Khaled (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Khaled
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Khaled performing in 2011
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| Background information | |
| Native name |
خالد
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| Birth name | Khaled Hadj Ibrahim (خالد حاج إبراهيم) |
| Also known as | King of Raï Cheb Khaled The Ambassador of Arab music |
| Born | 29 February 1960 Oran, French Algeria |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Labels | Universal |
Khaled Hadj Ibrahim (born February 29, 1960), known simply as Khaled, is an Algerian singer, musician, and songwriter. He is famous for his unique style of raï music. When he started recording as a teenager, he used the name Cheb Khaled, which means "Young Khaled" in Arabic. "Cheb" is a common title for young male raï singers.
Khaled is considered one of the most important musicians in the history of Raï music in Algeria. He is also one of the most famous Arab singers worldwide. He has sold over 80.5 million albums globally. This makes him one of the best-selling Arabic-language singers ever. Some of his most well-known songs include "Aïcha", "Didi", and "C'est la vie".
He holds a Guinness World Record for being the best-selling artist of raï music.
Contents
Early Life
Khaled was born on February 29, 1960, in the city of Oran, which was then part of Algeria.
Musical Journey
Khaled became famous in Algeria thanks to Lieutenant-Colonel Hosni Snoussi. Snoussi was in charge of a state arts office. He helped Khaled and other raï stars perform at a big festival in Algiers in July 1985. In the same year, Khaled was named the "King of Raï" at the first official raï festival in Oran.
Hosni Snoussi and Martin Meissonnier helped bring raï music from Algeria to France. They organized the first raï festival in France in 1986. Khaled performed there after Snoussi helped him get a passport. Soon after, Khaled recorded his album Kutché in France in 1988. This album was a collaboration with Algerian jazz musician Safy Boutella. It helped Khaled become even more famous in France, where he later moved.
In 1992, he stopped using "Cheb" in his name. He released the album Khaled, produced by Don Was. The first song from this album, "Didi", became a huge hit. It was popular in Europe, the Arab world, and parts of Asia. This song made him an international superstar.
Global Influence
Khaled is known as a pioneer of world music. He has crossed many borders with his music. He mixes traditional Algerian music with Western styles like soul, rock, and reggae. This creates his unique sound. He is celebrated for his music and for connecting different cultures. He has sold over 80 million copies worldwide. This makes him an unofficial ambassador for Arab music.
His famous song "Didi" from 1993 became very popular. It topped music charts in France, Belgium, and Spain. It was also used in Bollywood films like Shreeman Aashiq and Airlift. Khaled even appeared on The Tonight Show in 1993.
In December 2004, Khaled performed at the Grammy Jam in Los Angeles. He honored the band Earth, Wind & Fire by mixing their song "Brazilian Rhymes" with his hit "Didi." This showed how his North African style could blend with other music.
In 2012, Khaled's album C’est la vie sold over one million copies in Europe. It sold 1.8 million copies in the Middle East and North Africa. Worldwide, it sold over 4 million copies. The album reached number 5 on the French Albums Chart.
In 2015, there was a legal case about "Didi." Khaled was accused of copying the song. However, in 2016, a court cleared him of the charges. An older recording of the song by Khaled from 1982 was shown. This proved he had recorded it before the other artist.
Personal Life
On January 12, 1995, Khaled married Samira Diabi. They have four daughters and one son together.
In 1998, a book about his life was published. It was called Khaled: Derrière le sourire, which means "Khaled: Behind the Smile" in French.
Khaled was given Moroccan citizenship in August 2013. He said he did not ask for it but accepted it.
Music Albums
This list does not include some early albums released on cassette in Algeria.
Studio Albums
| Year | Album | Charts | Certification | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL (Fl) |
BEL (Wa) |
FRA |
NED | SWI | ||||||
| 1988 | Kutché (with Safy Boutella) | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1992 | Khaled | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1993 | N'ssi N'ssi | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 1996 | Sahra | 24 | 7 | 3 | 33 | 26 | ||||
| 1999 | Kenza | — | — | 49 | — | 57 | ||||
| 2004 | Ya-Rayi | — | 41 | 52 | — | 70 | ||||
| 2009 | Liberté | — | 95 | 51 | — | — | ||||
| 2012 | C'est la vie | — | 27 | 18 | — | 96 | ||||
| 2022 | Cheb Khaled | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released | ||||||||||
Live Albums
- Solo
| Year | Album | Charts | Certification | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL (Fl) |
BEL (Wa) |
FRA |
|||
| 1998 | Hafla | 28 | — | 29 | |
- Collaborations
| Year | Album | Charts | Certification | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL (Fl) |
BEL (Wa) |
FRA |
|||
| 1999 | 1, 2, 3 Soleils (credited to Taha / Khaled / Faudel) |
— | 14 | 4 | |
Compilation Albums
- 1991: Le Meilleur de Cheb Khaled
- 1994: Le Meilleur de Cheb Khaled 2
- 2005: Forever King
- 2005: Spirit of Rai
- 2006: Maghreb Soul – Cheb Khaled Story 1986–1990
- 2007: Best of Khaled
- 2009: Rebel of Raï – The Early Years
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUT | BEL (Fl) |
BEL (Wa) |
FRA |
GER | NED | SWE |
SWI | |||
| 1988 | "Chebba" / "Baroud" (Cheb Khaled & Safy Boutella) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Kutché |
| "Le Camel" (Cheb Khaled & Safy Boutella) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992 | "Didi" | — | — | — | 9 | — | 29 | — | 30 | Khaled |
| "Ne m'en voulez pas" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Mauvais sang" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993 | "Serbi Serbi" | — | — | — | 50 | — | — | — | — | N'ssi N'ssi |
| "Chebba" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994 | "N'ssi N'ssi" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1995 | "Bakhta" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1996 | "Aïcha" | — | 25 | 1 | 1 | 33 | 14 | — | 11 | Sahra |
| 1997 | "Ouelli El Darek" | — | — | — | 23 | — | — | — | — | |
| "La poupée qui fait non (live)" (Mylène Farmer & Khaled) |
— | — | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | — | Mylène Farmer's album Live à Bercy |
|
| "Le jour viendra" | — | — | 12 | 24 | — | — | — | — | Sahra | |
| "Lillah" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998 | "Abdel Kader (Live à Bercy)" (Taha / Khaled / Faudel) |
— | — | 36 | 6 | — | — | — | — | Joint album 1,2,3 Soleils by Taha / Khaled / Faudel Original by Khaled alone in his album N'ssi N'ssi |
| 1999 | "Comme d'habitude" (Taha / Khaled / Faudel) |
— | — | 40 | 40 | — | — | — | — | Joint album 1,2,3 Soleils by Taha / Khaled / Faudel |
| "C'est la nuit" | — | — | 35 | 29 | — | — | — | — | Kenza | |
| 2000 | "El harba wine" (feat. Amar) |
— | — | — | 20 | — | — | — | — | |
| "Les ennemis (el Aâdyene)" (Khaled vs. Fonky Family) |
— | — | — | 63 | — | — | — | — | Single only | |
| 2001 | "Wana wana" | — | — | — | 97 | — | — | — | — | |
| 2004 | "Ya-Rayi" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Ya-Rayi |
| "Love to The People"
(ft Carlos Santana) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Zine Zina" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007 | "La terre a tremblé" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Best of Khaled |
| 2009 | "Même pas fatigué !!!" (Magic System & Khaled) |
— | — | 10 | 1 | — | — | — | 49 | Non-album release |
| "Papa" (cover of Blaoui Houari) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Liberté | |
| 2012 | "C'est la vie" | — | 5 | 5 | 4 | — | 92 | 34 | 33 | C'est la vie |
| "Hiya hiya" (feat. Pitbull) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Dima Labess" (featuring Mazagan) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016 | "Wahda Be Wahda" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | TBA |
| 2018 | "Mirage" (featuring Soolking) |
— | — | — | 74 | — | — | — | — | Fruit du démon |
| 2019 | "Maghreb Gang" (featuring French Montana, Farid Bang) |
7 | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | 6 | Non-album release |
| 2020 | "Delali" (featuring Gashi) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album release |
| "Elle s'appelle Beyrouth" (featuring Rodge) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album release | |
Featured In
(charting hits only)
| Year | Single | Charts | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL (Fl) |
BEL (Wa) |
FRA | NED | SWI | |||
| 2006 | "Henna" (Cameron Cartio feat. Khaled) |
— | — | — | 86 | 9 | Cameron Cartio's album Borderless |
Other Song Appearances
| Year | Song | Main artist | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | "Be Not Afraid" | The Blow Monkeys | Springtime for the World |
| 1992 | "Amdyaz" | Hector Zazou | Sahara Blue |
| 1995 | "Revolution, Revolutions" "ElDorado" (UNESCO official anthem) |
Jean Michel Jarre | Concert Pour La Tolerance |
| "Didi" (with Johnny Clegg) | Various Artists | Duos Taratata | |
| "Kebou" "N'ssi N'ssi" "Chebba" |
Various Artists | Going Global Series Voila | |
| "Numb (Gimme Some More Dignity mix)" | U2 | Melon: Remixes for Propaganda | |
| 1997 | "La poupée qui fait non" | Mylène Farmer | Live à Bercy |
| "Chanson du herisson" | Various Artists | Emilie Jolie | |
| "Koubou Koubou" | Various Artists | The Rough Guide to the Music of North Africa | |
| "Mâardi" | Various Artists | Sol En Si (Solidarité Enfants Sida) | |
| 1998 | "Ensemble (Understand)" "Crimes" |
Alan Stivell | 1 Douar |
| "Oasis de los Dioses" | Ketama | Konfusion | |
| 1999 | "Bladi" | Freeman (feat. K-Rhyme Le Roi & Khaled) |
L'palais de justice |
| "¡Oh Madre!" | Tekameli | Ida y Vuelta | |
| "Alby" | Amr Diab | Amarain | |
| 2000 | "L'aziza" | Various Artists | Balavoine Hommages ... |
| "Time for a Change" | Various Artists (The Rapsody feat. MC Lyte & DaNaCeE & Khaled) |
The Rapsody | |
| "Emmenez-moi" | Les Enfoirés | XXème siècle | |
| "Le rêve de mon père" | Kertra | Labyrinthe | |
| 2001 | "Aich Rebel Sun" | Various Artists | Big Men, Raï Meets Reggae |
| 2002 | Ojos de la Alhambra (Eyes of the Alhamra) |
Vincente Amigo | Ciudad de los Ideas (City of Ideas) |
| "Saludo A Chango" | Compay Segundo | Duets | |
| 2004 | "Agir Réagir" | Various Artists | Agir Réagir |
| "Retour aux sources" | Kore & Skalp | Raï'N'B Fever | |
| "L'enfant du pays" | Rim'K | L'enfant du pays | |
| "Dance with me" | Enzo Avitabile & Bottari | Save the World | |
| 2005 | "Henna" | Cameron Cartio | Borderless |
| 2006 | "Mas and Louly" | Diana Haddad | Diana 2006 |
| "Face à la mer" (recorded in 1992) |
Les Négresses Vertes | À l'affiche (Best of), | |
| "El Marsem" | Enrique Morente | Morente sueña la Alhambra (DVD) | |
| 2007 | "Benthi" | Mélissa | Taxi 4 |
| "Bilovengo" "Erjaii ya alf leila" |
Bratsch | Plein du monde | |
| "Salamo Alaykom" | Andy, Hakim | Airport | |
| 2010 | "Citizens of the World" | Flying Machines, King Sunny Adé, Kailash Kher, Cheng Lin |
Citizens of the World |
| 2012 | "Mazal Wakfin" | Warda Al-Jazairia, Baaziz | single |
| "L'Oriental" | Enrico Macias | Venez tous mes amis! | |
| 2013 | "El Baraka" | Rim'K, Cheba Zahouania | Non-album single |
| "Larosa" | Medina | Sista Minuten | |
| 2014 | "Shage3 7elmak-World cup 2014 | Nancy Ajram | Non-album single |
| 2018 | "We Enta Maaya" | Tamer Hosny | Eish Besho'ak |
| "Mirage" | Soolking | Fruit du démon | |
| 2019 | "Salama So Good" | Andy | Non-album single |
| 2019 | "Maghreb Gang" | Farid Bang, French Montana | Non-album single |
Soundtracks
| Year | Soundtrack song | Film |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | "Ragda" "Mauvais Sang" "Kebou" "Les ailes" "Alech Taadi" "Bakhta" |
1,2,3 Soleils (French: Un, deux, trois, soleil) |
| "Didi" | Caro diario | |
| 1995 | "Didi" | L' Âge des possibles |
| "Didi" | Highway (1995) | |
| "Les Ailes" | Party Girl | |
| 1997 | "Wahrane Wahrane" "Cameleons" (with Cheb Mami) |
100% Arabica |
| "Alech taadi" | The Fifth Element (featured in film, but not released on soundtrack album) |
|
| 1999 | "El Arbi" | Vila Madalena soap opera |
| 2000 | "Wana wana aamel eih" "Dour biha ya chibani" |
Origine contrôlée |
| 2002 | "Ragda" | The Truth About Charlie |
| "Minuit" | The Good Thief | |
| 2004 | De l'autre côté | |
| 2006 | "Ya Dzayer" "Mort de Messaoud" "Nostalgie" "Sur la tombe" "El Babour" |
Indigènes (Days of Glory) |
| 2007 | "Benthi" (feat. Mélissa M) | Taxi 4 |
| 2011 | "Trigue Lycee" | Rabat |
| 2012 | "Wahran Wahran" | The Dictator |
Film Appearances
- 1997 100% Arabica
- 1997 Le Centre de visionnage
- 2003 Art'n Acte Production
- 2004 We Are the Future
Awards and Honors
Khaled has received many awards and honors throughout his career:
- He was the first Arab singer to win World Music Awards (1992).
- He holds a Guinness World Record for being the best-selling raï music artist (2000).
- He was the only Arab singer to perform at the FIFA World Cup ceremony (2010).
- He is a goodwill ambassador for the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations).
- He was the only Arab singer to perform at the European Athletics Championships (2006).
- NPR named him one of the top 50 Voices in the World.
- He was honored as a "Chevalier des arts et des lettres" (Knight of Arts and Letters).
- He was the first raï singer to be called "Cheb" in 1974. After him, many other raï singers used "Cheb" or "Cheba" (for females).
- He is the first and only Arab singer to perform in many countries worldwide. These include the USA, Canada, Japan (1989), and India (1992).
- He is the only Arab singer to have songs chart in countries like France, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovakia.
- He was the first Arab singer to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 and the France Charts.
- He was the first Arab singer to chart on the European Hot 100 singles (2009).
- He is the first and only Arab singer to chart in a Latin American country, Brazil, with his song "El Arbi."
- He is the only Arab musician to win a César Award (1994).
- He is the only Arab musician to win a Venice Film Festival award (1993).
- He has performed the most times at L'Olympia in Paris (5 times) among Arab singers.
- He has sold over 80.5 million albums worldwide.
- He is considered one of the best-selling Arab singers of all time.
Specific Awards
| Award | Year | Nominee(s) | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music | 2004 | Himself | Middle East and North Africa | Nominated | |
| 2005 | Won | ||||
| César Awards | 1994 | 1, 2, 3, Sun | Best Original Music | Won | |
| GQ Awards | 2019 | Himself | Legend Award | Won | |
| Kora Awards | 1997 | Himself | Best Male Artist of North Africa | Won | |
| 2012 | Won | ||||
| NRJ Music Awards | 2010 | Khaled, Raï'n'B, Magic System | Francophone Duo/Group of the Year | Nominated | |
| Venice Film Festival | 1993 | 1, 2, 3, Sun | Golden Osella for Best Music | Won | |
| Victoires de la Musique | 1995 | Himself | Francophone Artist or Group of the Year | Won | |
| 1997 | Nominated | ||||
| "Aïcha" | Original Song of the Year | Won | |||
| 2013 | C'est la vie | World Music Album of the Year | Nominated | ||
| World Music Awards | 1997 | Himself | World's Best Selling African Artist of the Year | Won | |
| 2000 | Khaled, Rachid Taha, Faudel | World's Best Selling Arabic Act | Won | ||
| 2014 | Himself | World's Best Selling Algerian Artist | Won | ||
| World's Best Male Artist | Nominated | ||||
| World's Best Live Act | Nominated | ||||
| World's Best Entertainer | Nominated | ||||
| C'est la vie | World's Best Album | Nominated |
- 1985: First Prize of Rai Music (KING) Oran
- 1989: Best Song (chebba) in France
- 1989: Top 100 Best Album in 20th Century (kutché)
- 1992: Top 50 MTV America (didi)
- 1992: MTV India Awards (didi)
- 2004: Grammy Jam Awards (Khaled and Carlos Santana) ("Love to the people")
- 2005: Montreal International Jazz Festival (The Antonio Carlos-Jobim Award)
- 2005: ImagineNations and DC Internationals (Empowering Award, for spreading the message of peace)
- 2006: The Mediterranean Prize for Creativity
- 2008: Award Dutch Virsti – German Academy of Music
- 2009: NME Awards 2009 (meilleur duo) avec Magic System
- 2009: MGM Awards (highest-selling Arab album in history) (The legendary) (Las Vegas)
- 2010: Big Apple Music Awards (best Arab artist selling in United States)
- 2010: One of 50 Great Voices profiled by NPR
- 2013: Murex D'Or 2013 – Best International Song & Best International Singer – Cheb Khaled – ("C'est La Vie")
- 2013: Rabab d’or Prix d'honneur – Maroc Festival International Al Ansra de M’diq ("C'est La Vie")
- 2013: Festival International de la Musique Kabyle à Tanger festival Touiza MAROC 2013 ("C'est La Vie")
- 2016: XLII Universal Music Award – Vienna 2016 – for "C'est La Vie" as Best Song.
See also
In Spanish: Khaled para niños
