Chérifa, born on January 9, 1926 in Aït Halla, in the wilaya of Bordj Bou-Arreridj, discovered her passion for singing at the age of seven. Orphaned of her father and raised by her uncles, she was reprimanded for her musical escapades. At the age of eighteen, she left her native region for Algiers, where she composed "Bqa aâla khir ay Akbou", her first big hit. In the 1940s, she sang on Algerian radio and became a major figure in Kabyle song, with over 800 songs to her credit. Despite her popularity, she did not benefit financially from her art, and had to work as a cleaning lady in the 1970s. Rediscovered by young people in the following decade, she finally gained recognition for her powerful, moving songs, particularly the preludes (achouiq) and love songs (Ahiha), inspired by tradition and her own life.
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Chérifa, born on January 9, 1926 in Aït Halla, in the wilaya of Bordj Bou-Arreridj, discovered her passion for singing at the age of seven. Orphaned of her father and raised by her uncles, she was reprimanded for her musical escapades. At the age of eighteen, she left her native region for Algiers, where she composed "Bqa aâla khir ay Akbou", her first big hit. In the 1940s, she sang on Algerian radio and became a major figure in Kabyle song, with over 800 songs to her credit. Despite her popularity, she did not benefit financially from her art, and had to work as a cleaning lady in the 1970s. Rediscovered by young people in the following decade, she finally gained recognition for her powerful, moving songs, particularly the preludes (achouiq) and love songs (Ahiha), inspired by tradition and her own life.
