Algeria’s Idir, ambassador of Berber music, dies at 71

Algerian singer Idir, ambassador of the Tamazight music, died on Saturday evening, in the French capital, Paris, at the age of 71, after a struggle with illness.

The late artist’s family wrote on his official Facebook page: “It is with great sadness that we write to inform you that our father Idir, died, today, Saturday, at about 9:30 pm (20:30 GMT).”

Idir, whose real name is Hamid Cheriet, was born on 25 October 1949, in the village of Ait Lahcine, in the upper Djurdjura Mountains in Bouira Governorate.

His father was a shepherd and the singer grew up in a family deeply influenced with Amazigh culture.

He became one the most famous Amazigh singers in Algeria, which earned him the title of the ambassador of Berber music worldwide.

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The song “Avava Nova“, which is one of Idir’s most famous records, still achieves worldwide fame despite being released 30 years ago.

The Algerian President, Abdelmajid Tebboune, extended his condolences to Idir’s family, saying: “It was with great sadness and sorrow that I received the news of the death of late Hamid Cheriet, widely known in the music world as Idir, the icon of Algerian music.”

Tebboune added: “Algeria today lost one of its cultural pillars.”