Idir

Hamid Cheriet (Kabyle: Ḥamid Ceryat; 25 October 1949 – 2 May 2020), better known by his stage name Idir or Yidir, was a Kabyle singer and musician.[1] Initially training to be a geologist, his interest for music was piqued when he was called to sing on state radio as a late substitute. After finishing his compulsory military service, he moved to France in 1975 and embarked on his career in music. Idir took a hiatus during the 1980s before returning in 1993. He was a passionate advocate of the Kabyle and Berber cultures.

Idir
Idir performing in 2011
Background information
Birth nameHamid Cheriet
Also known asYidir
Born(1949-10-25)25 October 1949
Beni Yenni, French Algeria
Died2 May 2020(2020-05-02) (aged 70)
Paris, France
GenresTraditional Kabyle music, pop, folk, fusion
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
  • musician
InstrumentsVocals, guitar, flute, percussions
Years active1976–2020
Websiteidir-officiel.fr

Early life and career

Idir was born in Ait Lahcene,[2] Beni Yenni, Tizi Ouzou Province (part of French Algeria at the time), on 25 October 1949.[2][3][4][5] He originally studied to become a geologist,[2][6] and worked at an oil and gas field.[7] In 1973, he was asked to be a late substitute for Nouara on Radio Algeria.[2][6] He sang "A Vava Inouva", a lullaby that incorporated the "rich oral traditions" of his Berber culture.[2] Although the song became popular, both in Algeria and abroad, Idir did not learn about this until after he finished his conscription.[2][6] In 1975, he left for France to begin working on his debut album (also titled A Vava Inouva). The title track was translated into seven languages and became a success. Idir would later comment how "the song had chosen [him]".[5] After releasing Ay Arrac Negh, he took a break from writing music throughout the 1980s.[5]

Idir performing in Bondy, France, in 2008

Idir re-entered the music industry in 1993, releasing the album Les Chasseurs de Lumieres (The Light Hunters).[5] He became known as an ardent advocate of the Kabyle and Berber cultures.[6] In 1995, he performed together with his fellow Berber, Lounès Matoub,[8] who was murdered three years later.[9] His 1999 album, Identités, featured him singing with Manu Chao, Dan Ar Braz, Maxime Le Forestier, Gnawa Diffusion, Zebda, Gilles Servat, Geoffrey Oryema, and the Berber National Orchestra. It was ultimately a widespread success.[8]

The release of 'La France des couleurs' (France of colors) coincided with the 2007 French presidential election,[8] in which Idir championed multiculturalism and immigration.[2] He released his final album, Ici et ailleurs (Here and Elsewhere) in 2017.[5] The following year, he returned to his native Algeria after being away for 38 years (since 1980). He held a concert there in support of the protests that eventually led to the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.[2]

Death

Idir died on 2 May 2020 in Paris at age 70.[10] He had been suffering from pulmonary fibrosis and was hospitalized two days before his death.[2] News of his death was first announced on his official Facebook page, apparently posted by his children.[6] A message of condolence conveyed by Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the President of Algeria, via Twitter praised Idir as "an icon of Algerian art" and stated that the country had "lost one of its monuments".[2][11]

Identity and activism

Idir participated in many concerts supporting different causes. For example, on 22 June 1995, more than 6,000 people attended a concert for peace, freedom and tolerance performed by the singer and his friend Khaled, initiators of the association "la France, la vie" (France and life).[12] Idir also took part in the concert in memory of Lounès Matoub, the Kabyle singer who was assassinated in 1998.[12]

In 2001, Idir defended his national identity once again at "Le Zénith" in Paris at the "21st Berber Spring", a celebration of Berber culture. On 8 July that year, he organised a special fund-raising concert to support the population in Kabylie, at a time when anti-government riots were taking place in the predominantly-Berber region. Idir was joined by a number of stars and thousands of French fans who turned out to "Le Zénith" to support the population in Kabylie.[5]

Discography

Albums

(For comprehensive listing of track lists of Idir albums, see Idir discography in French Wikipedia)

Year Album Chart
peak
FR
[13]
1976 A Vava Inouva
1979 Ay arrac nneɣ (Ay Arrac Negh)
1993 Les chasseurs de lumières
1999 Identités 23
2002 Deux rives, un rêve
2005 Entre scènes et terres (live album) 125
2005 La France des couleurs 22
2013 Idir 43
2017 Ici et ailleurs[14] 12
[15]

Singles
Year Singles Chart
peak
FR
[13]		 Album
2002 "Pourquoi cette pluie?" 64 Deux rives, un rêve
2016 "A Vava Inouva" 131
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References
  1. "Record Reviews, Streaming Songs, Genres & Bands". AllMusic. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  2. "Revered Algerian singer and Berber idol Idir dies at 70". Radio France Internationale. 3 May 2020. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  3. "Revered Algerian singer and Berber idol Idir dies at 70". France 24. 3 May 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  4. Burdon-Manley, Laura (3 May 2020). "Algerian Berber musician Idir dies at 70". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  5. "'Rest in peace, dad': Algerian singer and Berber musician Idir dies aged 70". The National. Abu Dhabi. 3 May 2020. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  6. "Algerian singer Hamid Cheriet – Idir – dies in France at 70". BBC News. 3 May 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  7. Burdon–Manley, Laura (3 May 2020). "Algerian Berber musician Idir dies at 70". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  8. "Vidéos : retour en chansons sur la carrière d'Idir, homme de partage". France 24. 3 May 2020. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020. (in French)
  9. Slackman, Michael (10 October 2005). "A Slain Berber Singer's Voice Rouses His Hometown". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  10. "Le chanteur Idir, l'un des principaux ambassadeurs de la chanson kabyle, est mort". Le Monde (in French). 3 May 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  11. "Le Président de la République présente ses condoléances à la famille de l'artiste Idir". Algeria Press Service. 3 May 2020. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020. (in French)
  12. "Idir, une voix kabyle pour chanter la réconciliation en Algérie". Le Monde. Paris. 27 September 1999. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020. (in French)
  13. "LesCharts.com Idir discography page". Lescharts.com. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  14. "" Ici et ailleurs ", le nouvel album d'Idir, sortira le 7 avril". Chouf-Chouf (in French). 2 March 2017. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  15. "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums – SNEP (Week 16, 2017)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 25 April 2017.

Sources
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