Moga festival returns this late September after two year hiatus
After a two years forced hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Essaouira welcomes Moga festival in late September since its last edition.
2019 was a remarkable year for the festival with a special lineup of international artists and interesting sets.
The last edition’s success was undeniable, which left both Moroccan and foreign festival lovers looking forward to what’s coming next.
Named after the Moroccan city Mogador, the festival will take place in none other than Essouira’s Sofitel hotel.
From September 28 to October 2, the festival promises an epic lineup of over 50 DJs from different nationalities who will be sharing the stage over the course of five days.
Moga revolutionized the Moroccan festival scene by giving a chance to house and techno lovers to enjoy music in the coastal city of Essaouira.
This city is known for more than the festival, its ancient medina is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. A lot of international productions took place in this city including HBO’s game of thrones, Gladiator, and Lawrence of Arabia. More recently, the last John Wick movie was shot in it showcasing its beauty on an international scale.
This year’s setup is having the festival fans on their toes, featuring artists like the French duo Acid Arab coming straight from Paris, it is expected to witness a great mix of various kinds of eastern music on their set.
The duo’s mixes are all heavily influenced by Arab music and Arab culture.
One of their most famous music videos “Gul l’Abi” A-WA, a Yemenite-Israeli trio of sisters, shows three ladies driving cars and wearing silky Burkas. The heavy Arabian theme made the song a fan favorite.
On the local side, Moga is welcoming one of its frequent Moroccan DJs, Mr. ID.
From the heart of Casablanca, Abderrahman El Hafid made a name for himself in the international music scene as Mr. ID.
His music is heavily inspired by Moroccan culture and heritage; his pieces pay tribute to Moroccan and African melodies through the incorporation of sounds inspired by various music genres. His music holds a unique identity which can be guessed from his name itself, Mr. ID.
One of his most famous songs, Salat Ala Nabina features Kawtar Sadik, a Moroccan DJ who will also be present at the festival.
All the way from Switzerland, Sonja Moonear joined the lineup. With a classical music background, this DJ has a distinguished touch, she participated in many international projects and released a lot of mixes.
The lineup, listed alphabetically, is as follows:
ACID ARAB, ADAM DIRK’HEIM, AHM RED, ALYSSA & GIA, ATLASSI, BEL ÂGE, BLOSSOM DOUDOU, CC:DISCO, CORTEGA, DEL AMICO, DIASS, DJ PYTHON, DJ TENNIS , DJ VIBE , FRANCESCO DEL GARDA, FUNKTONIO, GUEDRA GUEDRA, HABIBI FUNK, HASSAN, IRENEE S, JAN BLOMQVIST, JIMI JULES, JOHN TALABOT, KAWTAR SADIK ,KICH, LADYGOULE, LEE BURRIDGE, MAOU, MEIBI , MONILE, MOON.WAV, MOULLINEX, MR. ID, NATHABES, NOMADS, PARALLELLS, PETRE INSPIRESCU, POLO & PAN, RAMMÖ, RETRO CASSETTA , RUI VARGAS, SAIB, SASSY J, SÉBASTIEN LÉGER, SHIMON, SIMO JETTOU, SLIM PEACE, SOICHI TERADA, SONJA MOONEAR, TIMINU, VLADA and finally YAHYA live.
By bringing international superstars, Moga creates a unique opportunity to connect with the help of music from all over the world.
Rich, diverse, and exciting, this year’s lineup is to look forward to.
Being held in Essaouira, Moga offers the chance to explore the beautiful city that holds a significant heritage and countless places to discover.
The city underwent a lot of changes, it has a trace of Portuguese, french and Jewish culture making it one big piece of art that Moga frequenters surely enjoy every year.
With art galleries spread all over it, vintage and bohemian-style restaurants, vintage shops, and music playing at every corner, Essaouira is the perfect city to host a festival as prestigious as Moga.
Essaouira’s climate makes it easier to enjoy the festival even that late in September.
