Khaled خالد | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Khaled performing in 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | King of Raï Cheb Khaled The Ambassador of Arab music |
| Born | Khaled Hadj Ibrahim (خالد حاج إبراهيم) (1960-02-29)29 February 1960 (age 65) |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Labels | Universal |
Spouse | |
Khaled Hadj Ibrahim (Arabic:خالد حاج إبرهيم,pronounced[ˈxaːlɪdħaːdʒʔɪbraːˈhiːm]; born 29 February 1960), better known by hismononymKhaled (Arabic:خالد), is anAlgerianraï singer, musician and songwriter. He began recording in his early teens under the nameCheb Khaled (شاب خالد, Arabic for "Young" Khaled, with "Cheb" as a common title for male raï singers).
Khaled is one of the most important musicians in the history of Raï music in his native Algeria and is one the world's best-known African singers.[2] To date, Khaled has sold over 80.5 million albums (10 diamond, platinum, and gold) worldwide, making him the bestselling Arabic-language singer in history.[3][4] Among his most famous songs are "Aïcha", "Didi", "El Arbi", "Abdel Kader", "La Poupée qui fait non", "Wahran Wahran", "Bakhta", "C'est la vie", and "Alech Taadi".[5]
He holds theGuinness World Record for best-selling artist ofraï music.[6]
Forbes has consistently placed Khaled in the top celebrities of Arab Music, and placed him at high ranks for years[7]
Khaledwas born on 29 February 1960 inOran's Eckmühl neighborhood,Algeria.[8][9]
His rise to national fame was mainly due to the efforts of Lieutenant-Colonel Hosni Snoussi, director of the state-supported arts and culture Office Riadh el Feth, who took Khaled under his wing and invited him along with other rai stars to perform at the state-sponsored Festival de la Jeunesse pour la Fête Nationale in Algiers in July 1985.[10][2] In the same year, he was crowned king of rai in the first official festival of rai which was staged in Oran.[11]
Hosni Snoussi andMartin Meissonnier, who met at the Festival, convinced France's Minister of CultureJack Lang that the export of rai from Algeria to France was in the French government's interest and together they organized the first rai festival in France at Bobigny in 1986. Cheb Khaled, who had been avoiding his mandatory military service, was able to perform at Bobigny only after Colonel Snoussi intervened with the Algerian military authorities to secure him a passport.[10][2] Shortly thereafter, Snoussi arranged for Cheb Khaled to record in France, with funding from the Office Riadh el Feth. The album,Kutché, released in 1988, a collaboration between Khaled and the Algerian jazz musicianSafy Boutella, expanded his reputation in France, where he soon settled.[10]
In 1992, having dropped the "Cheb" from his performance name, he recordedKhaled, which was produced byDon Was. The album's first singleDidi, which was a major hit in Europe, the Arab World, and in South and East Asia, made him an international superstar.[10]
One of the Pioneers of world music, Rai musician Khaled has gone beyond all geo-political boundaries to become one of the world's most popular performers, mixing traditionalAlgerian music with western rhythms and styles such assoul,rock andreggae to achieve his distinctive sound and voice unlike anyone ever.
Khaled has been celebrated not only for his music, but for his role as a builder of bridges between cultures. selling more than 80 millions copies around the world makes him a nationwide celebrity and unofficial ambassador for the country's Arab minority.
—Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 2008[12]
Khaled's signature song, the 1993 hit "Didi", became extremely popular in the Arabic-speaking countries and also in several other continents, including Europe, where it entered top charts in France, Belgium and Spain, and in Asia, including India and Pakistan. The song was also used in theBollywood filmsShreeman Aashiq,Airlift andHighway. Khaled and producerDon Was appeared onThe Tonight Show on 4 February 1993.[13][14]
Khaled returned to the United States of America in December 2004 for a special guest performance at theGrammy Jam 2004 inLos Angeles,California. He joined a cast of celebrity artists honoring the bandEarth, Wind & Fire, performing Brazilian Rhymes intoDidi showing how their music crossed the world, fusing with his North African style.[4]
In 2012, Khaled's albumC’est la vie sold more than one million copies in the European market, 1.8 million copies in theMiddle East and North Africa, and over 4 million copies worldwide.[15][16] The album reached number 5 onSNEP, the official French Albums Chart.[17]
On 3 April 2015, Khaled was convicted for plagiarism of Didi, fromAngui ou Selmi, a musical composition recorded by Cheb Rabah (born Rabah Zerradine) in 1988.[18][19][20] But on 13 May 2016, Court of Cassation removed the charges against Khaled, when a 1982 audio tape with the song was shown. This tape was recorded by Khaled and given to a producer located in Oran, 6 years before Cheb Rabah's record. In the end, Rabah had to compensate Khaled for the fees during this case.[21]
In 2020, Khaled co-wrote and released acharity single, "Elle S'appelle Beyrouth,"[22] to benefit victims of the2020 Port of Beirut Explosion to various charities in a collaboration project with Lebanese-born Brazilian DJ Rodge (born Roger Saad), which remained number one on Lebanese music charts for six weeks.[23] He later reunited with Rodge for theQatar Airways-commissioned multilingual song "C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S.", in commemoration of the2022 FIFA World Cup.[24]
On 12 January 1995, Khaled married 27 year old Samira Diabi. Together, they have four daughters and one son.
In 1997, his wife filed a complaint against him for domestic violence, before retracting the complaint.[25][26]
In 1998, the biographyKhaled: Derrière le sourire (French for "Khaled: Behind the Smile") was published, which recounted his life.
Khaled has an illegitimate son with whom he has no contact. Before a court appearance in 2001, he denied being the father of the child, continuing to claim that he had been "deceived".[27][28] On the 7 May 2001, Khaled was sentenced by the Nanterre criminal court to a two-month suspended prison sentence for "family desertion".[29] His move to Luxembourg in 2008, where he has been residing ever since, has reportedly been motivated by these charges.[10]
He was awarded Moroccan citizenship in August 2013,[30] which, according to him and his wife, he did not ask for but accepted because he felt he could not refuse.[31]
This discography does not include a number of albums released on cassette in Algeria early in his career, and several bootleg/unofficial albums.
| Year | Album | Charts | Certification | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL (Fl) | BEL (Wa) | FRA [32] | NED | SWI | ||||||
| 1988 | Kutché(withSafy Boutella) | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1992 | Khaled | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1993 | N'ssi N'ssi | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1996 | Sahra | 24 | 7 | 3 | 33 | 26 | ||||
| 1999 | Kenza | — | — | 49 | — | 57 | ||||
| 2004 | Ya-Rayi | — | 41 | 52 | — | 70 | ||||
| 2009 | Liberté | — | 95 | 51 | — | — | ||||
| 2012 | C'est la vie | — | 27 | 18 | — | 96 | ||||
| 2022 | Cheb Khaled | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released | ||||||||||
| Year | Album | Charts | Certification | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL (Fl) | BEL (Wa) | FRA [32] | |||
| 1998 | Hafla | 28 | — | 29 | |
| Year | Album | Charts | Certification | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL (Fl) | BEL (Wa) | FRA [32] | |||
| 1999 | 1, 2, 3 Soleils (credited toTaha / Khaled /Faudel) | — | 14 | 4 | |
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUT | BEL (Fl) | BEL (Wa) | FRA [32] | GER | NED | LEB[23] | SWE [33] | SWI | ||
| 1988 | "Chebba" / "Baroud" (Cheb Khaled &Safy Boutella) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Kutché |
| "Le Camel" (Cheb Khaled & Safy Boutella) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992 | "Didi" | — | — | — | 9 | — | 29 | — | 30 | Khaled |
| "Ne m'en voulez pas" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Mauvais sang" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993 | "Serbi Serbi" | — | — | — | 50 | — | — | — | — | N'ssi N'ssi |
| "Chebba" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994 | "N'ssi N'ssi" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1995 | "Bakhta" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1996 | "Aïcha" | — | 25 | 1 | 1 | 33 | 14 | — | 11 | Sahra |
| 1997 | "Ouelli El Darek" | — | — | — | 23 | — | — | — | — | |
| "La poupée qui fait non (live)" (Mylène Farmer & Khaled) | — | — | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | — | Mylène Farmer's album Live à Bercy | |
| "Le jour viendra" | — | — | 12 | 24 | — | — | — | — | Sahra | |
| "Lillah" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998 | "Abdel Kader (Live à Bercy)" (Taha / Khaled /Faudel) | — | — | 36 | 6 | — | — | — | — | Joint album1,2,3 Soleils byTaha / Khaled /Faudel Original by Khaled alone in his albumN'ssi N'ssi |
| 1999 | "Comme d'habitude" (Taha / Khaled /Faudel) | — | — | 40 | 40 | — | — | — | — | Joint album1,2,3 Soleils byTaha / Khaled /Faudel |
| "C'est la nuit" | — | — | 35 | 29 | — | — | — | — | Kenza | |
| 2000 | "El harba wine" (feat.Amar) | — | — | — | 20 | — | — | — | — | |
| "Les ennemis (el Aâdyene)" (Khaled vs. Fonky Family) | — | — | — | 63 | — | — | — | — | Single only | |
| 2001 | "Wana wana" | — | — | — | 97 | — | — | — | — | |
| 2004 | "Ya-Rayi" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Ya-Rayi |
| "Love to The People" (ftCarlos Santana) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Zine Zina" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007 | "La terre a tremblé" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Best of Khaled |
| 2009 | "Même pas fatigué !!!" (Magic System & Khaled) | — | — | 10 | 1 | — | — | — | 49 | Non-album release |
| "Papa" (cover ofBlaoui Houari) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Liberté | |
| 2012 | "C'est la vie" | — | 5 | 5 | 4 | — | 92 | 34 | 33 | C'est la vie |
| "Hiya hiya" (feat.Pitbull) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Dima Labess" (featuring Mazagan) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016 | "Wahda Be Wahda" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | TBA |
| 2018 | "Mirage" (featuringSoolking) | — | — | — | 74 | — | — | — | — | Fruit du démon |
| 2019 | "Maghreb Gang" (featuringFrench Montana,Farid Bang) | 7 | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | 6 | Non-album release |
| 2020 | "Delali" (featuringGashi) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album release |
| "Elle s'appelle Beyrouth" (featuring Rodge) | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | Non-album release | |
| 2022 | "C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S." (featuring Rodge) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album release |
-
(charting hits only)
| Year | Single | Charts | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL (Fl) | BEL (Wa) | FRA | NED | SWI | |||
| 2006 | "Henna"[34] (Cameron Cartio feat. Khaled) | — | — | — | 86 | 9 | Cameron Cartio's album Borderless |
| Year | Song | Main artist | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | "Be Not Afraid" | The Blow Monkeys | Springtime for the World |
| 1992 | "Amdyaz" | Hector Zazou | Sahara Blue |
| 1995 | "Revolution, Revolutions" "ElDorado"(UNESCO official anthem) | Jean Michel Jarre | Concert Pour La Tolerance |
| "Didi"(withJohnny Clegg) | Various Artists | Duos Taratata | |
| "Kebou" "N'ssi N'ssi" "Chebba" | Various Artists | Going Global Series Voila | |
| "Numb (Gimme Some More Dignity mix)" | U2 | Melon: Remixes for Propaganda | |
| 1997 | "La poupée qui fait non" | Mylène Farmer | Live à Bercy |
| "Chanson du herisson" | Various Artists | Emilie Jolie | |
| "Koubou Koubou" | Various Artists | The Rough Guide to the Music of North Africa | |
| "Mâardi" | Various Artists | Sol En Si (Solidarité Enfants Sida) | |
| 1998 | "Ensemble (Understand)" "Crimes" | Alan Stivell | 1 Douar |
| "Oasis de los Dioses" | Ketama | Konfusion | |
| 1999 | "Bladi" | Freeman(feat. K-Rhyme Le Roi & Khaled) | L'palais de justice |
| "¡Oh Madre!" | Tekameli | Ida y Vuelta | |
| "Alby" | Amr Diab | Amarain | |
| 2000 | "L'aziza" | Various Artists | Balavoine Hommages ... |
| "Time for a Change" | Various Artists (The Rapsody feat. MC Lyte & DaNaCeE & Khaled) | The Rapsody | |
| "Emmenez-moi" | Les Enfoirés | XXème siècle | |
| "Le rêve de mon père" | Kertra | Labyrinthe | |
| 2001 | "Aich Rebel Sun" | Various Artists | Big Men, Raï Meets Reggae |
| 2002 | Ojos de la Alhambra (Eyes of the Alhamra) | Vincente Amigo | Ciudad de los Ideas (City of Ideas) |
| "Saludo A Chango" | Compay Segundo | Duets | |
| 2004 | "Agir Réagir" | Various Artists | Agir Réagir |
| "Retour aux sources" | Kore & Skalp | Raï'N'B Fever | |
| "L'enfant du pays" | Rim'K | L'enfant du pays | |
| "Dance with me" | Enzo Avitabile & Bottari | Save the World | |
| 2005 | "Henna" | Cameron Cartio | Borderless |
| 2006 | "Mas and Louly" | Diana Haddad | Diana 2006 |
| "Face à la mer" (recorded in 1992) | Les Négresses Vertes | À l'affiche (Best of), | |
| "El Marsem" | Enrique Morente | Morente sueña la Alhambra (DVD) | |
| 2007 | "Benthi" | Mélissa | Taxi 4 |
| "Bilovengo" "Erjaii ya alf leila" | Bratsch | Plein du monde | |
| "Salamo Alaykom" | Andy,Hakim | Airport | |
| 2010 | "Citizens of the World" | Flying Machines,King Sunny Adé, Kailash Kher,Cheng Lin | Citizens of the World |
| 2012 | "Mazal Wakfin" | Warda Al-Jazairia,Baaziz | single |
| "L'Oriental" | Enrico Macias | Venez tous mes amis! | |
| 2013 | "El Baraka" | Rim'K,Cheba Zahouania | Non-album single |
| "Larosa" | Medina | Sista Minuten[35] | |
| 2014 | "Shage3 7elmak-World cup 2014 | Nancy Ajram | Non-album single[36] |
| 2018 | "We Enta Maaya" | Tamer Hosny | Eish Besho'ak[37] |
| "Mirage" | Soolking | Fruit du démon | |
| 2019 | "Salama So Good" | Andy | Non-album single[38] |
| 2019 | "Maghreb Gang" | Farid Bang,French Montana | Non-album single |
| Year | Soundtrack song | Film |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | "Ragda" "Mauvais Sang" "Kebou" "Les ailes" "Alech Taadi" "Bakhta" | 1,2,3 Soleils (French: Un, deux, trois, soleil) |
| "Didi" | Caro diario | |
| 1995 | "Didi" | L' Âge des possibles |
| "Didi" | Highway (1995) | |
| "Les Ailes" | Party Girl | |
| 1997 | "Wahrane Wahrane" "Cameleons" (withCheb Mami) | 100% Arabica |
| "Alech taadi" | The Fifth Element (featured in film, but not released on soundtrack album) | |
| 1999 | "El Arbi" | Vila Madalena soap opera |
| 2000 | "Wana wana aamel eih" "Dour biha ya chibani" | Origine contrôlée |
| 2002 | "Ragda" | The Truth About Charlie |
| "Minuit" | The Good Thief | |
| 2004 | De l'autre côté | |
| 2006 | "Ya Dzayer" "Mort de Messaoud" "Nostalgie" "Sur la tombe" "El Babour" | Indigènes (Days of Glory) |
| 2007 | "Benthi" (feat.Mélissa M) | Taxi 4 |
| 2011 | "Trigue Lycee" | Rabat |
| 2012 | "Wahran Wahran" | The Dictator |
| Award | Year | Nominee(s) | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music | 2004 | Himself | Middle East and North Africa | Nominated | [49] |
| 2005 | Won | [50] | |||
| César Awards | 1994 | 1, 2, 3, Sun | Best Original Music | Won | [51] |
| GQ Awards | 2019 | Himself | Legend Award | Won | [52] |
| Kora Awards | 1997 | Himself | Best Male Artist of North Africa | Won | [53] |
| 2012 | Won | [54] | |||
| NRJ Music Awards | 2010 | Khaled,Raï'n'B,Magic System | Francophone Duo/Group of the Year | Nominated | [55] |
| Venice Film Festival | 1993 | 1, 2, 3, Sun | Golden Osella for Best Music | Won | [56] |
| Victoires de la Musique | 1995 | Himself | Francophone Artist or Group of the Year | Won | [57] |
| 1997 | Nominated | [58] | |||
| "Aïcha" | Original Song of the Year | Won | |||
| 2013 | C'est la vie | World Music Album of the Year | Nominated | [59] | |
| World Music Awards | 1997 | Himself | World's Best Selling African Artist of the Year | Won | [60] |
| 2000 | Khaled,Rachid Taha,Faudel | World's Best Selling Arabic Act | Won | [61] | |
| 2014 | Himself | World's Best Selling Algerian Artist | Won | [62] | |
| World's Best Male Artist | Nominated | [63] | |||
| World's Best Live Act | Nominated | [64] | |||
| World's Best Entertainer | Nominated | [65] | |||
| C'est la vie | World's Best Album | Nominated | [66] |
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