Cheba Zahouania Biography: Age, Net Worth, Husband, Height, Religion, Ethnicity, Songs

Halima Mazzi, professionally known as Cheba Zahouania, is an Algerian singer and musician who became one of the most influential female voices in the history of modern raï music during the 1980s and 1990s.

Widely recognized as the Queen of Rai, she gained major popularity across North Africa and Europe through her emotionally charged performances and successful collaborations with leading rai artists.

Her breakthrough arrived in 1987 following the success of the duet Beraka alongside Cheb Hasni, a song that became one of the defining releases of the sentimental raï movement.

Her long-running influence in Algerian music later established her as one of the most recognizable female figures connected to the global raï scene.

Cheba Zahouania
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Halima Mazzi
Stage Name:	Cheba Zahouania
Born:	15 May 1959 (age 67 years old)
Place of Birth:	Oran, Algeria
Nationality:	Algerian and Moroccan
Ethnicity:	Algerian-Moroccan
Religion:	Islam
Parents:	Father from Taourirt, Morocco and Algerian mother from Oran
Occupation:	Singer and Musician
Net Worth:	$1.5 million dollars

Early Life and Education

Halima Mazzi, known professionally as Cheba Zahouania, was born on 15 May 1959 in Oran, Algeria and is now at the age of 67 years old.

She was raised in a multicultural household shaped by both Algerian and Moroccan traditions, as her father originated from Taourirt in Morocco while her mother was from Oran.

She spent most of her upbringing within the working-class communities of northwestern Algeria where traditional music, weddings, and local celebrations played a major role in everyday life.

Her earliest musical experience came through female folklore groups known as Medahates, where she performed at weddings and social gatherings throughout the Oran region.

Personal Life

Cheba Zahouania has consistently kept her personal life away from public attention. Reports connected to her early marriage remain largely undisclosed, and she has never publicly revealed detailed information regarding her former spouse, children, or private family affairs.

Following the violence and instability that affected Algeria during the 1990s, she relocated permanently to France after the assassination of close friend and collaborator Cheb Hasni.

The relocation marked a major turning point in both her personal and professional life.

During the 2000s, she strengthened her spiritual connection by completing the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, an experience that later influenced parts of her public image and personal reflections.

Career

Cheba Zahouania began her professional music career in the early 1980s after leaving local folklore ensembles to pursue solo recording opportunities.

Her first major success arrived in 1986 through the song Khâli ya khâli alongside Cheb Hamid, which gained strong popularity within Algeria’s growing raï music movement.

Her breakthrough reached a wider audience in 1987 with the release of Beraka, a duet with Cheb Hasni that became one of the most successful and controversial raï songs of its era.

The track challenged conservative social standards with its romantic themes and established her as one of the leading female artists within North African music.

Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, she recorded numerous successful cassette releases and became one of the most demanded duet performers in raï music.

After relocating to France, she continued recording and later expanded her sound through collaborations with younger artists and urban music performers, including projects connected to hip-hop and contemporary Maghreb pop.

Her later musical releases, including Khalihoum Yahdrou in 2023, helped maintain her visibility among both longtime raï audiences and younger listeners across North Africa and Europe.

Net Worth

Cheba Zahouania‘s estimated net worth is valued at 1.5 million dollars. She accumulated her wealth through decades of music sales, international performances, digital streaming revenue, and royalties connected to her extensive raï music catalog.

Controversy

Cheba Zahouania faced major controversy during the late 1980s after the release of Beraka with Cheb Hasni.

Conservative groups and religious critics condemned the song because of its romantic and socially provocative themes, leading to strong backlash against parts of the raï music movement.

The dangers surrounding raï artists intensified during the Algerian Civil War, especially after the assassination of Cheb Hasni in 1994. Following his death, she left Algeria for France due to growing security concerns connected to extremist threats against musicians.

In 2009, she also generated mixed public reactions after participating in a musical campaign supporting the reelection of Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, a decision that divided sections of her audience and cultural critics.

Social Media

• Instagram: @zahouania_cheba
• YouTube: @chebazahouaniaofficiel5155

Discography

• Nikit El Khane (1986)
• Khâli ya khâli (1986)
• Beraka (1987)
• L’Amour Forcé (1988)
• Rhythm n Raï (1997)
• Together (1998)
• Samahni ya zine (2000)
• Zahouania (2001)
• H Bibi Darha Biya (2003)
• Spirit of Rai (2005)
• Bled Memory (2010)
• Loukane areftha tesra (2022)
• Khalihoum Yahdrou (2023)