Sherine Angers Mawazine Audience: Walkouts and Harsh Criticism for a Lackluster Performance

By: Sara El Wakili | Al-Dar

What was expected to be a memorable night turned into a wave of disappointment and backlash as Egyptian singer Sherine Abdel Wahab’s concert at the 20th edition of the Mawazine – Rhythms of the World Festival left a large portion of the audience dissatisfied. Frustrated by what many described as a lackluster performance and questionable stage behavior, numerous attendees walked out before the show ended—a rare occurrence for one of Morocco’s largest open-air stages.

From the moment Sherine took to the Nahda stage, it was clear that the evening would not unfold as anticipated. Audience members quickly noticed that the artist was not singing live for most of her songs, relying heavily on playback, which cast a shadow over the event and disappointed fans who had come to hear her powerful live vocals—the very hallmark of her reputation as an “emotional voice.”

Several attendees voiced their frustration to the media, decrying the lack of real engagement between Sherine and her Moroccan audience.

“We came to hear Sherine’s voice live, not pre-recorded tracks,” one attendee said. “Using playback at a major festival like Mawazine is an insult to a crowd that deserves better.”

In a striking moment during the concert, waves of concertgoers began leaving the venue mid-performance, citing poor organization and weak delivery. The dissatisfaction reached such a level that some even called for the concert to be halted, while videos circulated on social media capturing mass walkouts and scathing comments, with some users describing the night as a “musical disaster” and “an insult to Moroccan taste.”

“We waited for hours and endured the crowds, but she didn’t sing anything worth mentioning… She wasted our time and energy,” another attendee lamented.

Although Mawazine is renowned for drawing the biggest names in the Arab and global music scenes, the backlash following Sherine’s concert raises serious questions about artist selection and event management standards, especially in a festival edition marked by massive turnout and high expectations.

Long celebrated as one of the Arab world’s most beloved voices, Sherine now faces tough public scrutiny that could redefine her relationship with Moroccan fans—who are known for their refined musical palate.

While some die-hard fans continue to express support for the artist, what transpired on the Mawazine stage makes one thing clear: celebrity status alone is no longer enough without professionalism and genuine respect for the audience.