Meryem Aboulouafa
Meryem Aboulouafa | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 3, 1988 Casablanca, Morocco |
| Occupation(s) | Vocalist, composer, storyteller |
| Years active | 2017–present |
| Known for | Album "Meryem" (2020), single "Horses" (2025) |
Meryem Aboulouafa (Arabic: مريم أبو الوفاء) is a vocalist, composer, and storyteller originating from Casablanca. Her first solo record, Meryem (2020), issued by Animal 63, garnered favorable critiques within the music industry. Tracks such as Breath of Roma and Ya Qalbi have been incorporated into various radio broadcasts, television programs, and film soundtracks. On May 25, 2025, she unveiled "Horses", the leading single off her forthcoming album Family, accompanied by a music video shot in Essaouira, directed by Theo Gottlieb and produced by Birth.
Early life
Meryem Aboulouafa was born on December 3, 1988, in Casablanca. Her artistic roots combine classical Moroccan musical traditions with inspirations drawn from rock legends like Neil Young, Rolling Stones, and Pink Floyd, alongside French icons including Édith Piaf, Jacques Brel, and Georges Brassens. She pursued studies in music theory and violin at the Music Conservatory before advancing her education at the Conservatoire of Casablanca.
In 2016, she took part in a TEDx event as a representative Moroccan artist. Starting her creative journey by writing songs on guitar and composing poetry in English, French, and Arabic within her Casablanca home, she cultivated a distinct interdisciplinary style. After obtaining a diploma in interior design from the Ecole Supérieur des Beaux-Arts of Casablanca, she taught interior design at both the Academy of Traditional Arts in Casablanca and the Euro-Mediterranean University of Morocco. Meryem aims to develop innovative "musical objects" that fuse her expertise in music with design principles.
Career
Meryem’s professional path began in 2017 with appearances at Marrakech’s MadJazz and Casablanca’s Jazzablanca festivals. Early in her career, she collaborated with Moulay Driss Alaoui Mdaghri, which led to performances in Italy alongside Francesco Santalucia. Their rendition of the Algerian folk song "Ya Qalbi" became a hallmark piece. She expanded her international presence through tours in Indonesia and Italy.
Her major breakthrough occurred when Emmanuel Barron, head of the French label Animal63—which also represents The Blaze—discovered "Ya Qalbi," resulting in her signing and increased global visibility. Barron described her as “a mind-blowing artist” who represents the voice of contemporary Moroccan women.
This collaboration culminated in her debut album Meryem, released across Europe and Morocco via Animal 63 in May 2020, launched alongside the video for “Deeply.” The album features 11 songs performed in both English and Arabic. Under Barron’s guidance, re-recordings involved collaborators Jean-Baptiste de Laubier (Para One), known for his work in techno and film scores, as well as Maxime Daoud (Ojard). Following the album’s release, Meryem embarked on extensive tours featuring live performances and media engagements. The record received acclaim from critics and listeners alike.
Studio albums
| Title | Released | Label | Formats | No. | Tracklist | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meryem | 29 May 2020 | Animal 63 | LP, CD, digital download | 1 | The friend | 03:03 | 38:17 |
| 2 | Breath of Roma | 03:25 | |||||
| 3 | Deeply | 03:21 | |||||
| 4 | Say the truth and run | 03:57 | |||||
| 5 | Je me promets | 04:30 | |||||
| 6 | Fighting | 03:31 | |||||
| 7 | Évanouie | 03:33 | |||||
| 8 | The Accident | 03:40 | |||||
| 9 | Ya Qalbi | 03:06 | |||||
| 10 | Welcome Back to Me | 02:47 | |||||
| 11 | We'll get by | 03:19 | |||||
Singles & EPs
| Title | Release Date | Record Label |
|---|---|---|
| Horses خيول | 20 May 2025 | Zerhoun Records |
| Breath of Roma | 2 December 2019 | Animal 63 |
| Ya Qalbi | 12 February 2020 | Animal 63 |
| Évanouie | 29 April 2020 | Animal 63 |
Additional Collaborations & Remixes
Noi (featuring Vanni Bianconi) NITON and guests 22 November 2024 NITON 11 Shameless Rocks J'irai partout Dominique Dalcan 27 September 2023 Last Night a Woman Saved My Life Ostinato Records D'âme à âme fr:Anna Chedid 20 October 2023 Peau neueve Anna Chedid Publishing Le paradis fr:Bachar Mar-Khalifé 13 May 2023 The End - Music for Films, Vol.1 Balcoon Oasi Elasi 29 July 2022 Oasi Elasi Capitol Records/Universal Music Italia Breath of Roma (Remix) Alper Gursoy 29 November 2021 PalmTherapy Sounds 13.10 Francesco Santalucia 2017 Memoria La grande onda| Title | Collaborating Artist | Release Date | Album | Record Label |
|---|
Media Appearances
- 2025 - Deeply - La Peur au ventre S7 | E7 | Apple TV
- 2025 - Breath of Roma - Ginny and Georgia S3 | E10 | Netflix
- 2025 - Welcome Back to Me - Ginny and Georgia S3 | E10 | Netflix
- 2025 - Breath of Roma - Bref2 S2 | E6 | Closing credits | Disney Plus
- 2024 - The Call of Water - Ministry of Equipment and Water
- 2023 - Forever Marrakech - L’Office National Marocain du Tourisme
- 2023 - Le Paradis - Lost Boys (Film)
- 2023 - Ya Qalbi - Holy Family (also known as Sagrada familia) S1 | E2 | Netflix
- 2022 - Deeply - Skam France S7 | E7 | France TV
- 2021 - Je me promets - AlRawabi School for Girls S1 | E4 | Netflix
- 2021 - Mawadda - Film directed by Hicham Lasri
Voice Over Contributions
2024 - The Call of Water - Ministry of Equipment and Water 2023 - Fez, by Meryem Aboulouafa - RSI La 1 2023 - Do you remember? - Burning Man project by Sodalime 2022 - Waking dreams by Mayan Warrior Burning Man event 2015 - AMF2015 Official Trailer (Amsterdam Music Festival) 2014 - Watchtower of Turkey by Meryem Aboulouafa