Biyouna

Biyouna
Background information
Birth name	Baya Bouzar
Born	(1952-09-13) 13 September 1952
Origin	Belcourt, Algiers, Algeria
Genres	Pop, Pop rock, Raï
Occupation(s)	Singer, actress, comedian
Instrument(s)	vocals guitar goblet drum
Years active	1973–present
Labels	Warner

Baya Bouzar (Arabic: باية بوزار; born September 13, 1952), known by the stage name Biyouna (بيونة), is an Algerian singer, dancer, and actress born in Belcourt, now known as Belouizdad, Algiers, Algeria.

Early life

Having a very early passion for singing, she was a member of several groups: first in Fadhéla Dziria's group where she played tambourine, another that she directed with her partner Flifla, and finally her own where she was the main vocalist and became sought after for wedding receptions.

At the age of 17, she began performing in some of the biggest cabarets in the city and at 19 started dancing at the Copacabana.

Acting career

That same year, the director Mustapha Badie gave her a singing part in his first soap opera, La Grande Maison (1973), where she played Fatma. This show was adapted from a novel by Mohamed Dib. She became well-known thanks to this role.

She appeared in two Algerian films: Leila and the others, by Sid Ali Mazif in 1978, and The Neighbor, by Ghaouti Bendedouche in 2000. She also performed some one-woman shows. In 1999, Nadir Moknèche offered her the role of Meriem in Madame Osmane's Harem which she produced in France. This film was followed by Viva Laldjéri in 2003.

Between 2002 and 2005, Biyouna had success with a trilogy based on the theme of Ramadan called 'Nass Mlah City.

She appeared in the last film of Nadir Moknèche, Délice Paloma, where she played the main character, a mafiosa named Madame Aldjeria. In 2006 she performed the role of Coryphée in Sophocles' Elektra beside Jane Birkin in an opera directed by Philippe Calvaio. In 2007 she had a small role in the Algerian film Rendez-vous avec le destin.

In 2009, she played La Celestina at the Vingtième Théâtre in Paris. For Ramadan, 2010, Biyouna was one of the stars in a sitcom broadcast on Nessma TV, Nsibti Laaziza.

Musical career

Meanwhile, she was continuing her singing career and in 2001 issued the album Raid Zone, produced with the composer John Bagnolett. After the success of this album and her participation in Jérome Savary's Opéra de Casbah she brought out another album called Blonde dans la casbah. She had been planning this album for some time. Biyouna took her time, carefully choosing a Franco-Algerian repertoire which explored both cultures.

She lives with her husband and four children in a suburb of Algiers.

Discography

• 2001: Raid Zone
• 2007: Blonde dans la Casbah

Singles

• "Pamela" (2001)
• "Les yeux noirs" (2002)
• "In her eyes" (2002)
• "Tu es ma vie" (2002)
• "Maoudlik" (2003)
• "Taali" (2006)
• "Une Blonde Platine dans la Casbah " (2007)
• "Demain tu te maries" (2007)
• "Merci pour tout (c'que j'n'ai pas)" (2007)
• "El Bareh" (2008)
• "Tsaabli ouetmili" (2008)

Filmography

Biyouna in the 2011 Cannes Film Festival

Films

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1978	Leila et les autres
1979	Le Chat
1999	Le Harem de madame Osmane	Meriem
2001	La voisine
2003	Viva Laldjérie	Papicha
2004	Beur blanc rouge	Mother of Wassila
2005	Rue des figuiers	Fatima
2007	Delice Paloma	Madame Aldjeria/Zineb Agha
2008	Garçon manqué	Nana
2009	Aïcha	Biyouna
2010	Bacon on the Side	Houria
2010	Holiday	Eva Lopez
2011	Aïcha 2	Biyouna
2011	The Source	The Old Gun
2011	Beur sur la ville	Khalid's mother
2011	Aïcha 3	Biyouna
2012	Aïcha 4	Biyouna
2013	Cheba Louisa
2013	Mohamed Dubois
2013	Les Reines du ring
2014	Amour sur place ou à emporter : le film !
2018	Le Flic de Belleville	Zohra

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1973	La Grande Maison	Fatma
2003	Grand plongeoir, Le	Herself
2003	Nass Mlah City		32 episodes
2004	Nass Mlah City 2		32 episodes
2006	Nass Mlah City 3		55 episodes
2007	La Commune	Hanifa Houbeyche	first season
2007	On n'est pas couché		1 episode
2009	Nessma TV (Zorroh)	Zohra
2010	One person show	Biyouna	30 episodes
2012	La Baie d'Alger

Theater

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2009	La Celestina	Célestine
2012	Biyouna !	Biyouna	in Théâtre Marigny

External links

• Biyouna at IMDb
• Biyouna
• Delice Paloma
• Biyouna, l'algéroise de Belcourt
• Biyouna, une artiste en liberté
• Portrait Mondomix Biyouna
• Portrait Africulture