Singer-songwriter Casablanca / Paris
Oum
Oum El Ghaït Benessahraoui, known professionally as Oum, is a Moroccan singer-songwriter born in Casablanca and based in Paris while maintaining a strong artistic presence in Morocco. After early experience in gospel and architecture studies in Rabat, she turned toward Morocco’s Gnaoua and Hassani musical traditions.
Across five studio albums released between 2009 and 2019, Oum developed a sound combining soul, jazz, gospel, Afrobeat and Sufi influences. Her 2015 album Zarabi paid tribute to the women weavers of M’Hamid El Ghizlane and highlighted the relationship between music, place, craft and memory. Her work has helped carry Moroccan traditions into contemporary international musical conversations.
Oum El Ghaït Benessahraoui, known professionally as Oum, is a Moroccan singer-songwriter born in Casablanca and based in Paris while maintaining a strong artistic presence in Morocco. After early experience in gospel and architecture studies in Rabat, she turned toward Morocco’s Gnaoua and Hassani musical traditions.
Across five studio albums released between 2009 and 2019, Oum developed a sound combining soul, jazz, gospel, Afrobeat and Sufi influences. Her 2015 album Zarabi paid tribute to the women weavers of M’Hamid El Ghizlane and highlighted the relationship between music, place, craft and memory. Her work has helped carry Moroccan traditions into contemporary international musical conversations.
