Walid Ben Selim

Walid Ben Selim – Artist Biography I am a humanist singer, composer, and poet, blending music, poetry, and theater to share my vision of the world. Born in Casablanca, Morocco, I grew up in the old medina, nurtured by my mother, a lawyer and social activist, who introduced me to music at the Conservatory of Casablanca. As a founding member of Morocco’s Nayda movement, I carried the spirit of artistic rebellion with me when I moved to France to continue my journey. In Kerala, India, during a residency at the Gowri Art Institute, I reconnected deeply with Arabic poetry, exploring the works of Abu Al Alaa Al Maari and El Hallaj. Back in France, I founded N3rdistan, a fusion of electro, spoken word, and Arabic poetry. The project was selected as an Inouï at Printemps de Bourges and a Visa For Music revelation, leading to over 100 performances worldwide, from Oslo World to Timitar and Montreal Arab Festival. I have also composed music for films, including An Ordinary Emergency by Mohcine Besri (Netflix) and Maghribya Harra. My passion for theatrical expression led me to create The Dice Player, a musical-theater piece inspired by Mahmoud Darwich, in collaboration with the Arabesques Festival and Opéra de Montpellier. Now an associate artist at Théâtre Molière Sète and Opéra de Montpellier, I continue to explore new creative territories, inviting artists to join me in Poetic Spaces, multidisciplinary creations where music, poetry, and theater merge. www.walidbenselim.art