Alabina

About Alabina

Alabina is a French-based musical group renowned for its unique blend of world music, encompassing Middle Eastern, Arabic, French, Hebrew, and Spanish Gypsy influences, notably incorporating Raï and flamenco styles. Formed in 1996, the band features lead singer Ishtar, who handles female vocals, and Los Niños de Sara, a group of four French Gypsy cousins who provide male vocals and instrumental backing. Their distinctive sound often involves taking traditional songs and infusing them with a mix of styles and languages, creating upbeat Arabic-Spanish tracks. While Ishtar embarked on a successful solo career after Alabina's initial albums, she has remained a member of the group, and they have continued to perform together. In 2019, Alabina undertook a USA and Canada tour to celebrate over two decades of performing. Their music continues to be popular, as evidenced by a modern Afro House remix of "Ishtar - Alabina" released in 2024.