum de las Culturas in Barcelona, Casa Encendida in Madrid, Space Senghor, AfroPfingsten, Africa Festival, , Les Escales festival, Umo Jazz Club in Helsinki, Festival FMM Sines (Portugal), Festival Habibi Beats (Cologne), Festival Ostrava (czech Republic) and concerts in Amberes, Zurich, Luxembourg and Spain.

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PRESS COMMENTS on Mariem Hassan

Discography

WESTERN SAHARA

WESTERN SAHARA includes the soundtrack of the film LA PUERTA DEL SAHARA as well as remixes and rarities of Saharaui music. A work of Hugo Westerdahl that expands the musical panaroma of the collection of eight albums about Saharaui music released and published by Nubenegra within the last ten years.

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DESEOS

After making three recordings with other Saharaui artists, Mariem has launched her second solo album entitled DESEOS ("Wishes"). This intimate album is made with three of the best musicians coming out of the Tinduf refugee camps: Leilaon percussion, Baba Salamaon guitar and Mariem's guitarist brother Boika.

The mutual understanding of this quartet can be appreciated throughout the DESEOS album. This is most noticeable in the impressive sun drenched desert blues track "La Tumchu Anni", which translated as "Don't Desert Me" and cries out for help in relation to the unsettled situation of her occupied country. Other highlights include Mariem's soaring voice over the grooving melodies of "Magat Milkitna Dulaa" and the electric rendition of Mariem's most well known song "L'Intifada" that tells the story of an occupied territory uprising in the late nineteen eighties.

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MEDEJ

Divine choral harmonies from the deserts of Western Sahara. The traditional medej are a collection of spiritual songs dedicated to the prophet Mohammed. The Saharawi have altered these songs to reflect upon and give strength to their everyday life. These songs are often performed at wedding celebrations and homecoming events.
For the first time the Saharawi songs have been recorded on an album This album presents performances from some of the best Saharawi voices in exile from Western Sahara, including Jeirana, Faknash, Shueta and Mariem Hassan. Nayim Alal, Boika Hassan, Hamada Jatari and the late Baba Salama provide instrumental backing. Instrumental support, which abides to the rules of Haul, comes in the form of a variety of different instruments that include the tidinit, electric guitar, bass and mijairis.

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MARIEM HASSAN CON LEYOAD

The songs of MARIEM CON LEYOAD reflect the difficult political and social circumstances of Western Sahara. They express how Western Saharan women have been humanising a wasteland for a dignified survival...settling tent problems, taking care of education, tending to societal development, and acting as pillars of life...for their 26 years in exile. The album is musically influenced by traditional religious songs sung in Arabic (Medej). From this we can understand why their songs address issues relating to God, prophets, and a restless search for humanity.

In this album the guitarist, Baba Salama, who has a deep knowledge of Haul music, composes songs within the traditional rules of Medej. This is due to the Saharaui using the songs as forms of self protection. It is also for this reason that Mariem Hassan, composer of the memorable Song of the Intifada, performs her new composition Sahara "Neb Gija" about indomitable people and performs a song that is full of life and hope entitled "Yasar Geidu." In Mariem everything is pure grace: her harmonious unfolding on stage, her delicate and natural dancing and her marvellous voice.

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A PESAR DE LAS HERIDAS - MUJERES SAHARAUIS

The voices of the Saharauis women transmitting the emotional charge accumulated in their many years of suffering in exile. The voices of Mariem Hassan, Teira Lebid and Hadhum Abeid transmit all of the accumulated emotions in these years of suffering. It is an album that respects their traditional music. The basic instruments used are tindinit, t´bal, electric guitars and acoustic guitars.

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