Cheikha Tetma | en

Cheikha Rimitti (شيخة ريميتي‎) (born سعدية الغيزانية Saadia El Ghizania, (8 May 1923, Tessala, Algeria – d. 15 May 2006, Paris, France) was a popular Algerian raï female singer. At 15 she joined a troupe of traditional Algerian musicians and learnt to sing and dance. In 1943 she moved to the rural town of Relizane and began writing her own songs. Her songs described the tough life endured by the Algerian poor, focusing on everyday struggle of living, pleasures of sex, love, alcohol and friendship and the realities of war. Traditionally, songs of lust had been sung privately by Algerian...

Tlemcen-born vocalist Cheikha Tetma (born Tetma Thabet) was one of the greatest interpreters of Hawfi, a style of song that women traditionally sang while swinging their babies. Whether performing with orchestras led by Omar El-Bekchi or Abdelkrim Dali, or with pianist Djillali Zerrouki, Tetma had a masterful way of phrasing, allowing her vocals to soar with passion. During her later career, Tetma veered toward Andalusian classical music. She moved to the Algerian capital city of Algiers in 1950, remaining active until her death 12 years later. .