Qaayel - Rehab (Acoustic) | Chi Sessions

Qaayel performing an acoustic version of his song “Rehab”, with Amine Ouberchkik on Guitar and Marouane Sibari on the piano.

Khalil Yaaqoubi (AKA Qaayel) is 22 years old self-taught musician and singer. He grew up in a popular neighbourhood of Kenitra (Morocco) where his childhood is rocked by the sounds of Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, The Beatles, The Doors and Jimi Hendrix. This is how Qaayel awakens his musical ear and develops his vocation as a musician.

At the age of 12, he discovered robots with Daft Punk. This electronic music intrigues and fascinates him, to the point that he downloaded a music production software and started composing.

In 2015, he starts writing his own songs and dreams of having them interpreted by others. But Qaayel has a hard time letting the inside of his head live. Difficult to find "this vibe" which grows in him like a house of fire.

This is the beginning of the Qaayel project. An adventure where songs are written and sung English. A story suspended in search of "real feelings" and notes of all these sounds that inspire: pop, rap, film music, video games.

His first EP, Ceiling Talk, released in April 2019 is a seven-song project that he has done entirely. Hailed by critics and supported by major streaming platforms (Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music), Ceiling Talk is carried by the title "High Life".

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This Chi Session was produced and powered by Chi Films, with the support of The Tangier American Legation Museum and The Tangier American Language Center
Produced and Directed by Ayoub El Jamal
Sound recorded and mixed by Abdou Daghay