Mawazine (, 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.
The 2025 festival was attended by 3.75 million people, making Mawazine the largest music festival in the world. With 90 acts on 7 stages, it has the highest ratio of attendees per stage in the world. Mawazine is considered Africa's largest and most important music festival.
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 2013ATEEZK-Pop2024aespaK-Pop2025Will SmithPop/Rap202550 CentRap/Hip-Hop2025Kid CudiRap/Pop2025
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. The event had some financial difficulties and was struggling to find sponsors. The second era, which started in 2008, has seen Mounir Majidi, the personal secretary of the Moroccan King, take over the event. During this period, the festival started programming more mainstream music, and has become much stronger financially with many sponsorships from large Moroccan businesses. The press reported that the list of artists performing in the event is validated by Mohammed VI.
Funding controversy In Morocco, the funding of the festival has often been the target of criticism. According to critics, the festival has been funded through state-owned companies such as CDG, OCP, ONCF and Royal Air Maroc, money which they deem can be better spent in sectors such as health/education/unemployment. 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. They added that only 4 million dirham is given by Rabat's city council.
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. 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. 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. JLEC holds a 30 years contract with Morocco's main electricity distributor ONE, and supplies as much as 50% of the country's electricity needs according to its management.
Hassan Bouhemou, denied being involved in any way in the organisation of the festival or its management and Aziz Daki director of the festival declared that the amounts reported by Barker are incorrect. According to Telquel JLEC donated 10 million Dirhams to Mawazine, replacing Emirati firm Maabar as a major sponsor of the event in 2010.
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. The incident occurred when spectators attempted to leave in a hurry near the end of a free concert by Moroccan star Abdelaziz Stati. A wire fence collapsed during this attempt, endangering the lives of the 70,000 spectators. 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.
Eight of the victims were seriously injured. Five of the dead were women, four were men and two were teenagers. They were all discovered after the stampede had completed and found to have been crushed by suffocation. Survivors had to be pulled from the wreckage by rescuers. The dead were all Moroccan. Seven people were still in hospital the following day.
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". There were 3,000 police on duty at the event. Maroc Cultures issued a statement to express "its great sorrow", extending "its profound and sincere condolences" to those affected by the tragedy. King Mohammed VI also sent the families of those affected messages of condolence and offered to pay for funeral services and hospital costs. Morocco's interior ministry has announced it will investigate the incident.
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.
Editions
2008 Mawazine was attended by 1.2 million people and was located in nine venues across Rabat.
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", was the eighth edition and began on 15 May, attracting crowds of one million people from cities such as Casablanca, Marrakesh, Fez and Tangiers to Rabat. Admission cost between 100 and 500 dirhams (15 to 70 USD). 1700 performers performed in 2009.
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. Other musical acts to feature include Mali's Amadou & Mariam, Cuban musician Eliades Ochoa, The Joubran Trio, three brothers from Palestine, and Iranian ensemble Eshtiaq.
The festival opened with a concert by Ennio Morricone, accompanied by a Moroccan choir with ninety members, on the Bouregreg stage. This was followed by a Kylie Minogue performance on the OLM Souissi stage. 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. Stevie Wonder closed the festival on 23 May.
Najwa Karam's performance was the first in Morocco; it attracted about 60,000 spectators. Warda Al-Jazairia was granted the "Wissam Royal".
Setlist: Kylie Minogue (15 May 2009)Act 1: Xlectro Static "Speakerphone" "Can't Get You Out of My Head" (contains elements of "Blue Monday" along with excerpts from "Boombox") "Ruffle My Feathers" "In Your Eyes"
Act 2: Cheer Squad "Heart Beat Rock" (contains elements of "Mickey") "Wow" "Shocked" (DNA Mix)
Act 3: Xposed "Like a Drug" "Slow" (with excerpts of "Free") "The One" "2 Hearts"
Act 4: Black Versus White "On a Night Like This" "Kids" "Step Back in Time" "In My Arms" "Love at First Sight" (Ruff and Jam U.S. Remix)
Act 5: Naughty Manga Girl "Sometime Samurai" (contains excerpts from "German Bold Italic") (Video Interlude) "Come into My World" (Fischerspooner Mix) (contains elements of "Finer Feelings" and "Dreams") "Nu-di-ty" "Sensitized"
Act 6: Starry Nights "Flower" (an unreleased song from X) "I Believe in You" "Cosmic"
Act 7: Beach Party "Loveboat" (contains elements of "The Love Boat Theme Song") "Copacabana" "That's Why They Write Love Songs" (an unreleased song co-written by Steve Anderson) "Spinning Around" (contains elements of "Got to be Real")
Encore "No More Rain" "All I See"
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.
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. Shakira's performance has gained over 200,000 audiences
Setlist: Kanye West (20 May 2011) Intro (Contains simples from "H•A•M") Dark Fantasy POWER Jesus Walks Can't Tell Me Nothing Diamonds From Sierra Leone Hell Of A Life Monster Flashing Lights Good Life (Contains simples from "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)") Love Lockdown Say You Will Heartless Rap medley : Swagga like Us Run This Town E.T. Homecoming Through the Wire All Falls Down Touch the Sky Gold Digger All of the Lights Stronger (Contains simples from Chariots Of Fire (Vangelis song) Runaway Lost in the World Hey Mama Setlist: Shakira (28 May 2011) "Pienso en Ti" "Why Wait" "Te Dejo Madrid" "Whenever, Wherever" (contains excerpts from "Unbelievable") "Inevitable" "A'atini El Nay" (Interlude) (Fairuz cover) Medley: "Nothing Else Matters" / "Despedida" "Gypsy" "La Tortura" "Ciega, Sordomuda" "Underneath Your Clothes" "Sale el Sol" "Las de la Intuición" "Loca" "She Wolf" (contains elements of "Mapalé") "Ojos Así" Encore
2012