Once upon a time, on the 21st of June every year, France and all of its major institutions around the globe would come together for La Fête de la Musique, or World Music Day, to celebrate music in all its forms all over the world - and Egypt was no exception, with Institut Français d’Égypte hosting a one-day festival to spread joy through wondrous sonics. And then one dark year, with the Global Pandemic of 2020 and the lockdowns that accompanied it, the music stopped - and would continue to stay silent for the next three years.
No longer. This year, Institut Français d’Égypte and Goethe-Institut Cairo, a German institution, are coming together to bring the music back, and this time it’s bigger than ever, with not just one but three days of live performances! From June 22nd to the 24th, the newly-revived festival - dubbed Grün Fête de la Musique - will take over Old Cairo’s Al Azhar Park with a star-studded lineup of international and local artists, and it’s all free to enter and totally open to the public.
The first day of the festival will see Egyptian rapper Ziad Zaza’s drill sound take centre stage, followed by Egyptian singer Samar Tarik’s soulful vocals and Egyptian producer Walad’s psychedelic Shaabi tunes.
June 23rd will start with French duo Daoud’s experimental oud performance, while Sudanese singer and percussionist Asia Madani takes us into her meditative Sudanese folk sound, and Egyptian singer Dina El Wedidi brings her signature fusion of genres and eclectic tunes.
The final day will see Egypt’s prolific producer El Waili and oudist Balqeis take over the stage alongside German DJ Ena Lind.
As a tribute to World Music Day’s origins, Grün Fête de la Musique promotes universal access to music in various settings, from street performances to public parks, and will include talks and workshops addressing climate change featuring local eco-friendly initiatives.
