Faouzia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Faouzia
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Faouzia performing in 2017
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فوزية
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| Birth name | Faouzia Ouihya | ||||||
| Born | July 5, 2000 Casablanca, Morocco |
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| Origin | Carman, Manitoba, Canada | ||||||
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| Years active | 2015–present | ||||||
| Labels | Atlantic (former) | ||||||
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Faouzia Ouihya, known simply as Faouzia, is a talented singer, songwriter, and musician from Morocco and Canada. She was born in Casablanca, Morocco, on July 5, 2000. Her family moved to Canada when she was very young. There, she learned to play many instruments and started writing her own songs. Faouzia released several songs and worked with other musicians before her first collection of songs came out in August 2020. In 2023, she was recognized as one of the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants.
Contents
Faouzia's Life and Music Journey
Faouzia's Early Life and Musical Start
Faouzia Ouihya was born in Casablanca, Morocco. When she was just one year old, her family moved to Canada. They first lived in Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes, Manitoba, before settling in the small town of Carman, Manitoba. She has two sisters, Samia and Kenza. Faouzia grew up in a Muslim family and often visited her home country. She feels a strong connection to Morocco, enjoying Moroccan food and clothing.
Faouzia shared that she sometimes felt different as a child. This feeling inspired her first song, which was all about celebrating what makes each person unique. Her love for music began at age four when she saw her sister play the piano. She started writing songs and poems at five and learned piano at six. Later, she also learned to play the guitar and violin. Faouzia speaks English, French, and Arabic fluently, often using Arabic with her family. When she was 13, she began sharing cover songs on YouTube, which quickly gained many views.
Starting Her Music Journey
At 15, Faouzia won several awards at a music competition called La Chicane Électrique in 2015, including Song of the Year. Her YouTube cover of Adele's "Hello" caught the attention of Tim Jones, a music manager, who signed her. Her first song, "Knock on My Door," was released on November 1, 2015, and was played on local radio stations.
In 2016, she earned second place in the Canada's Walk of Fame Emerging Artist Mentorship Program. The next year, Faouzia made history as the first teenager and Canadian to win the Grand Prize at the Nashville Unsigned Only music competition with "Knock on My Door." She beat 6,000 other entries from 90 countries! That same year, she worked with Canadian artist Matt Epp on their song "The Sound." They also won the prestigious International Songwriting Competition, becoming the first Canadians to win the top prize in its 16-year history. Soon after, Faouzia signed with Paradigm Talent Agency and released "My Heart's Grave." She even performed with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Canada.
Faouzia collaborated with famous DJ David Guetta on the song "Battle" for his album 7, released in August 2018. David Guetta praised her "great voice, powerful vibrato, and unique style." Faouzia remembered being in high school when she heard about the chance to work with him, calling it "one of my proudest career moments." During this time, she also studied computer engineering at the University of Manitoba. She also sang on the song "Money" with French rapper Ninho, which became a certified gold hit in July 2019.
New Music and Albums
In early 2020, singer Kelly Clarkson asked Faouzia to translate her song "I Dare You" into Moroccan Arabic, which was released on April 16. About a month later, the Swedish music group Galantis invited her to sing on their song "I Fly" for the Scoob! movie soundtrack. On August 6, Faouzia released her first extended play. This EP included six acoustic versions of songs, with one new track called "100 Bandaids." To share her new music, she performed the songs live in a concert on August 20. On November 5, 2020, Faouzia released the song "Minefields" with American singer-songwriter John Legend.
Faouzia continued to release new music. On March 21, 2021, she shared "Don't Tell Me I'm Pretty" on YouTube. Then, on June 29, she released "Hero" along with a fun video game-themed music video. In July, Faouzia shared that she had been working on her first full studio album for a few years. On October 28, she released another song called "Puppet."
On March 30, 2022, Faouzia announced her second EP, Citizens, and released "RIP, Love" as a single from it. Citizens came out on May 19, 2022, and featured her earlier songs "Minefields," "Don't Tell Me I'm Pretty," and "Puppet." On October 7, she released "Habibi (My Love)."
In 2023, Faouzia released several new songs. On April 14, she shared "I'm Blue," her version of the popular song by Eiffel 65. As part of a project called Doll Summer, she released "Don't Call Me" and "Plastic Therapy" on June 9, followed by "La La La" on August 4, and "IL0V3Y0U" on September 8. She also worked with French DJ Martin Solveig on "Now or Never," released on June 23, 2023.
Faouzia helped write the song "Beg Forgiveness" for the album Vultures 1 by ¥$ (Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign), which was released on February 10, 2024. In 2024, she competed in the Chinese singing competition Singer 2024 and finished in fourth place. In November 2024, Faouzia announced on Instagram that she was now an independent artist, meaning she was no longer with her previous music label, Atlantic Records. On October 2, 2025, she announced on Instagram that her debut album, FILM NOIR, was released on November 7, 2025. A single called "Birthday" from her upcoming album Film Noir (Fin) was released in 2026.
Faouzia's Musical Style and Inspirations
Faouzia creates pop, R&B, and synth-pop music. She describes her songs as "emotional" and "intense." Her early songs were inspired by people close to her. Later, her music became more personal, as she wanted to share her own feelings and stories. Her songs often have catchy pop sounds but with deep and meaningful lyrics. Faouzia mostly sings in English language, but her voice often includes beautiful Arabic musical styles. She has also performed songs in Arabic and French language.
Faouzia says her parents and sisters are her biggest inspirations for her music career. Growing up, she listened to many pop artists like Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Sia, Adele, Kelly Clarkson, and John Legend. She especially looks up to Rihanna, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Sia for their songwriting. Some of her favorite songs include "Say Something" by A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera, and "Hello" by Adele. When she was young, she also listened to famous Arab music acts like Umm Kulthum and Fairuz with her parents, calling them two of her "all-time favorite artists." She also enjoyed music by Assala Nasri and Khaled. While learning music, she studied classical composers like Chopin, Bach, and Mozart. Pop rock bands like Fall Out Boy and Imagine Dragons have also influenced her.
Popular Songs
Faouzia has released many popular songs as a lead artist and has also been featured on songs by other musicians. Some of her well-known singles include "Knock on My Door," "My Heart's Grave," "Minefields" (with John Legend), "Hero," and "RIP, Love." She also collaborated with David Guetta on "Battle" and with Galantis on "I Fly."
Concert Tours
Faouzia has shared her music live with fans on several tours:
- Citizens Tour (2022)
- Film Noir Tour (2026)
See also
In Spanish: Faouzia para niños
