He grew up in France as the son of Algerian immigrants and sang about it with the attitude of punk. Rachid Taha blended North African music with rock, punk and electronica, and his 1997 version of the old Algerian song “Ya Rayah” became a hit across Europe and the Arab world.
Early life
Taha was born in 1958 near Oran, Algeria. His family moved to France when he was a child, settling in the Lyon area. He worked in factories and as a DJ before music.
Carte de Séjour
In the early 1980s, he formed the band Carte de Séjour, named after the French residence permit. The band mixed rock with Arabic music and lyrics. Its ironic cover of Charles Trenet’s patriotic “Douce France” in 1986 caused controversy and became famous.
Solo career
Taha went solo in the late 1980s, working with producer Steve Hillage. His albums mixed rai, chaabi, rock and electronic music.
Ya Rayah
“Ya Rayah” was written by the Algerian chaabi singer Dahmane El Harrachi. Its lyrics speak to emigrants leaving home. Taha’s 1997 version, from the album Diwân, became a huge hit.
1, 2, 3 Soleils
In 1998, Taha performed with Khaled and Faudel at a concert in Paris called 1, 2, 3 Soleils. The live album was a best-seller and celebrated Algerian music in France.
Rock el Casbah
Taha recorded “Rock el Casbah”, an Arabic version of the Clash’s “Rock the Casbah”. He had met the Clash in the early 1980s, and Mick Jones later performed with him.
Identity
Taha’s music dealt with immigration, identity and racism in France. He saw himself as both Algerian and French and refused to choose.
His death
Rachid Taha died of a heart attack in September 2018, shortly before his 60th birthday. A posthumous album, Je suis africain, was released in 2019.
Legacy
Taha is remembered as a pioneer who brought North African sounds into rock and gave a voice to immigrant communities in Europe.
Live performer
Taha was known as an intense, unpredictable live performer who mixed punk energy with Arabic singing. He played rock and world music festivals across Europe and North Africa and brought guest musicians from both traditions onto his stage.
“Ya Rayah” is a song about leaving. Rachid Taha, who had left Algeria as a child, made it sound like a celebration of everyone who had made the journey.
