From urban bars to country weddings, Moroccan folk singers break barriers and keep traditions alive

SIDI YAHYA ZAER, Morocco (AP) — Mbarka Moullablad’s family frowned when she first told them she planned to make a living as a cheikha, singing about love, pain, and societal change to the melodies of her ancestors under the stage name “Thouria.”

Women like her are the stewards of one of Morocco’s most cherished oral traditions: a form of folk singing known as aita, which means a “cry” or “lament” in Arabic. From smoky bars and cabarets in Morocco’s largest cities to the gatherings in the country’s rural regions, they croon at weddings, festivals and private events and pub nights, hypnotizing audiences both humble and wealthy.

But despite aita's position in Moroccan culture, the genre’s popularity does not always translate into acceptance for those who perform it. Cheikha are often stigmatized, eroticized, and pushed to society’s margins. That was once a fear for Moullablad, but she says her community in Sidi Yahya Zaer, a farming town on Morocco’s Atlantic plains, has mostly accepted her.

“My family did not agree at first and I used to suffer from society’s judgment, but now everything is good,” Moullablad said on the sidelines of a recent performance south of Morocco’s capital, Rabat. “I do it in order to earn money for my children.”

A form of sung poetry, aita has long explored themes of societal triumphs, ironies, and unspoken struggles, including those related to relationships and economic hardship. Cheikha don heavy stage makeup, silk caftans, and golden takchita belts as they sing about their community's agonies and triumphs. They sway their hips to amplify emotion, dancing seductively or cheerfully depending on the context.

When Moullablad performs, men and women lean in as her voice softens, captivated as she climbs octaves into a full-throated howl. The beads wrapped around her sister Fatiha’s belly shake as she dances. The band leader, another singer, backs her with his own poetry while a drummer keeps the beat, a guitarist strums, and a violinist drags his bow in sync.

Those who come to hear them sing say cheikha can serve as a community's truth-tellers, singing about often unspoken dynamics related to marriage, agriculture or, historically, colonial resistance. Moullablad sings in Moroccan Arabic, embodying traditions specific to her community. But cheikha across the North African Kingdom also perform in the indigenous Amazigh language, adapting the music and lyrics to reflect their region.

The art form has inspired contemporary acts like the electro-infused “Aita, Mon Amour” and Kabareh Cheikhats, a troupe of male actors who pay homage, dress and sing in the tune of Morocco's most celebrated 20th century women folk singers. It is also the subject of Morocco’s submission for this year’s Academy Awards, “Everybody Loves Touda,” which follows a single mother who leaves her town in the Atlas Mountains to pursue her dream of singing in bars, cabarets, and hotels in Casablanca.

“I was always amazed by their strength and the power that they have toward people when they open their mouths. Whether they are modern or conservative people, they all stand up and get into a kind of trance like gospel,” Nabil Ayouch, the film’s director, said in an interview when the film premiered at the Marrakech Film Festival last year.

Morocco’s music scene is increasingly embracing Middle Eastern pop and rap by North African artists from throughout the diaspora. And rural communities are shrinking amid the country's rapid development and urbanization. But though the future of aita may seem uncertain, its musicians and listeners remain confident that it will endure.

“Aita will not die because it is renewed by young people. Aita will remain in all times and is loved by old people and young people as well. It is developed and improved, but they preserve its origins,” said Rachid Kadari, a Cheikh who also sings aita.

A music band prepares for a traditional performance known as Aita, in Sidi Yahya Zaer, south of the capital Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Moroccan tea is distributed during a traditional performance known as Aita, in Sidi Yahya Zaer, south of the capital Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Cheikha folk singer Mbarka "Thouria" Moullablad talks to her band during a traditional performance known as Aita, in Sidi Yahya Zaer, south of the capital Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Rachid Kadari claps as he prepares for a traditional performance known as Aita, in Sidi Yahya Zaer, south of the capital Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Cheikha folk singer Mbarka "Thouria" Moullablad drinks a coffee during a traditional performance known as Aita, in Sidi Yahya Zaer, south of the capital Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Girls dance during a traditional performance known as Aita, in Sidi Yahya Zaer, south of the capital Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Women cheer along during a traditional performance known as Aita, in Sidi Yahya Zaer, south of the capital Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

A violinist plays during a traditional performance known as Aita, in Sidi Yahya Zaer, south of the capital Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

A woman dances during a traditional performance known as Aita, in Sidi Yahya Zaer, south of the capital Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Cheikha folk singer Mbarka "Thouria" Moullablad gives a traditional performance known as Aita, in Sidi Yahya Zaer, south of the capital Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Cheikha folk singer Mbarka "Thouria" Moullablad reacts during a traditional performance known as Aita, in Sidi Yahya Zaer, south of the capital Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Cheikha folk singer Mbarka "Thouria" Moullablad applies makeup as she prepares for a traditional performance known as Aita, in Sidi Yahya Zaer, south of the capital Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Women dance as Cheikha folk singer Mbarka ''Thouria'' Moullablad gives a traditional performance known as Aita, in Sidi Yahya Zaer, south of the capital Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Authorities were scrambling to find a safe resolution as a damaged tank at a Southern California aerospace facility containing a hazardous chemical used to make plastic parts prompted an evacuation order affecting thousands of residents.

The storage tank at GKN Aerospace with about 6,000 to 7,000 gallons (22,713 to 26,498 liters) of methyl methacrylate overheated last week and began leaking vapors into the air around Garden Grove, a city in Orange County. Officials said over the weekend the tank could leak all the chemical or even explode if it overheats.

No injuries have been reported, but more than 50,000 residents were under an evacuation order over the Memorial Day weekend. Firefighters were constantly spraying the tank with water in an effort to cool the chemicals heating up inside and prevent an explosion.

Methyl methacrylate is a flammable, colorless liquid used in the production of resins, plastics and plastic dentures and is a hazardous substance regulated by the federal government. The substance can irritate the lungs, eyes and skin and in high doses can cause reduced lung function, along with dizziness and memory problems, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Air monitoring tests have so far found that air pollution around the evacuation zone is within normal limits.

The tank's drainage valves are not functioning, officials said, leaving the issue of what to do with the chemical inside as threats of overheating linger. Without action, local authorities said there could be either a large chemical spill or an explosion.

Firefighters focused on keeping the temperature of the tank under 85 degrees F (29.4 degrees C) to relieve pressure. On Sunday, EPA chief Lee Zeldin said the most likely scenario is a “low-volume release” of the tank’s contents, so officials can “monitor, neutralize, and contain the threat.”

If the temperature inside the tank rises, it will cause pressure to build as the methyl methacrylate converts from a liquid to a gas, increasing the risk of explosion, which could ignite other tanks at the site.

A blast that releases the chemical into the air would send it into a wider area, and could create vapors that are hazardous to inhale, according to Orange County's top health officer, Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong.

Chinsio-Kwong said if people inhale the vapor, it could cause irritation to the eyes, nose and lungs and may cause a sore throat, burning eyes and even dizziness. She said the chemical has a fruity odor, but smelling it doesn't mean a person will have health impacts.

In prolonged cases, exposure to methyl methacrylate can cause serious respiratory problems or render a person unconscious. The evacuation zone is west of Anaheim, home to Disneyland’s two theme parks, which were not under evacuation orders. Chinsio-Kwong said people outside the evacuation zone don't need to worry about health impacts.

Officials said Sunday the tank may have cracked — potentially lowering the risk of an explosion. Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Wayhowe Huang said emergency crews spotted the possible crack in the tank overnight. He said despite the crack, the tank did not appear to be releasing any of the toxic chemical into the atmosphere.

Zeldin said a low-volume and controlled release of the chemical would allow officials to monitor it and relieve pressure on the tank. The company, GKN Aerospace, said Sunday afternoon that it continues to work with local authorities and that “the situation remains ongoing.”

An evacuee gather their pets and belongings at the John F. Kennedy High School in La Palma, Calif., on Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Water is sprayed on a damaged tank at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove, Calif., on Sunday, May 24, 2026, after the tank containing a chemical used to make plastic parts overheated Thursday. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Orange County Fire Authority Division Chief Craig Covey speaks during a news conference at the Los Alamitos racetrack in Cypress, Calif., Friday, May 22, 2026, about hazmat situation in Garden Grove, Calif. (Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register via AP)

Firefighters work at the scene of a chemical tank that overheated at an aerospace plant in Garden Grove, Calif., Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Oscar Bello, who evacuated Anaheim with his pets, shows them off at the John F. Kennedy High School in La Palma, Calif., on Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Water is sprayed on a tank that overheated at an aerospace plant in Garden Grove, Calif., Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)