{{Short description|Moroccan-Canadian singer, songwriter}} {{DISPLAYTITLE:Mehdi Bahmad}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Mehdi Bahmad | image = Mehdi Bahmad - Rouge a Levres - Music Video Outtake - 11.jpg | caption = Mehdi Bahmad - Rouge a Levres - Music Video Outtake - 11 | image_upright = | birth_place = Rabat, Morocco | genre = {{Flatlist| * Pop }} | occupation = {{Flatlist| * Singer * Songwriter }} | years_active = 2018-present | website = {{URL|mehdibahmad.com}} }}
'''Mehdi Bahmad''' ({{langx|ar|مهدي بحمد|link=no}}) is a Moroccan-Canadian singer-songwriter.
== Early life == Born in Rabat to an Amazigh father and Moroccan mother, Bahmad lived with his family in Agadir, Morocco, and Antibes, France, before moving to Montréal, Canada, when he was eight years old.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://stepfeed.com/this-arab-artist-is-fighting-for-gender-freedom-in-the-middle-east-8799|title=This Arab artist is fighting for 'gender freedom' in the Middle East|date=2018-08-08|work=StepFeed|access-date=2018-08-14|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://genius.com/artists/Mehdi-bahmad|title=Mehdi Bahmad|website=Genius|language=en|access-date=2018-08-14}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=http://www.iheartradio.ca/nouvelles/regardez-mehdi-bahmad-celebre-la-liberte-des-genres-1.4068556|title=REGARDEZ : Mehdi Bahmad célèbre la liberté des genres|last=Média|first=Bell|access-date=2018-08-14|language=fr-CA}}</ref> In addition to French, he speaks English and Derija.
== Music career == Coming from a visual arts background, Mehdi Bahmad oversees all creative aspect of his work, creating his artworks as well as directing and choreographing his music videos.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.lecourrierdusud.ca/lelectro-pop-sans-barriere-de-mehdi-bahmad/|title=L'électro pop sans barrière de Mehdi Bahmad|date=2019-11-12|website=Le Courrier du Sud|language=fr-CA|access-date=2019-11-15}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://voir.ca/nouvelles/actualite-musicale/2019/10/24/a-decouvrir-lelectro-arabisant-et-engage-de-mehdi-bahmad/|title=À découvrir : l'électro arabisant et engagé de Mehdi Bahmad|last=Genest|first=Catherine|website=Voir.ca|date=24 October 2019 |language=fr-CA|access-date=2019-11-15}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/premiere/emissions/le-15-18/episodes/446154/audio-fil-du-lundi-21-octobre-2019|title=ICI Radio-Canada Première {{!}} Émissions, horaire, fréquences radio|last=Radio-Canada.ca|first=ICI Radio-Canada Première-|website=Le 15-18 {{!}} Radio-Canada.ca Première|language=fr-ca|access-date=2019-11-15}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/premiere/emissions/penelope/episodes/446772/audio-fil-du-mardi-29-octobre-2019/9|title=ICI Radio-Canada Première {{!}} Émissions, horaire, fréquences radio|last=Radio-Canada.ca|first=ICI Radio-Canada Première-|website=Pénélope {{!}} ICI Radio-Canada.ca Première|language=fr-ca|access-date=2019-11-15}}</ref> He cites the duality of his Eastern and Western identities as a source of inspiration.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":2" />
On April 17, 2018, Bahmad independently released the first self-produced and home-recorded single "Rouge à lèvres"<ref name=":5">{{Citation|title=Rouge à lèvres - Single by Mehdi Bahmad|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/rouge-%C3%A0-l%C3%A8vres-single/1426745235|language=en-us|access-date=2019-11-15}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{Citation|title=Rouge à Lèvres - Single par Mehdi Bahmad|date=2018-04-17|url=https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/rouge-%C3%A0-l%C3%A8vres-single/1426745235?l=fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181219000855/https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/rouge-%C3%A0-l%C3%A8vres-single/1426745235?l=fr|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 19, 2018|language=fr-CA|access-date=2018-08-14}}</ref> for which the self-directed music video was premiered by iHeart Radio.<ref name="auto" />
On June 28, 2019, he released the single "H.E.N.N.A.",<ref name=":6">{{Citation|title=Mehdi Bahmad - H.E.N.N.A.|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFDW6bYYUzI|language=en|access-date=2019-11-15}}</ref> addressing the challenges of growing up as a millennial in a Muslim family, and the broader generational gap in North-African and Middle-Eastern societies. The self-directed music video<ref name=":6" /> he released on August 11 was later selected as part of the Official Selection at the 10th anniversary edition of Aesthetica Short Film Festival and laureate at various short film festivals. On August 23, he released the single "Lay"<ref name=":7">{{Citation |title=Mehdi Bahmad - Lay |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS5vB7-Dfm4 |language=en |access-date=2019-11-15}}</ref> followed by another self-directed visual, premiered by ''Flaunt''.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=Flaunt Premiere {{!}} Mehdi Bahmad "Lay" |url=https://www.flaunt.com/content/mehdi-bahmad-lay |access-date=2019-11-15 |website=Flaunt Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
On October 25, 2019, Mehdi Bahmad independently released his debut EP "Khôl", reaching number 52 on iTunes Canada Top 200 Alternative Albums.<ref name=":9">{{Citation |title=Khôl - EP par Mehdi Bahmad |url=https://music.apple.com/ca/album/kh%C3%B4l-ep/1483581803?l=fr |language=en-ca |access-date=2019-11-15}}</ref> Speaking about his inspiration, Bahmad shares: "This EP represents the creation of my artistic persona. this alter-ego that ruled the secret garden I had to nurture growing up as a self-defense mechanism".<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4" /><ref name=":3" /> Of the title "Khôl", Bahmad states, "I transpose this mineral powder into a symbol of union and equality. Originally, it was worn by all, and from all social classes. The same eyes, smudged with black, glazing at the same burning sun".<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4" />
On March 12, 2020, he released the self-directed music video for his song <nowiki>''</nowiki>Buy Me (a Bird)<nowiki>''</nowiki>.<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Mehdi Bahmad - Buy Me (a Bird) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4jtMO5vjno |access-date= |website=YouTube}}</ref> The music video was premiered by ''Vogue Arabia.''<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |date=2020-03-12 |title=Feeling Like a Caged Bird? Watch This |url=https://en.vogue.me/culture/moroccan-mehdi-bahmad-debut-ep/ |access-date=2020-03-15 |website=Vogue Arabia |language=en-GB}}</ref>
On March 25, 2020, Olof Dreijer, from the Swedish electronic duo The Knife, released a remix of "Rouge à lèvres"<ref>{{Citation |title=Rouge à Lèvres (Olof Dreijer Remix) - Single by Mehdi Bahmad |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/rouge-%C3%A0-l%C3%A8vres-olof-dreijer-remix-single/1499085627 |language=en-us |access-date=2020-03-31}}</ref> which was originally inspired by The Knife's 2003 single "Pass This On". In the lyrics we can read: "Cheap string lights on, put The Knife on, rolled back eyes mon rouge à lèvres stains".<ref>{{Citation |title=Mehdi Bahmad – Rouge à lèvres |url=https://genius.com/Mehdi-bahmad-rouge-a-levres-lyrics |language=en |access-date=2020-03-31}}</ref>
Since then, Mehdi Bahmad released the singles "Sukkar",<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Sukkar by Mehdi Bahmad |url=https://music.apple.com/ca/album/sukkar-single/1537842125 |access-date=2020-12-01 |website=Apple Music |language=en-ca}}</ref> "Rien"<ref>{{Citation |title=Rien by Mehdi Bahmad |date=2021-06-11 |url=https://music.apple.com/ca/album/rien/1566651869?i=1566651871 |language=en-CA |access-date=2023-01-16}}</ref> and "Rien (Walo)",<ref>{{Citation |title=Rien (Walo) by Mehdi Bahmad |date=2021-07-23 |url=https://music.apple.com/ca/album/rien-walo/1575303592?i=1575303593 |language=en-CA |access-date=2023-01-16}}</ref> the latter reaching respectively number 3 and 40 on Anghami Top International Downloads and Top French Songs.
In 2022, Bahmad was spokesperson for Amnesty International Canada's latest campaign "Écrire, ça libère".
== Discography ==
=== EPs === {| class="wikitable" !Title !Year !Track list |- !Khôl<ref name=":9" /> |2019 |1. Lay (Intro)
2. Lay
3. H.E.N.N.A.
4. Buy Me (a Bird)
5. Khôl |- !Khôl (Remixes)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Khôl (Remixes) - EP by Mehdi Bahmad|url=https://music.apple.com/ca/album/kh%C3%B4l-remixes-ep/1530431513|access-date=2020-12-01|website=Apple Music|language=en-ca}}</ref> |2020 |1. Lay (P.A.F.F. Remix)
2. H.E.N.N.A. (King Arthur Remix)
4. Buy Me (a Bird) (LUXXURY Remix)
5. Khôl (GOLDHOUSE Remix) |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|10315811}} * {{Discogs artist|6850632-Mehdi-Bahmad}} * {{MusicBrainz artist|79f195e0-0b36-40ed-9d95-261e876afc9d}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bahmad, Mehdi}} Category:Living people Category:Canadian male singer-songwriters Category:Canadian singer-songwriters Category:Moroccan diaspora in Canada Category:Pop artists Category:Year of birth missing (living people)