Meet Faouzia, Moroccan-Canadian rising star
ARISING powerhouse vocalist shines bright in the pop music scene and she is none other than Moroccan- Canadian singer/songwriter/ multi-instrumentalist Faouzia (pronounced Foh- Ze- Uh). This collision of cultures, eras, and styles asserts the trilingual 19- year- old as a fresh force for popular music and culture affirmed by millions of views and streams, and acclaim from Billboard, Idolator, Ladygunn, Ones To Watch, and more within only two years. On her 2019 debut, she transmits a message as robust, real and relatable as her voice.
Born in Morocco, Faouzia moved to Montreal, Canada as a one-year- old before her family eventually settled in Carman, Manitoba. By age six, she started playing piano and underwent classical training for the next 11 years. Beyond studying Chopin, Bach and Mozart, she also followed Arabic artists such as Umm Kulthum and Fairuz alongside her parents, in addition to obsessing over Beyoncé, Rihanna, Sia, Adele, Imagine Dragons, Fall Out Boy, and Ariana Grande. Along the way, she learned Arabic, French and English as she picked up guitar and violin in tandem.
As Faouzia began writing songs, she developed her profile in Canada. Her first independent single amassed millions of streams and saw major radio play. After winning several local and national competitions, she went on to win top prize honors for both the Nashvillebased Unsigned Only and International Songwriting Competition.
Along the way, David Guetta invited her to sing on “Battle” from his internationally chart-topping 2018 album,
“7.” At the same time, she enrolled in the University of Manitoba, majoring in computer engineering, deftly balancing her career and course of study.
“I worked with David Guetta almost two years ago now. It was before I was even signed. Basically, my manager called me and told me that David was working on a new album and they wanted me to try out for the song Battle. I was still in high school at that time, so, I remember getting the call before Math class,” Faouzia recalled to Music Geek over an exclusive phone interview.
“I freaked out! I went outside and I was like ‘oh my Gosh, this is like a dream come true! This is so amazing!' And I went home and I recorded the demo that night and he really liked it so I recorded it professionally. That's how I was able to be part of this project.”
Meanwhile, Faouzia just released her newest irresistible pop song, “Secrets,” available now on all DSPs and streaming services. Produced by Jesse Shatkin (Sia, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Lopez, One Direction) and Troy Samuela (Aaron Carpenter, Fitz and the Tantrums), Faouzia's stunning vocals soar over an upbeat tempo alongside powerful lyrics of honesty and support.
Secrets follows the release of a string of impressive, critically acclaimed singles: “Wake Me When It's Over,” “The Road” and “Tears of Gold.” Get to know more about this acclaimed Moroccan- Canadian singer through this exclusive interview, thanks to the efforts of Vicky Malong of Warner Music Philippines.
Secrets is about telling people that I love that you can always come to me and you can always open up to me with no hesitation and no judgment.
I wrote that song a few weeks before the lockdown happened. It seems really fitting with what has happening at that time. So I decided that it was the perfect time to release the song because it is all about being in your own head and thinking about the people that you miss, that you love and not being able to see them.
The Kelly Clarkson project was so special and I feel so honored to be a part of it. It was recorded in six different languages and it really means a lot to me knowing that she wanted me to sing in my native language and singing along with me. It was crazy. I still can't believe it to this day because I grew up listening to Kelly Clarkson and I would hear her beautiful, big, powerful voice. Those are the songs I have listened to and tried to imitate. When I met her, she was very sweet and humble which was just the cherry on top.
I used to write songs a lot based off the people that I'm close to. They would tell me what they are going through. I get inspired by that. But recently, I've been writing a lot more based from personal experience which is very new to me because I've always been listening to other people's stories and struggles to whatever it may be. But I really wanted my heart in my story, in my music recently so I've been doing that a lot.
I think music is the way for people to connect. I feel like you can say or do anything with music and I think that it is so special. Music is healing whether it is a sad or happy song — a beautiful experience that is shared within everybody.