MAÂLEM SAÏD BOULHIMAS

Saïd Boulhimas was born in Mogador, a town where the sounds of the guembri resonate in every alleyway. It was at the age of 8 that he first entered the workshop of Maâlem Seddik Laarch, attracted by wood, materials, and gestures. It was there that he learned to carve instruments before even playing them. It was there, in the shadow of the strings and drums, that the Gnaoua came to him. When he left the workshop, he had become a lute-maker, and a musician. Later, he apprenticed to Maâlem Abdellah Gania, whose teaching he embraced while keeping an open ear to the world. He embodies this generation of musicians who are deeply rooted, but curious about other languages.

In 2003, he made his mark at the Gnaoua Festival in a memorable fusion with Jbara and Les Mouettes, before joining the Band of Gnawa adventure initiated by Loy Ehrlich, who praised his flexible, inventive virtuosity. Winner of the Festival des Jeunes Talents Gnaoua in 2006, Saïd Boulhimas stands out for his ability to bring the Gnaoua spirit to life in new forms, without ever abandoning its essence.