Hindi Zahra is a Franco-Moroccan singer, songwriter, actress and self-taught multi-instrumentalist from Khouribga, Morocco. Born in 1979, she is known for writing songs in English, with some lyrics in Berber on tracks such as “Imik Si Mik”.

Early life and stage name

She grows up in Khouribga with her Moroccan mother, who is a dancer and actress, before leaving school at 15 and moving to Paris to live with her father, who is a former army member. At 18, she works at the Louvre and begins writing her first lyrics and melodies.

Her stage name comes from reversing her birth name.

Music

By 2005, she has written around 50 songs. “Beautiful Tango”, “Oursoul”, “Try” and “Stand Up” first appear on the 2009 EP Hindi Zahra. Her first album follows in January 2010 on Blue Note Records, a jazz label, and includes eleven songs. The opening track, “Beautiful Tango”, has a video made by French director Tony Gatlif.

Her music sits within folk pop, indie folk, singer-songwriter and soul jazz, and she is also associated with jazz, folk, soul and indie. She is influenced by Cheikha Rimitti and is compared with Beth Gibbons, Manu Chao, Billie Holiday, Patti Smith and Norah Jones.

Collaborations and recognition

In June 2010, she collaborates with French musician Blundetto on his debut album Bad Bad Things. “Stand Up” is used in a Western Union commercial campaign.

She wins the Prix Constantin for Best Album in November 2010 and the Victoires de la Musique award for best World music album in February 2011.

Film work

In 2014, she appears in the films The Narrow Frame of Midnight by Tala Hadid and The Cut by Fatih Akin.