An air of magic swirls around Nedjim Bouizzoul, who goes by the name Labess. Guitar always at the ready, this globetrotting artist has a gift for inspiring joy in song, filling countless venues over his twenty-year career. With music as his constant companion, Nedjim’s powerful, gritty voice carries the very essence of his native Algeria and the Mediterranean Sea, and with it, the art of living and being.
Five albums—true gems, with a band of musicians for whom nothing beats the thrill of a musical adventure and soaring the melodies of the accordion, banjo, violin, and cajón! With Tout va bien, his first release in 2007, Labess introduced the world to his Gypsy-Chaâbi culture with unflinching sincerity, offering tender memories of the land of his youth in Arabic and French. Straddling nostalgia and a clear-eyed sense of purpose, he shares his worldview, sparked by his own sense of freedom.

Nedjim invites us to pause time long enough to realize that “all is well,” which is the meaning of “labess” in Arabic. Breathe in the exquisite scent of roses in “Rosa Que Linda Eres” with rumba and flamenco rhythms, which dominate a repertoire imbued with the spirit of North Africa. After arriving in Quebec at the age of 18, Nedjim immersed himself in the Montreal music scene and has been drawing on its influence ever since. It’s no surprise then that his cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Dance me to the End of Love” has captured hearts around the world. It seems his vast fan base—stretching all the way to Panama and down through South America—can’t get enough of his music, a fitting tribute to his identity as a global citizen.

This remarkable “street musician” saw “LABESS” in neon lights at the Olympia in Paris in 2024, announcing the concert celebrating his twenty-year music career in style. A regular of Nuits d’Afrique, his concert at the 40th anniversary this year brings it all home.

13/07/2026