Balogun Afolabi Oluwaloseyi

Between roots and reinvention: Moroccan-Belgian singer Tawsen's musical evolution across cultures

"I started making music as a joke — and it somehow became my life," Moroccan-Belgian singer Tawsen tells The New Arab, laughing as he looks back on how his career began. "Honestly, we didn't listen to music at home. I didn't have piano lessons. I wasn't meant to do this," the 28-year-old continues. "Sometimes, when I'm on stage singing to a crowd, I still catch myself thinking, 'What's happening? How did I get here?'" But hearing his music, it's clear that his unexpected journey was meant to be. What began as messing around in a studio with friends soon took on a life of its own. Posting tracks online and experimenting with different sounds, Tawsen slowly discovered that music wasn't just a hobby — it was a way to express himself and connect with people in ways he had never expected.