| Location | Rabat, Morocco |
|---|---|
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Genre |
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| Attendance | ~ 3.75 million |
| Organised | Maroc Cultures |
| Website | mawazine.ma |
Mawazine (Arabic: موازين, meaning "rhythms") is an international music festival held annually in Rabat, Morocco. The event features a wide range of international and local music artists across various genres. Mawazine is organized by Maroc Cultures.[1]
The 2025 festival was attended by 3.75 million people,[2] making Mawazine the largest music festival in the world.[3] With 90 acts on 7 stages, it has the highest ratio of attendees per stage in the world.[4] Mawazine is considered Africa's largest and most important music festival.[5]
Notable performers
| Artist | Genre | Year Performed |
|---|---|---|
| Mariah Carey | Pop/R&B | 2012 |
| Whitney Houston | Pop/R&B | 2008 |
| Stevie Wonder | Soul/Funk | 2009 |
| Rihanna | Pop/R&B | 2013 |
| Shakira | Pop/Latin | 2011 |
| Justin Timberlake | Pop/R&B | 2014 |
| Jennifer Lopez | Pop/Latin | 2015 |
| Alicia Keys | Pop/R&B | 2014 |
| Bruno Mars | Pop/Funk | 2018 |
| The Weeknd | R&B/Pop | 2018 |
| Nicki Minaj | Rap/Pop | 2024 |
| Enrique Iglesias | Pop/Latin | 2013 |
| Chris Brown | R&B/Pop | 2016 |
| Elton John | Pop/Rock | 2010 |
| Christina Aguilera | Pop | 2016 |
| Kanye West | Rap/Hip-Hop | 2011 |
| Karol G | Latin/Reggaeton | 2019 |
| Maluma | Latin/Reggaeton | 2019 |
| Travis Scott | Rap/Hip-Hop | 2019 |
| Camila Cabello | Pop | 2024 |
| Ricky Martin | Latin Pop | 2015 |
| Wiz Khalifa | Rap/Hip-Hop | 2017 |
| Marshmello | EDM | 2019 |
| Rosalía | Pop/Flamenco Fusion | 2019 |
| Calvin Harris | EDM/Pop | 2024 |
| J Balvin | Reggaeton/Latin | 2019 |
| Pharrell Williams | Pop/Funk | 2015 |
| Rod Stewart | Rock | 2017 |
| Usher | R&B/Pop | 2015 |
| Demi Lovato | Pop | 2017 |
| French Montana | Rap/Hip-Hop | 2018 |
| Luis Fonsi | Latin/Pop | 2018 |
| Nick Jonas | Pop | 2017 |
| Iggy Azalea | Pop/Rap | 2016 |
| Ellie Goulding | Pop | 2017 |
| Kylie Minogue | Pop | 2024 |
| Scorpions | Rock | 2012 |
| Future | Rap/Hip-Hop | 2019 |
| David Guetta | EDM | 2019 |
| DJ Snake | EDM | 2017 |
| Akon | R&B/Pop | 2015 |
| Pitbull | Rap/Latin Pop | 2016 |
| Avicii | EDM | 2015 |
| Central Cee | Rap/Drill | 2024 |
| Jason Derulo | Pop/R&B | 2014 |
| Migos | Rap/Hip-Hop | 2019 |
| The Chainsmokers | EDM/Pop | 2018 |
| Metro Boomin | Rap/Hip-Hop | 2024 |
| Jessie J | Pop | 2013 |
| Maroon 5 | Pop/Rock | 2015 |
| Saad Lamjarred | Moroccan Pop | 2015 |
| The Jacksons | Pop/Soul | 2013 |
| ATEEZ | K-Pop | 2024 |
| aespa | K-Pop | 2025 |
| Will Smith | Pop/Rap | 2025 |
| 50 Cent | Rap/Hip-Hop | 2025 |
| Kid Cudi | Rap/Pop | 2025 |
History
The festival has known two eras. The first spanned between 2001 and 2007, when it was dedicated to the music of the world genre.[6] The event had some financial difficulties and was struggling to find sponsors.[6] The second era, which started in 2008, has seen Mounir Majidi, the personal secretary of the Moroccan King, take over the event.[6] During this period, the festival started programming more mainstream music, and has become much stronger financially with many sponsorships from large Moroccan businesses.[6] The press reported that the list of artists performing in the event is validated by Mohammed VI.[6]
Funding controversy
In Morocco, the funding of the festival has often been the target of criticism.[7][8] According to critics, the festival has been funded through state-owned companies such as CDG, OCP, ONCF and Royal Air Maroc,[9][10] money which they deem can be better spent in sectors such as health/education/unemployment.[7][8] In 2011, the management of Mawazine declared that budget of the festival is around 62 million Dirhams, of which 27 million is provided by sponsors and 35 million from revenues of the event.[10] They added that only 4 million dirham is given by Rabat's city council.[10]
JLEC (Jorf Lasfar Energy Company), a Morocco-based subsidiary of Taqa, appeared in 2010 as a major sponsor of the event on the festival's official website.[6] In January 2011, Peter Barker-Homek, CEO of Taqa between 2006 and October 2009, declared in a letter sent to the Securities Exchange Commission, that he was instructed to donate $5 million/year to Hassan Bouhemou, CEO of SNI (holding company controlled by the Moroccan royal family), the sum was allegedly going to fund the music festival.[11] In the letter Barker states that he was unconvinced of the utility of such donation, and inquired Taqa's Chairman al-Suwaidi about it, the latter stated that in return for the payment Taqa would get the green light to expand its energy plant in the country.[11] JLEC holds a 30 years contract with Morocco's main electricity distributor ONE,[12] and supplies as much as 50% of the country's electricity needs according to its management.[13]
Hassan Bouhemou, denied being involved in any way in the organisation of the festival or its management[14] and Aziz Daki director of the festival declared that the amounts reported by Barker are incorrect.[15] According to Telquel JLEC donated 10 million Dirhams to Mawazine, replacing Emirati firm Maabar as a major sponsor of the event in 2010.[6]
2009 stampede
Eleven people were killed and forty were injured in a crowd crush at the "Hay Nahda stadium" during the festival shortly after midnight on 24 May 2009.[16] The incident occurred when spectators attempted to leave in a hurry near the end of a free[17] concert by Moroccan star Abdelaziz Stati.[18] A wire fence collapsed during this attempt, endangering the lives of the 70,000 spectators.[16][19][18][20][21] The concert had begun at 23:00, later than billed, and this caused people attending other concerts, including one by Stevie Wonder, to go to the stadium when their own concerts were finished.[17]
Eight of the victims were seriously injured.[18] Five of the dead were women, four were men and two were teenagers.[18][20] They were all discovered after the stampede had completed and found to have been crushed by suffocation.[17][20][21][22] Survivors had to be pulled from the wreckage by rescuers.[16] The dead were all Moroccan.[22] Seven people were still in hospital the following day.[20]
Hassan Amrani, the governor of Rabat at the time, blamed concert-goers for the disaster, saying that they had "decided to go over the metal barriers to have a quick exit".[16] There were 3,000 police on duty at the event.[17] Maroc Cultures issued a statement to express "its great sorrow", extending "its profound and sincere condolences" to those affected by the tragedy.[17] King Mohammed VI also sent the families of those affected messages of condolence and offered to pay for funeral services and hospital costs.[17] Morocco's interior ministry has announced it will investigate the incident.[17]
2024 Return
After 3 years stoppage due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Maroc Culture Association confirmed the return of the Mawazine festival in 2024 for its 19th edition.[23][24]
Editions
2008
Mawazine was attended by 1.2 million people and was located in nine venues across Rabat.[17][22]
The festival featured many artists from around the world, including Whitney Houston, Juanes, Goran Bregovic, George Benson, Hoba Hoba Spirit, Tony Allen and Issac Delgado.
2009
The 2009 festival, a nine-day event entitled "Rhythms of the World",[16][25] was the eighth edition and began on 15 May,[25] attracting crowds of one million people from cities such as Casablanca, Marrakesh, Fez and Tangiers to Rabat.[25][26] Admission cost between 100 and 500 dirhams (15 to 70 USD).[25] 1700 performers performed in 2009.[21]
The opening three days featured acts such as Kylie Minogue, Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, K'naan, Hoba Hoba Spirit, Cheb Khaled, Najwa Karam, Warda Al-Jazairia, Ali Campbell (formerly of UB40), and Johnny Clegg of White Zulu.[25] Other musical acts to feature include Mali's Amadou & Mariam,[26] Cuban musician Eliades Ochoa,[27] The Joubran Trio, three brothers from Palestine,[28] and Iranian ensemble Eshtiaq.[29]
The festival opened with a concert by Ennio Morricone, accompanied by a Moroccan choir with ninety members, on the Bouregreg stage.[25] This was followed by a Kylie Minogue performance on the OLM Souissi stage.[25] Khaled's concert was attended by 50,000 people, whilst 40,000 and 30,000 attendance figures were registered for Kylie Minogue and Warda respectively.[25] Stevie Wonder closed the festival on 23 May.[25]
Najwa Karam's performance was the first in Morocco; it attracted about 60,000 spectators. Warda Al-Jazairia was granted the "Wissam Royal".[25][26]
| Setlist: Kylie Minogue (15 May 2009) |
|---|
Act 1: Xlectro Static
Act 2: Cheer Squad Act 3: Xposed Act 4: Black Versus White
Act 5: Naughty Manga Girl
Act 6: Starry Nights
Act 7: Beach Party
Encore
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2010
The ninth edition of Mawazine took place from 21 May to 29 May 2010. Elton John and B.B. King performed at the OLM Souissi stage on 26 and 27 May respectively. Julio Iglesias performed on 23 May. Sting closed the 10-day festival with a performance on Saturday, 29 May 2010. Other performers at the 10-day festival included Mika, Harry Connick Jr., Thievery Corporation, Al Jarreau, Deolinda, Angélique Kidjo and Carlos Santana.[30]
The festival also brought famous Arab singers such as Najwa Karam, Tamer Hosny, Elissa, Wael Jassar, Majida El Roumi, Myriam Fares, Rami Ayach.
The Generation Mawazine competition launches the music career of promising young talent. This artistic competition, which has been run since 2006 as a fringe activity to the festival, sets out to find the talent of tomorrow and offers them a major springboard into the music business. Open to all styles of music, this competition gives the stage to new young talents and is judged along 3 predefined categories: rap/hip hop, fusion/neo pop and electronic music. This initiative gives unknown bands the opportunity to perform in front of the general public and media in a professional setting. The winning groups see their career launched in Morocco, produce an album and perform at the following year's festival as established artists.
2011
The tenth edition was held from 20 May to 28 May 2011 at the OLM Souissi. The show was opened on the Friday with traditional and international performers. Notable performances which followed were Kanye West and Spaniard Ivica pica on the 21st and the English girl group Sugababes on the 22nd. The following days saw legends like Yusuf Islam, Quincy Jones, Joe Cocker and Lionel Richie take on the big stage. The event was again lightened when it had Shakira alongside Swiss DJ and producer Yves Larock on the last day.[31] Shakira's performance has gained over 200,000 audiences[32]
| Setlist: Kanye West (20 May 2011) |
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| Setlist: Shakira (28 May 2011) |
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Encore |
2012
The eleventh edition was held from 18 May to 26 May 2012 at the OLM Souissi as well as other stages on Rabat. The show was opened on the Friday with LMFAO during their Sorry For Party Rocking Tour. Also other following performances by Pitbull (Planet Pit World Tour), Evanescence (Evanescence Tour), Scorpions (Get Your Sting and Blackout World Tour), Jimmy Cliff, Nigel Kennedy, Khaled, Gloria Gaynor (in Mohammed V theatre), Lenny Kravitz who spent his birthday on stage, and without forgetting the epic finale: The historical performance by the American diva Mariah Carey (exclusive concert "doesn't belong to any of her tours").[33]
House DJs were Yolanda Be Cool and DJ Abdel.
| Setlist: LMFAO (18 May 2012) |
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Encore |
| Setlist: Evanescence (20 May 2012) |
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| Setlist: Scorpions (24 May 2012) |
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Encore:
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| Setlist: Lenny Kravitz (25 May 2012) |
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| Setlist: Mariah Carey (26 May 2012) |
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2013
Mawazine took place from 24 May to 1 June.
International stars in OLM Souissi stage : Rihanna opened the festival as a part of her Diamonds World Tour; she made history by performing to one of the largest crowds of all time, performing in front of 150,000 people.[34] This was a standoff with the Shakira's 2011 performance in terms of the number of audiences. Other artists included Jessie J (Nice to Meet You Tour), MIKA, Sexion d'Assaut, The Jacksons (Unity Tour), David Guetta, Deep Purple (Now What? World Tour), Enrique Iglesias during his (Enrique Iglesias India Tour) featuring the Moroccan-Swedish pop star Loreen, R&B singer Cee-Lo Green and Taio Cruz.
Arab (oriental) stars in Nahda stage : Day 1) Walid Taoufic. Day 2) Mouhcine Salahdine, Sherine Abdel Wahab, Farid Ghennam. Day 3) Bouchra Khalid, Mohamed Mounir. Day 4) Rabab, Cheb Mami. Day 5) Abed, Najwa Karam. Day 6) Zakaria Ghafouli, Assi El Hellani, Mourad Bouriki. Day 7) Shada Hassoun, Ahlam. Day 8) Hatim Ammor, Houda Saad. Day 8) Leila Al Maghribiya, Ahmed Chawki, Tamer Housni.
Moroccan scene in Salé stage : Siham, Jil Ghiwan Jalal, Ghiwane Salwan, LooNope, Jbara, Mjid Bekkas, Aouatif, Mohamed Anbari, Fatim Zahra Laaroussi, Atika Ammar, Numedia et Mallal, Izenzaren Abdelhadi, M.boy, Barry, Casa Crew, Hamid Kasri, Chaht Man, H-Kayne, Don Bigg, Ben Moussa, Hajib, Rachid Lamrini, Mohammed Iskandar, Najat Atabou, Tarik Laamirat, Said Mouskir, Hamid Hadri.
Other stars in so many other stages : Haj Youness, Amir Ali, Leila Lamrini, Tinariwen, African United, Gnawa Diffusion, Amadou & Meriem, Blitz The Ambassador, George Benson, Bond Girls, Sandra Nkaké, Lotfi Bouchnak, Abdelwahab Doukkali, Patrizia Laquidara, Ensemble Dragon.
| Setlist: Rihanna (24 May 2013) |
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Encore: |
| Setlist: Jessie J (25 May 2013) |
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| Setlist: MIKA (26 May 2013) |
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| Setlist: The Jacksons (28 May 2013) |
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| Setlist: David Guetta (29 May 2013) |
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| Setlist: Deep Purple (30 May 2013) |
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Encore
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| Setlist: Loreen (31 May 2013) |
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Encore
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| Setlist: CeeLo Green (1 June 2013) |
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| Setlist: Taio Cruz (1 June 2013) |
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2014
Mawazine was held this year from 30 May until 7 June. Many artists performed starting with Justin Timberlake, for the opening (The 20/20 Experience World Tour) on 30 May which marked his first performance in Morocco, Jason Derülo as part of Tattoos World Tour on 31 May, the mythic French hip-hop group IAM on 1 June, the Belgian house producer and singer Stromae promoting his new album Racine Carrée on 2 June, Kool & the Gang on 3 June, the R&B sensation Ne-Yo on 4 June.Robert Plant the former vocalist of one of the best rock bands ever Led Zeppelin with his new founded band The Sensational Space Shifters on 5 June, the Latino icon Ricky Martin on 6 June, and the finale of this season the strong-voiced R&B diva Alicia Keys on 7 June.
| Setlist: Justin Timberlake (30 May 2014) |
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| Setlist: Jason Derülo (31 May 2014) |
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| Setlist: Ne-Yo (4 June 2014) |
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| Setlist: IAM (1 June 2014) |
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| Setlist: Stromae (2 June 2014) |
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| Setlist: Ricky Martin (6 June 2014) |
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| Setlist: Alicia Keys (7 June 2014) |
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Encore |
2015
This year's edition of Mawazine Festival is set to new records of attendance. 160,000 people attended the concert of American singer Jennifer Lopez at the opening of the festival, and 180,000 people attended Pharrell Williams concert on Saturday, May 30. The concert of DJ Avicii attracted over 200,000 festival-goers, on Monday, June 1 at the OLM Soussi stage of Rabat, as part of the 14th Mawazine Festival-Rhythms of the World, according to the organizers.[35]
| Setlist: Jennifer Lopez (29 May 2015) |
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| Setlist: Pharrell Williams (30 May 2015) |
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| Setlist: Sean Paul (31 May 2015) |
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| Setlist: Avicii (1 June 2015) |
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| Setlist: AKON (3 June 2015) |
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| Setlist: Usher (5 June 2015) |
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| Stages | OLM Souissi | Nahda | Bouragrag | Salé | La Renaissance | Chellah | Théatre Mohammed V |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 29 May | Jennifer Lopez | Khalid Hajar / Ghazi El Amir / Saad Sattar | Temenik Electric | Bawss & Soultana / Khawla El Moujahed / Khansa Batma / Oum | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Saturday 30 May | Pharrell Williams | Assala | Yuri Buenaventura | Nidal Ibourk / Moataz Abou Zouz / Aziz Al Maghribi / Mohamed Adly / Orchestre Ashjan Al Awetar | TBA | Srishti – Nina Rajarani / Dance Creations | Nihad Fathi / Orchestre Hafni |
| Sunday 31 May | Sean Paul | Amal Maher | P-Square | Najat Al Houceimiya / Imghrane / Mustapha Oumguil | TBA | Débora Russ | Magida El Roumi |
| Monday 1 June | Avicii | Maher Zain | Daara J Family | Melimane / Ibham Band / Issam & Abidate Rma / Essiham | Malek | Carmen Souza | Flavia Coelho |
| Tuesday 2 June | Placebo | Elissa | Black M | Gnawa Stone / Gnawa Click / Lamaalam Mahmoud Guinea | Les Frères & Les Fils Akkaf | Maria Berasarte | Barbara Hendricks |
| Wednesday 3 June | Akon | Melhem Zein | Yannick Noah | Babel / Rwapa Crew / Hassan Al Maghribi / Farid Ghannam / Mazagan & Hamid El Hadri | Haim Botbol | Lo Cor De La Plana | Mesut Kurtis |
| Thursday 4 June | Sting | Nabil Shuail | Les Ambassadeurs | Draganov / AZ Flow / Shayfeen / Chouft'Chouf / Fnaire | TBA | Luis De La Carrasca : Lo Essential | TBA |
| Friday 5 June | Usher | Dounia Batma / Ibtissam Tiskat / Fadwa Al Malki | Aziz Sahmaoui & Mamani Keita | Africa United / The Basement / Cheb Simo | Batoul Marouani | Katerina Fotinaki | Dorsaf Hamdani |
| Saturday 6 June | Maroon 5 | Wael Kfoury | Metá Metá | Daoudi / Tahour | TBA | Özlem özdil | Bajeddoub / Abderrahim Souiri / Orchestre Debbi |
2016
The 15th edition of Mawazine took place from 20 May to 28 May 2016. American singer Chris Brown and Australian rapper Iggy Azalea both performed at the OLM Souissi stage on 20 and 21 May respectively. Pitbull performed for 130 000 fans, and Saad Lamjarred performed for 140 000 people in the Nahda stage. The Dutch DJ Hardwell also performed in the festival for 180 000 people. The vocalist Christina Aguilera broke record with having over 250,000 people attend and she closed the festival on May 28.
| Date | OLM Souissi | Nahda | Bouragrag | Salé | Chellah | Théatre Mohammed V |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, May 20 | Chris Brown | Diana Haddad | Rokia Traoré | Hatim Idar, Mohammed Reda and Zinab Oussama | TBA | Kadhim Al-Sahir |
| Saturday, May 21 | Iggy Azalea | Melhem Barakat | Marcus Miller | DJ K-Rim, Rhany and Saïda Fikri | Alireza Ghorbani | Alma de Tango |
| Sunday, May 22 | Wyclef Jean | Myriam Fares | National Orchestra of Barbes | Ahouzar, Fatima Tachtoukt and Najat Tazi | Noëmie Waysfeld | Le Trio Joubran |
| Monday, May 23 | Maître Gims | Hatem Al-Iraqi | Omar Sosa & Friends | Aminux, Sami Ray and Kader Japonais | The Musicians of Cairo | Natacha Atlas |
| Tuesday, May 24 | Kendji Girac | Yara | Bombino | Hoba Hoba Spirit, Gabacho Maroc and Darga | Ines Bacán, Majid Bekkas et Pedro Soler | Qawwali Flamenco |
| Wednesday, May 25 | Hardwell | Assi El Helani | Faiz Ali Faiz | Alamri, Hajib and Abdelaziz Stati | Antonio Castrignanò | Imany |
| Thursday, May 26 | Shaggy | Sherine | The Afrobeat Experience | Muslim, H-Kayne, and H-name | Souffles Quartet | Paco Renteria |
| Friday, May 27 | Pitbull | Saad Lamjarred | Ernest Ranglin & Friends | Douzi, Rachid Berriah and Rachid Casta | Kakushin Nishihara and Gaspar Claus | El Gusto |
| Saturday, May 28 | Christina Aguilera | Saber Rebaï | Mokhtar Samba | Najat Aatabou, Bilal El Maghribi and Hamid El Mardi | Houria Aïchi | Safwan Bahlawan |
2017
The 16th edition of Mawazine took place on 12 May to 20 May 2017.
- Line-ups
| Date | OLM Souissi | Nahda | Bouragrag | Salé | Chellah | Théatre Mohammed V |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, 12 May | Ellie Goulding | Sami Yusuf | Panache Culture | Fatima Zohra Laaroussi Tahour Latifa Raafat Mustapha Regragui's Orchestra Abderrahim Souiri | Charles Aznavour | |
| Saturday, 13 May | Wiz Khalifa | Majid al-Muhandis | MHD | Rabah Mariwri Fatima Tabaamrant Mustapha Oumghil | Vakia Stravrou | Badr Rami |
| Sunday, 14 May | Chic featuring Nile Rodgers | Nawal Al Zoghbi | Amadou & Mariam | Hamid Bouchnak Cheba Maria Cheb Kader | Eleftheria Arvanitaki | |
| Monday, 15 May | Ms. Lauryn Hill | Mohamed Al Salem Hussein El Deek | Bonga | Hamid El Kasri Mehdi Nassouli Mustapha Bakbou | Maqâm Roads | Anoushka Shankar |
| Tuesday, 16 May | Booba | Fares Karam | Ibibio Sound Machine | Hamid Serghini Zina Daoudia Five Stars | Trio Chicuelo & Marco Mezquida | Charles Aznavour |
| Wednesday, 17 May | DJ Snake | Najwa Karam | Baloji | Batoul El Merouani Cherkani Orchestra Rachida Talal Saida Charaf | Agathe Iracema | Susana Baca |
| Thursday, 18 May | Nick Jonas | Tamer Hosny | Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area Band | La Fouine Masta Flow Don Bigg | Stella Gonis | Lotfi Bouchnak |
| Friday, 19 May | Demi Lovato | Asma Lamnawar Hatim Ammor | Calypso Rose | Issam Kamal Ribab Fusion Farid Ghannam | Saodaj' | Rafael Amargo |
| Saturday, 20 May | Rod Stewart | George Wassouf | Alpha Blondy | Mustapha Bourgogne Haj Abdelmoughit Abdellah Daoudi | Elida Almeida | Jahida Wehbe |
- Set lists
| Setlist: Ellie Goulding (12 May 2017) |
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| Setlist: Nick Jonas (18 May 2017) |
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| Setlist: Demi Lovato (19 May 2017) |
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2018
The 17th edition of Mawazine took place on 22 to 30 June 2018.
- Line-ups
| Date | OLM Souissi | Nahda | Bouragrag | Salé | Chellah | Théatre Mohammed V |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 June | Martin Garrix | Kadim Al-Saher | Ebo Taylor | Cravata Reem Ihab Amir | Ara Malikian | |
| 23 June | French Montana | Saad Ramadan Marwan Khoury | Oumou Sangaré | Nadia Laaroussi Badr Soultan Ibtissam Tiskat | Alireza Ghorbani | Hiba Tawaji |
| 24 June | Jamiroquai | Melhem Zein Rouwaida Attieh | Las Maravillas Del Mali | Tarik Farih Maâlem Hassan Boussou Nass El Ghiwane | Patrizia Laquidara | Babylone |
| 25 June | Niska Damso | Bosy Hamaki | Tshegue Chronixx | Lahoucine Ait Baamrane Aziz Al Maghribi Zakaria Ghafouli | El Amir | Fernando Egozcue Ensamble |
| 26 June | The Chainsmokers | Ameer Dandan Wael Jassar | Rilès | Khadija Atlas Mehdi Weld Hajib Hajib | Trio Andaaz | London Community Gospel Choir |
| 27 June | Bruno Mars | Saber Rebaï | Sidiki Diabaté | Abdelali Sahraoui Abidat Rma Najat Aatabou | Maria Berasarte | Souad Massi |
| 28 June | Texas | Aminux Nancy Ajram | Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou | DJ Hamida H-Kayne Muslim | Sepideh Raissadat | Majida El Roumi |
| 29 June | The Weeknd | Ahmed Chiba Douzi | Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 featuring Yasiin Bey | Imad Benomar Nouamane Belaiachi Tiiw Tiiw | Katerina Fotinaki & Eva Atmatzidou | Maria Toledo |
| 30 June | Luis Fonsi | Ahlam | Tiken Jah Fakoly | Statia Said Senhaji Stati | Sabry Mosbah | Marwa Naji |
- Set lists
| Setlist: Bruno Mars (27 June 2018) |
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| Setlist: The Weeknd (29 June 2018) |
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2019
The 18th edition of Mawazine took place on 21 to 29 June 2019.
- Line-ups
| Date | OLM Souissi | Nahda | Bouragrag | Salé | Chellah | Théatre Mohammed V |
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2024
Mawazine returned for its 19th edition from June 21 to 29, 2024, after a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19 pandemic, drawing a record-breaking 2.5 million attendees to Rabat and Salé, solidifying its status as a premier global music event.
The OLM Souissi stage hosted global icons including Nicki Minaj, who performed for 200,000 fans, and Calvin Harris, who attracted a staggering 250,000 people. Other international highlights included Camila Cabello, who embraced local traditions, and Central Cee, who wore a traditional Moroccan jellaba during his set.
ATEEZ made history as the first K-Pop act to headline the festival, delivering an electrifying June 23 performance that served as a homecoming after filming their debut music video in the Moroccan Sahara.
The event further celebrated regional talent with performances by Samira Said and Haifa Wehbe on the Nahda stage, local legends Najat Aatabou and Abdelaziz Stati in Salé, and a unique Umm Kulthum hologram show at the Mohammed V Theatre.
Line-ups
| Date | OLM Souissi | Nahda | Bouragrag | Salé | Chellah | Théatre Mohammed V |
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2025
The Maroc Culture Association has announced that the 20th Edition of the Mawazine Festival will take place in Rabat from 20 to 28 June 2025.
Line-ups
| Date | OLM Souissi | Nahda Space | Bouregreg | Salé Beach | Historical Site of Chellah | Mohammed V National Theater |
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2026
The Maroc Culture Association has announced that the 21th Edition of the Mawazine Festival will take place in Rabat from 19 to 27 June 2026.
Line-ups
As of 01 June 2026, the line-up for 2026 Mawazine Festival is as follows:
| Date | OLM Souissi | Nahda | Bouregreg | Salé | Chellah | Mohammed V Theatre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 June | Ninho | Hassan Shakosh | The Ancestors | Said Senhaji | Mayada El Hennawy | |
| Saad El Soghayar | Mehdi Weld Hajib | |||||
| 20 June | Major Lazer | Majid Al Mohandis | Stonebwoy | Aicha Maya | Senny Camara | Macy Gray |
| Rif Experience | ||||||
| 21 June | Nacim Haddad | Djelykaba Bintou | Orchestre Tahour | Zulu | Marwa Nagy | |
| Statia | ||||||
| 22 June | Nicky Jam | Asma Lamnawar | Pongo | 7ari | Melina Vlachos | Imany |
| Dizzy DROS | ||||||
| 23 June | Itzy | Serge Beynaud | Youssef Louzini | Susana Travassos & João Frade | Nouamane Lahlou | |
| Abdellah Daoudi | Sanaa Maharati | |||||
| 24 June | Rema | Hatim Ammor | Orchestra Baobab | Saida Titrit | AYOM | Margareth Menezes |
| Al Shami | Fatima Tabaamrant | |||||
| 25 June | Tiësto | Jaylann | Sampa the Great | Hamid Serghini | Eneida Marta | Lotfi Bouchnak |
| Abdelaziz Stati | ||||||
| 26 June | Tyga | Oumou Sangaré | Oulad El Bouazzaoui | Parveen & Ilyas Khan | Dee Dee Bridgewater Quartet | |
| Ty Dolla Sign | Saida Charaf | |||||
| 27 June | Tamer Hosny | Diamond Platnumz | Walid Rahmani | Ali Doğan Gönültaş | Dionne Warwick | |
| Said Ould Al Houate |
See also
References
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- ^ Zouiten, Sara (2025-07-02). "Mawazine Festival 2025 Draws 3.75 Million Music Lovers". Morocco World News. Retrieved 2025-09-19.
- ^ Abigail Johnson Boakye (2025-07-17). "2025's biggest Music Festivals: Here’s where the world is gathering". World Visualized. Archived 2025-09-19 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "The 10 biggest music festivals in the world". MTVIGGY. 2013-05-24. Archived from the original on 2015-04-29. Retrieved 2015-06-21.
- ^ Roiz, Jessica (2019-07-01). "Maluma Makes History at Morocco’s Mawazine Festival: ‘Dreams Do Come True’". Billboard. Retrieved 2025-12-24.
- ^ Akalay, Aïcha; Mehdi Michbal; Hassan Hamdani (22 May 2013). "Mawazine. Un miracle royal". TelQuel. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ^ Benmehdi, Hassan (14 April 2011). "Calls mount for cancelling Mawazine". Magharebia. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
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- ^ Akalay, Aïcha; Mehdi Michbal; Hassan Hamdani (22 May 2010). "Mawazine. Un miracle royal". Telquel. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
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- ^ "Affaire. Comme un parfum de scandale". TelQuel. 2 October 2010. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ^ Saad Souleymane BOUHMADI (11 August 2008). "Jlec: La centrale qui produit 50% de l'électricité nationale". L'Economiste. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ^ "Diffamé, Hassan Bouhemou porte plainte". LNT. 19 May 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ^ Ziraoui, Youssef & Hassan Hamdani (9 April 2011). "Exclusif. Les secrets d'un festival royal". TelQuel. Archived from the original on 7 August 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ^ "Deadly stampede at Rabat festival". BBC News. 2009-05-24. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
- ^ "11 killed in stampede at Rabat world music festival". France 24. 2009-05-25. Archived from the original on 14 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
- ^ "Eleven killed in Moroccan stampede". The Irish Times. 2009-05-25. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
- ^ "11 killed in Rabat stampede". Kenyan Broadcasting Corporation. 2009-05-25. Archived from the original on 12 August 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
- ^ "Stampede during Moroccan music festival kills 11". CBC. 2009-05-25. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
- ^ "11 killed in Morocco festival stampede". RTÉ. 2009-05-24. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
- ^ Booth, Jenny (2009-05-25). "Stampede kills 11 people at world music festival in Morocco". The Times. Retrieved 2009-05-25.[dead link]
- ^ Kasraoui, Safaa. "Morocco’s Mawazine Festival to Make a Comeback in 2024". moroccoworldnews. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
- ^ "Festival Mawazine to come back in 2024 after a three year hiatus". HESPRESS English - Morocco News. 2023-02-02. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
- ^ "Cheb Khaled, Kylie Minogue kick off star-studded Mawazine festival". Magharebia. 2009-05-18. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
- ^ "Mawazine draw a million people". Euronews. 2009-05-19. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
- ^ "Just a Minute With: Cuban musician Eliades Ochoa". Reuters. 2009-05-17. Archived from the original on 8 July 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
- ^ "Mawazine rocks on". Euronews. 2009-05-20. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
- ^ "Art news in brief". Tehran Times. 2009-05-18. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
- ^ "Festival Mawazine Rythmes du Monde – 14ème édition – du 29 Mai au 06 Juin 2015". festivalmawazine.ma. Archived from the original on 17 May 2010.
- ^ "MAWAZINE 2011 – FESTIVAL DE MUSIQUES ET RYTHMES DU MONDE, A RABAT CAPITALE DU MAROC – Liste des artistes". Festivalmawazine.ma. 2011-05-30. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
- ^ "Morocco's Mawazine festival stirs controversy"
- ^ "Festival Mawazine Rythmes du Monde – 14ème édition – du 29 Mai au 06 Juin 2015". festivalmawazine.ma. Archived from the original on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
- ^ "Rihanna Kicks off Morocco's Mawazine Global Music Fest". MTV. Archived from the original on 3 September 2016.
- ^ "Record 200,000 People Attend DJ Avicii Concert at Mawazine Festival"
External links
- Official site Archived 28 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine