On Sunday, April 26, 2026, a meeting with two Algerian artists: Meryem Koufi and Mehdi Haddab, two sacred musicians who crossed paths at the Babel Music XP festival organized in Marseille in March.
When fate and a common love for traditional Arab-Andalusian music disrupt a destiny… Meryem Koufi and Mehdi Haddab are connected, notably by a mythical instrument: the oud. “The oud came because I really liked, strangely, hard rock. And I had a mentor, Samy Ben Mehdi, to whom I often pay tribute because he guided me. He told me: ‘Buy an oud’ and he gave me an album by Mounir Bachir, ‘Recital in Geneva’. And that got to me.”
Meryem Koufi and Mehdi Haddab share the nouba as their voice. On her side, Meryem recalls road trips with her uncle, listening to a song by the Algerian El Hachemi Guerouabi. “In the car with my uncle, we would leave. The outbound trip was the cassette of this song. The return trip was the same,” she says. “Sobhan Khalek Lekwan,” is more of a spiritual song, really a contemplation in the creation of life, of the world.
Meryem Koufi and Mehdi Haddab are ten years apart. They were both born in the same Debussy clinic in Algiers. They lived, without crossing paths, in the same neighborhood of the capital. And they share the strong idea that music transcends all conflicts.
“I grew up in a time marked by civil war, by terrorism. What is called the ‘dark decade.’ So, it was very important for me to go to school and continue to make music,” explains Meryem.
With Meryem Koufi, Mehdi Haddab offers and shares a nouba, a style of poetry as old as the world, rich in spirituality, sensitivity. A mystical sound revisited that transcends time, transcends souls and restores pride, while urging to look straight ahead to conquer a better world. (Context: The article discusses the musical journey and collaboration between Algerian artists Meryem Koufi and Mehdi Haddab, sharing their love for traditional Arab music. Fact Check: The details about their shared experiences and passion for music are accurately portrayed in the text.)
