French singer Kendji Girac faces calls to cancel his upcoming concerts in Casablanca and Rabat over past performances in Israel. The show's producer in Morocco rejects the justification, insisting he has never taken political positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. DR ‹ › Since Thursday, social media has been buzzing with calls to cancel the upcoming concerts of French singer Kendji Girac, who is scheduled to perform in Casablanca and Rabat. The campaign was initiated by the Moroccan Campaign for Academic and Cultural Boycott (MACBI), citing his «collaborations with Israeli artists, concerts in Tel Aviv, and past media statements» it says align with «promotional efforts for the country». The singer is set to perform in Rabat on April 29 and in Casablanca on May 2 as part of «The Unforgettable Show» tour. Reacting to the campaign, the show's producer in Morocco, Kenza Cheddadi, said she «firmly contests» the grounds cited by MACBI. Speaking to Yabiladi on Friday, she insisted that the singer «has never expressed himself on political issues related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict». Surprised by the campaign, she noted that Kendji has «performed several times in Morocco», including at the TaghaMusic festival last July and at Mawazine, one of the world's largest music events. «These concerts are part of a strictly artistic and cultural approach, faithful to the spirit of openness and diversity that characterizes the Moroccan scene», Cheddadi added. She also emphasized that maintaining both dates reflects «a clear intention» to offer the public a moment of music and celebration, «far from any political instrumentalization». Past campaigns The controversy stems from the artist's concert in Tel Aviv in summer 2022. Ahead of that show, Kendji said in an interview with an Israeli channel that «the Gypsy people are very close to the Jewish people», adding that «the Gypsies come from Israel». At the time, his Tel Aviv concert was also targeted by BDS France, which, in an open letter, urged him to cancel the show. «This invitation makes you an instrument of the propaganda policy carried out by Israel to present itself as a normal, safe, modern and tolerant country, and thus make people forget its crimes against the Palestinian people», the group argued. This was not the last such controversy. Ahead of his November 2025 concert in Beirut, similar calls emerged urging the cancellation of his show in Lebanon, citing his visits to Israel. The concert ultimately went ahead. In addition to performing in Israel, Kendji collaborated with Israeli singer Roer Adam on a duet. In his album Mi Vida, the song «Oh! Prends mon âme» uses the melody of Hatikva, Israel's national anthem.
