Word: De.Ville - Didiwa

At first listen, ‘Didiwa’ hits like a blast of pure, sun-drenched joy. It’s the kind of funky, Raï-infused groove designed to pull you straight onto the dance floor, but underneath its warmth lies a starkly different reality for vocalist Ziad Qoulaii, one half of the Montreal-based Moroccan duo De.Ville. The track was actually forged during a bitter winter, serving as a much-needed escape hatch during a period of heavy anxiety and mental exhaustion.

Stepping into the studio to meet producer and co-founder Simon Pierre, Ziad arrived with a mind clouded by coldness, only to be met with a vibrant instrumental already prepped. What followed wasn't a quick, effortless session, but a painstaking creative evolution. ‘Didiwa’ lived many lives, moving through various themes and arrangements before the duo finally captured its raw, lived-in texture using tactile, old-school gear like the Juno-106 and an early-2000s Korg Triton keyboard.

On this episode of Word, De.Ville reflect on the friction of making music that feels full of life when you feel completely drained inside. Even the track's distinctive title arrived with a sense of organic fate; what started as a wordless placeholder melody naturally evolved into a subtle, spontaneous nod to Cheb Khaled’s legendary anthem ‘Didi’, bridging the song's heavy emotional roots with a genuine celebration of raï heritage.