Gnaoua Festival wraps up 27th edition with over 300,000 attendees

The 27th Gnaoua and World Music Festival concluded on Saturday after three days of concerts, artistic collaborations and debates that brought more than 300,000 festivalgoers to Essaouira.

Held from June 25 to 27, this year's edition featured 460 artists, including 43 Gnaoua Maâlems, across 52 concerts, alongside the 13th Human Rights Forum, training programs and research initiatives.

Among the highlights were the opening performance led by Mehdi Nassouli, which blended Gnaoua music with Rwandan Intore dance, Indian singer Ganavya, Sara Moullablad and Sylvain Barou, as well as a world-premiere residency bringing together Maâlem Hassan Boussou, Alexandre Herichon, Mohamed Derouich, Jacques Schwarz-Bart, Cheikh Ndoye, Karim Ziad and Meryem Aassid.

Other standout performances included Richard Bona with Asmaa Lmnawar, Harlem Spirit of Gospel alongside Mehdi Qamoum, Yasmine Hamdan, 47Soul, Oudaden, Hoba Hoba Spirit, Bob Maghrib and Bnat Louz & Raskas. Brazilian artist Carlinhos Brown also returned to the festival after nearly a decade, closing the event with Maâlem Hamid El Kasri.

The Human Rights Forum, held under the theme «Youth of the World: Freedom, Identity, Future», brought together artists, academics and public officials, including Souleymane Bachir Diagne, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem and Leïla Slimani, to discuss youth, identity and cultural engagement. The festival also hosted the third edition of Berklee at Gnaoua, welcoming musicians from around 20 countries, introduced new jam sessions at the former Danish Consulate, and continued its partnership with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University on research into Gnaoua heritage. More than 300 journalists from five continents covered the event. The 28th edition is scheduled to take place from June 24 to 26, 2027.