Cheikh Abdou (in Arabic: شاب عبد), born Niar Abdel Moutaleb, born May 5, 1970 in Tlemcen in a family from Mascara, is an Algerian singer, figure of the Raï scene. He had several successes, from Madre Madre to Bghit Ntoub via Balek Balek, Aiiniya, Kindir N'batel, Appel Masqué.

Cheikh Abdou, born on May 5, 1970 in Tlemcen, in western Algeria, into a family from Mascara. He grew up among women, whom he followed from the age of 12 to parties and weddings. These Medahates who sang sometimes immodest texts for the greatest joy of the audience, accompanied simply by percussion, and exclusively for a female audience to whom he sang from 1989.

He continued his studies then worked first at the Crédit Populaire bank in Tlemcen, as an accountant, then in a construction company, before finishing as a computer preparer in a dyeing company. In 1997 he broke away from this "a little dull" life, according to him, "went up" to Oran and became a singer with Raï. He recorded his first song "Zine El Kamal" (The Perfect Beauty), with Cheb Nani for the publisher Nabilophone. He will then cover the title "Madre Madre", a song from the female repertoire which will propel him to the top of the Algerian charts; Although modernized, the music also remains faithful to the circular tempo of the Medahates, with the addition of a trumpet. He does not hesitate to declare his romantic passion for a man: "To love girls or boys is to love anyway…".

We perceive, in his singing, the heritage of the Medahates, the singers whose role is to liven up weddings, whose vintage Raï repertoire he brings up to date. The theme of his songs sometimes crudely evokes his relationships with men, and his impossible loves. "I have been married twice and divorced twice. The first time in 1994 with a girl from Nédroma, a town on the Algerian-Moroccan border where my family comes from; a second time in 1996, with another girl from Tlemcen, the city where I was born in 1970." Abdou sings of love in all its forms, and castigates the jealousies, those which have, perhaps, cost the life of Cheb Hasni for whom Abdou has boundless admiration: "He who does not love Hasni, does not don't like music! ".

Resolutely on the side of Raï Lovers, Abdou nevertheless does not forget to be original, and the young singer particularly excels on stage in the cabarets of Oran where he shows the extent of his talents. Cheb Abdou is an atypical character of the Algerian raï scene. Unlike many singers of his generation who emigrated to France, he chose to continue to enchant the cabarets of Oran.

The performances of the man who is already nicknamed the Algerian Boy George are always explosive. During his first performance in Paris, the atmosphere was already hot when Cheb Abdou arrived on the Parisian stage at the Divan du Monde, around 2 a.m. We're starting to get impatient. The DJ has already warmed up the room with big hits from Khaled and Cheb Mami. But the character who will appear on stage has nothing to do with these big guns of pop-raï. No large orchestra but minimal accompaniment: two keyboards and a Darbouka. The look is rather sober this evening: under a black suit a tight sequined T-shirt. After 10 minutes, Abdou takes off his jacket and the show begins, frenetic undulations, jerky swaying of fully assumed femininity. He is joined on stage by a lively forty-year-old, the singer is at ease. For almost two hours, Abdou will let loose.

Cheb Abdou will loudly claim throughout his career this heritage of the masters, but especially of the mistresses of Raï, the Medahates and will pay homage to his sources: Cheikha Remitti, Cheikha Djénia, Cheikha Rabia...

http://www.discogs.com/fr/artist/1526010-Cheb-Abdou