Mawazine

Mawazine
GenreDiverse World Music Pop Music
Location(s)Rabat, Morocco
Years active2001–present
FoundersMounir Majidi (Maroc Culture)
Websitewww.festivalmawazine.ma www.mawazine.ma
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Mawazine (Arabic: موازين, romanized: mawāzīn, meaning "rhythms of the world") is a Moroccan International music festival held annually in Rabat, Morocco, featuring many international and local music artists. The festival is presided over by Mounir Majidi, the personal secretary of the Moroccan King Mohammed VI and founder and president of Maroc Culture, the cultural foundation that organizes Mawazine and other events.[1]

The 2019 festival was attended by an 2,75 million people, making Mawazine the largest festival in the world after Donauinselfest in Vienna. With 90 acts on 7 stages it has the highest ratio of attendees per stage in the world.[2]

Mawazine is one of several events which are intended to promote an image of Morocco as a tolerant nation, and a post on the event's website declares that the goal of the festival is to promote Rabat as a city open to the world.[3][4] It has nonetheless sparked controversy, and some Moroccan politicians have criticised the event for "encouraging immoral behaviour," as well as critiquing its purported financing by Moroccan state-owned companies or private companies whose only client is the Moroccan state.[3][5]

Artists such as Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Rihanna, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys, Enrique Iglesias, The Weekend, Chris Brown, Christina Aguilera, Karol G, Maluma, Travis Scott, Demi Lovato, Wiz Khalifa, Bruno Mars, Marshmello, Kanye West, J Balvin, Pharrell Williams, Ricky Martin, Rod Stewart, Future, French Montana, Luis Fonsi, Nick Jonas, Iggy Azalea, Ellie Goulding, Usher, La Rosalía, Pitbull, David Guetta, DJ Snake, Akon, Avicii, Jason Derulo, Maroon 5, Migos, The Chainsmokers, Elton John, Martin Garrix, Jessie J, Kylie Minogue, Scorpions, Lenny Kravitz, Stromae, Dadju, Juanes, Evanescence, Booba, Damso, Saad Lamjarred, Hardwell, Maître Gims, Aya Nakamura, La Fouine, Kendji Girac, Black M, Wyclef Jean, Orelsan, Lartiste, Nancy Ajram, The Jacksons, Chic, Maher Zain, Sting, The Black Eyed Peas, Shaggy, Charles Aznavour, Julio Iglesias, Cheb Khaled, Ennio Morricone, Robert Plant and B.B. King, have performed at Mawazine.

  1. ^ Vivarelli, Nick (19 February 2014). "Justin Timberlake to Open Morocco's Mawazine Music Fest". Variety.
  2. ^ "The 10 biggest music festivals in the world". MTVIGGY. 24 May 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Deadly stampede at Rabat festival". BBC News. 24 May 2009. Retrieved 25 May 2009.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference 11 killed in stampede at Rabat world music festival was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference 11 killed in Rabat stampede (KBC) was invoked but never defined (see the help page).