Biography

Yolla Khalife :

  • Born in Jezzine (South of Lebanon)
  • Her love for music and singing was known since childhood
  • Impressed by religious songs and popular celebrations in the village
  • Pursued her studies in philosophy at the Lebanese University in Beirut, singing with a group of young people “Mouachahat” and heritage melodies.
  • Participated in the creation of the group “Al Mayadine “in Beirut in 1977 with Marcel Khalife (composer, musician and interpreter) with whom she founded a family and gave birth for 2 children Rami and Bachar.

From 1978 until 1980, Yolla was singing with the group in many festivals such as “The Democratic Youth Festival” in Cuba and Berlin, and “Carthage Festival”  in Tunisia.

  • After 1980 Yolla took a distance from her artistic activity until she came back in 2000 with the same group.
  • From 2000 till 2013:She participated at many Arabic, European and American tours and also different Lebanese and international festivals:
    • “Jarash” Festival in Jordan.
    • Tours in Tunisia, Morocco, Qatar, , United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Soudan and Syria.
    • “ Beit El Ddine”  and Tyre Festivals ( Lebanon )
    • International Book Fair ( Frankfurt)
    • Bozar Theater ( Brussels )
    • “Salle de L’Unesco” and Salle “Pleyel” ( Paris)
    • Opera House (Cairo- Egypt )
    • “ Arabesque” Festival ( Kennedy Center Washington )
    • “ Fez” Festival for sacred music ( Morocco )
    •  “ Barbican “ theater ( London )
    •  “ World Trade Center “ ( Dubai )

At the same time of her activity with the group “Al Mayadine”, she developed her own taste and conception for art.

She combined the singing with the body expression, making the art the language of  the soul ,which allowed her to go solo in:

    • “Centre du Marais”,” Cabaret Sauvage”, “Institute of Arab World”,” Centre Pompidou” ( Paris )
    • “La Fete de l’Humanite” ( La Courneuve ), “Les rencontres Culturelles du Riquet “( south of France )
    • Health International Film Festival in “ Odeum Kos island “ ( Greece )
    • “World Music Festival” in Bitola, Skopje Museum( Macedonia )
    • “Janackovy Hukvaldy Festival” ( Czech Republic )
    • Other musical and dance spectacles with “ Centre de Danses Orientales “ in Paris and the company “Danse Ma Joie”
    • In 2007-2008 Yolla participated as a singer at the movie  “Hey! don’t forget the Cumin” with the director Hala Al Abdallah. Click here to watch part of the movie. Hala directed also a documentary about Yolla for “France Culture” and “Deutschland” radios. Click here to listen to the documentary.
    • December 2015 concert at IMA (Paris) celebrating the International Arabic Language Day
    • March 2017 “Sawti” play at Monot theater Beirut, with Soraya Baghdadi & Nadra Assaf. Directed by: Chadi El Zein accompanied by Rami Khalife on piano
    • May 2019 Concert at La Marbrerie Montreuil (France)
    • October 2019 “Sawti” replay at Monot theater Beirut
    • 2021 Mona’s song for the movie “Sous le ciel d’Alice” by Chloe Mazlo with Bachar Mar Khalife
    • 2021 participated by singing and dancing at “cycle de lectures autour des violences faites aux femmes” at theatre      “La Boutonnière” in Paris
    • 2022 Performance at “Diwan du Chandon” Paris with Soraya Baghdadi
    • 2023 Concert at “Beit Faris wa Lucia” in Jbeil (Byblos)