Summer: 2015

Sting at Mawazine: "I'm very proud to introduce raï"...

The most famous policeman on the planet, now retired, Sting, like his latest album, The Last Ship, departed from his hometown of Newcastle and docked in Rabat, Morocco. He was legally present. A "legal alien." Because he was the host of the Mawazine-World Music Festival, held from May 29 to June 6, 2015.

This old sea dog, having grown a beard, had no need to send a "Message in the Bottle" or preach in the desert... pink. On the contrary, in the space of the crazy global success Desert Rose (Sand Rose), Sting, will become a nomad of a sea of sand, by interpreting the verse of Cheb Mami, the Algerian raï singer, having formed the famous duo, s'il vous plaît, in Arabic, and with as a bonus, the yoyos of his delicately voiced backing singer Jo Lawry. Sting, in the morning, had confided to El Watan that Desert Rose was essential in his "personal" playlist: "I perform this song every night around the world. That says a lot about its importance. Tonight I'm going to sing it. Please forgive my translation or my accent. I mean well (laughs)."

Regarding his meeting with Cheb Mami, the choice of his voice and raï music, Sting recalled: "I was recording in 1999 in Paris. I went out every night. And every night, I listened to North African music. Raï music. And I found it very exciting. A different sound. A different sensibility. And coupled with dance music. And I met Cheb Mami. As you know, he's Algerian. I said to him, 'Listen, I have a song I'd like you to sing.' But I didn't tell him what the theme or subject of the song was. He didn't speak English. My Arabic is non-existent. So, he listened to it. Also, he wrote some lyrics. And he came back to me, about two weeks later. He said, 'I have some lyrics.' I said I liked them. And then I asked Mami, "What are your lyrics about?" He replied that it was about absence, lack, longing. I replied, "That's remarkable. Because that's exactly what I sing in English in Desert Rose." So, he listened to it. So, he wrote some lyrics. And he came back to me, about two weeks later. He said, "I have some lyrics." I said I liked them. And then I asked Mami, "What are your lyrics about?" He told me it was about absence, missing, longing. I told him, "That's remarkable. Because that's exactly what I sing in English in Desert Rose." So the music translated the same meaning for both of us. And it was a huge success around the world. So, I felt very proud to bring North African music, raï, to people who perhaps hadn't heard it before..."

Ever the same, his voice intact, 63 years old, trim, and spry, eschewing gerontology and indulging in youthful complexes, he lived up to the respect he owes his audience. "I don't want to disappoint the people who come for the greatest hits. Otherwise, I'll have to refund them." (laughs)

The audience embraced the ex-policeman's "night time commotion," singing along and tapping out to "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," "Englishman in New York," "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," "Fields of Gold," "Walking on the Moon," "Driven to Tears," "Message in a Bottle," "The Hounds of Winter," "Shape of My Heart," "Roxanne / Ain't No Sunshine," "King of Pain," "Every Breath You Take," and "Fragile."

A playlist combining Police classics and hits from his solo career. But it was with a Police track, "Next to You," that he brought the Olm Souissi stage to life. The sound barrier was broken by the Marshalls' screaming, thanks to guitarist Dominic Miller's riffs, a mix of ska, steady, and punk rock, reminiscent of the Sex Pistols' hypnotic rhythms..

(c) El Watan