Rabat – The 20th edition of the Mawazine Festival drew 3.75 million people, who came to enjoy performances from more than 100 artists from around the world. For nine days, from June 20 to 28, the cities of Rabat and Sale came alive with music.
The organizers said that the massive turnout, with packed venues every night, shows once again that Mawazine is one of the biggest music festivals in the world.
The main international stage at OLM Souissi hosted global superstars like Kid Cudi, Becky G, aespa, Lil Baby, Wizkid, Afrojack, Lojay, MoBlack, and Lost Frequencies.
However, Mawazine says three concerts stood out above the rest: Will Smith, 50 Cent, and ElGrande Toto.
At the Nahda stage, which focuses on Arabic music, some of the biggest names in the Arab world took the limelight. Fans enjoyed shows by Nancy Ajram, Myriam Fares, Sherine, Hamaki, Ruby, Aminux, Ragheb Alama, and Boudchart.
In Sale, a stage dedicated entirely to Moroccan artists featured popular singers like Abdelaziz Stati, Najat Aatabou, Daoudi, Hajib, Adil Miloudi, Samy Ray, and Mohamed Adly performed alongside younger stars like Lmorphine, Lazaro, Rafiaa, 7-Toun, Zakaria Ghafouli, and Kaoutar Berrani.
Meanwhile, at the National Theatre Mohammed V, music lovers enjoyed indoor concerts with artists like Saber Robai, Tamer Achour, Wael Jassar, Carmen Suleiman, Ziad Bourji, Kadhem Saher, and even a hologram show of the legendary Abdelhalim Hafez.
The Bouregreg stage was home to world music, with artists from Africa, the Caribbean, and beyond. Salif Keita, Julian Marley, Yemi Alade, Etuk Ubong, Cheikh Lô, Burning Spear, De La Soul, Al Qasar & Guests, and Ans T Crazy offered exciting shows full of rhythm and cultural richness.
At the historic Chellah site, a more peaceful atmosphere took over. This stage featured soulful and spiritual music from artists like Soukaina Fahsi, Egyptian Project, Luis Salazar, Banista, The Snake Charmer, and Gulay Hacer Toruk.
Despite the turnout and diverse lineup, the festival was not without controversy. Many fans, as well as journalists, voiced complaints about the festival’s organization, with issues like lack of crowd control, and ventilation for indoor concerts in the sweltering heat.
One of the biggest disappointments came during Sherine’s concert, which many had eagerly anticipated. But instead of performing live, Sherine lip-synced to playback, which left fans frustrated and some even asking for their money back. To make matters worse, the artist came on her set around an hour late.
In addition, attendees at the Mohammed V Theater raised concerns about the lack of air conditioning, especially during Kadhem Saher’s concert, which was packed beyond capacity and uncomfortably hot.
From the press perspective, a few news outlets complained about poor management and towards their journalists, with one even complaining about harassment. Additionally, there were stringent rules and limits around access for photojournalists, especially only allocating them ten minutes at the front for large profile concerts, which made thorough coverage challenging.
