Ghalia Benali
| Ghalia Ben Ali | |
|---|---|
| Native name | غالية بن علي |
| Birth name | Ghalia Ben Ali |
| Also known as | Ms. Tartil |
| Origin | Le Kef, Gouvernorat du Kef, Tunisia |
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| Occupation(s) |
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| Instruments | |
| Years active | 2000s–present |
| Labels | Universal |
Ghalia Benali (born 1968) is a singer of Tunisian origin. She grew up in an artistic family and was exposed to music and poetry from an early age: French chansons, Egyptian and Indian musicals, melodies from Syria, the Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum, and the sung lectures from the Koran. She is a songwriter, singer, dancer and visual artist. Born in Brussels and grew up in Tunisia and returned to Belgium at age 19 to study graphic design; she regularly visits Tunisia and performs around the Arabic world.[1]
Early life
Ghalia was born in Brussels in 1968. At the age of three, she left with her family to the South of Tunisia where she continued her studies. As a kid, she sang and shows already on family happenings. Ghalia has a very artistic family that her early feeds with various poetry and music: French chansons; Egyptian and Indian Theatre music; melodies from Syria and Iraq and the 'tartil', the Sung lectures from the Koran, and the particular poetry of Oum Kalthoum.
After her scientific training in Tunis, she returned to Brussels to study in St. Lucas 'Chart'. She decides to stay in Belgium and wants the melancholy of her children's paradise and happiness that they knew, with the public parts. By singing she finds contact with other rich and nice cultures. It is also a way for her to get to know themselves better and to find its right place within all these different emotions.She sang for the first time in the 'Amadeus' in Brussels and was quickly invited to tours to Portugal and Andalusia, where they discovered the riches of flamenco. Ghalia sings with a separate expression and a strong sensuality, possesses a voice that touches you deeply. Ghalia played in the meantime in the combinations Yoda, Nada, and Timnaa
They also created the Group Kafichanta and plays with her project Romeo and Leila (about the impossible love between people from different cultures) concerts in Benelux, Spain, Hungary, Germany, Egypt, Tunisia, and Bahrain. In addition to the CD Romeo & Leila brought them also an eponymous book with text and drawings of herself.
Later in life
They later founded the group together with Bert Cornelis 'Al Palna'. Here sings Ghalia Sufi texts on Indian-inspired music. Her magical voice and unique game fusing itself wonderfully to a sitar Bert's new sound, and their empathy makes that music rising up from deep meditative atmospheres to ecstatic heights. At the request of the Belgian national radio station Klara they took a CD that was released in 2008 by Music and Words.
With her latest project Ghalia Benali: Meet with to K brings them a new CD in February 2010 at Music & Words. It is not intended to compete with the power and the voice of this diva, but would rather the overwhelming emotion of her deep and authentic songs again to life.
In addition to these projects she currently her work further by collaborating with artists such as "The Spy of Cairo ' and Mad Professor. She also makes numerous collages that they exhibited at home and abroad.
Acting career
She has acted in some films including Tony Gatliff's Swing and La Saison des hommes by producer Mouffida Tlatli.
Personal life
She was married to Belgian director Fabrice du Welz from 2000 to 2013.
References
- ↑ Pareles, Jon (May 16, 2013). "The Sounds of Tunisia, Mixed With the World's". The New York Times.
Further reading
- "Tunisian Diva Ghalia Benali: 'Of souls that are eternally connected". Al-Ahram.
- "Get it girl! Ghalia Benali brings flower power into Middle East music scene". Al Bawaba.
- "Tunisian singer Ghalia Benali returns to Cairo for another soulful performance". Al Bawaba.
- "Check out Ghalia Benali singing against gender-based violence". Al Bawaba.
- "Ghalia Benali and Bert Cornelis: Al Palna". Sing Out!. (subscription required)