Groundbreaking, poetic, and activist – Roufaida is a pop artist who constantly explores new ideas through her music. Drawing inspiration from her North African roots and Arabic poetry, she translates the challenges of our time into unconventional melodies and metaphorical lyrics.
Influenced by innovative artists like Rosalia, Björk, and Arooj Aftab, the Dutch-Moroccan singer creates something entirely new by blending various traditions and influences. Roufaida broke through in 2023 with her 'Roufaida EP', featuring standout tracks like 'Don’t Bend', with the distinctive sound of the Moroccan guembri, and Kalimat, based on the poem of the same name by Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani. The EP received international attention and brought her to stages across the Benelux, Germany, and Morocco. She performed at festivals such as Down The Rabbit Hole, Into The Great Wide Open and Eurosonic Noorderslag, and shared the stage with artists like Xavier Rudd, Balthazar, Melody Gardot, and Eefje de Visser.
Within the industry, Roufaida is already being hailed as one of tomorrow’s major talents and was honored with two nominations for the Edison Awards – the Dutch equivalent of the Grammys. Critics have called Roufaida “a true discovery” (De Volkskrant), praised her blend of North African influences and alternative pop (NRC), and described 'Don’t Bend' as “the coolest groove of the year” (Humo).
