Anas Chlih is a Moroccan singer and inventor of a truly unique instrument: the ouitar, a fusion between the oud and guitar that produces an exclusive sound. Born in 1981 in El Kelaâ des Sraghna, he discovered the oud at 13. This passionate player has participated in numerous artistic residencies—including Bob Maghrib, 14KM in Spain, and Ashes to Machines with saxophonist Julien Lourau—where he refined his fusional approach between traditional and modern music.
Member of the group Darga, he has collaborated with leading figures like Barry, Ganga Vibes, Tarik and Khansa Batma, Hindi Zahra and Mehdi Nassouli, exploring diverse styles from reggae to jazz or rock and Gnaoua fusion. He has shared the stage with legends such as Marcus Miller and Avishai Cohen at Tanjazz Festival in 2022, where he established his Ouitar as a singular instrument in the Moroccan musical landscape. Always looking to push past musical borders, Anas developed a 12-string, made in Spain version of the Ouitar, and experimented with Moroccan-flavoured Latin jazz with Mizane, as part of Morocco’s project Jazz, initiated by Pulsify Records in Atlanta. Firmly rooted in his heritage, yet resolutely focused on innovation, he represents a new generation of artists who are redefining Moroccan sounds abroad.