Biography
Rabii Zammouri is a Tunisian composer and music producer
From his first music lesson to his stunning film scores, explore the biography of Rabii Zammouri below.
CHILDHOOD
Rabii Zammouri was born in Médenine, Tunisia, in 1976. From a young age, he was captivated by symphonic music. During his school years, as he joined music clubs, Rabii began exploring music, and the oud quickly captured his heart when he was just 10 years old.
EDUCATION
At the age of 10, Rabii began studying the oud. After obtaining his science baccalaureate, he pursued music studies at the Higher Institute of Music in Tunis, where he was guided by esteemed mentors, including Mohammed Saada, Abdelhamid Belalgia, Ahmed Achour, and Zouhair Belhani, all of whom he deeply respected. Master Mohammed Saada, who taught him the Techniques of Tunisian Music Composition, recognized his talent for composition and encouraged him to further invest in a career as a music composer. While still a student at the Higher Institute of Music in Tunis, Rabii composed music for several advertising and institutional films, various dance scenes with artist Syhem Belkhodja, and the song for a UNICEF clip directed by Moncef Dhouib (1997). He also created music used as the theme for the program "La Nuit du Ramadan" hosted by Frédéric Mitterrand and aired on France 2 (1998). He graduated with a music degree in 1999 and increasingly focused on film music.
MUSICAL CAREER
FILM
In 2002, director Nouri Bouzid invited Rabii to compose the soundtrack for Poupées d'argile. That same year, he scored Divorce Caprice (Talak Incha) by Moncef Dhouib, produced by Tunisian Television. Since then, as a film composer, he has created numerous original scores, collaborating with notable directors like Salma Baccar, Mohamed Zran, Rachid Ferchiou, Hammadi Arafa, Anis Lassoued, Nasreddine Shili, Mourad Ben Cheikh, Imen Ben Hsin, Habib Mestiri, Salma Hobbi, Wassim Korbi, Mohamed Ali Mansour, Kamo Hmaied, Youssef Kouhaji...
TELEVISION
In addition to his cinematic work, Rabii began composing for television, starting with "Farhat l’amor", a sitcom by acclaimed director Salma Baccar (2002), which marked the beginning of an extensive portfolio in television. His first series score was for "Kamanjet Sallama" in 2007, a collaboration with renowned writer and poet Ali Louati. In 2008, he composed the iconic theme for Sayd Errim with celebrated producer Nejib Ayed. Over the following years, Rabii created memorable themes for popular series, including Achek Sarab, Yawmiet Emraa, Naouret Lahwe, Azzaimen, Assaraya, Dar Khleaa, Sabbak Elkhir, and Hikayet ibn Alhaddad. Rabii has worked with a distinguished lineup of directors, such as Salma Baccar, Sleh Eddine Essid, Hammadi Arafa, Ali Mansour, Habib Meselmani, Abdelkader Jerbi, Mourad Ben Sheikh, Madih Belaid, Ossama Rezg, and Youssef Kouhaji. His collaborations also extend to talented artists like Saber Rebai, Amina Fakhet, Dorsaf Hamdani, Balti, Walid Tounsi, Emna Fakher, Raoudha Abdallah, Lobna Nomene, and Aymen El Aatar.
THEATER
Alongside his work in film and television, Rabii has also composed scores for theater. He has crafted numerous original works for the stage and collaborated with prominent directors such as Mohamed Driss and Ezzeddine Ganoun.
MUSIC PRODUCTION
As a music producer, he is known for producing and composing several successful songs and instrumental pieces, including Hymne aux Héros de la Tunisie (with poetry by Ali Louati, 2016), The Guardians of Al Quds (poetry by Ali Louati, sung by Nour Qamar, 2018), and Samai Soltani Yakah (2021).
PERFORMANCES
In 2023, through his company RZ Productions, Rabii Zammouri produced NOSTALGIA RABII ZAMMOURI, a musical show celebrating his most beloved TV and film soundtracks, performed live by a grand Tunisian symphony orchestra. This cinematic concert brought together songs and musical themes that have resonated with generations since the early 2000s. NOSTALGIA RABII ZAMMOURI was showcased at the Carthage Musical Days in January 2023 and again at the Carthage International Festival in July 2023. These two unforgettable nights offered audiences a magical experience. The warm, enthusiastic responses from the audience illuminated the stage as they relived iconic hits from their youth, including Sayd Errim, Yawmiet Imraa, Naouret el Hwa, Farhat Amor, and Min Ayem Maliha, performed by talented artists such as Dorsaf Hamdani, Walid Tounsi, Kaouthar Bardi, Jaleleddine Saadi, Manel Amara, Emna Fakher, Ahmed Rebai, Afef Elaouni, and Mehdi Ayachi.
NOW
Rabii Zammouri is a renowned Tunisian composer and music producer, celebrated for his outstanding success over the past two decades. He is widely regarded as an innovator in contemporary Tunisian music, earning a strong reputation across the Arab world for his talent and versatility. His work includes scores for numerous theatrical productions, films, and television series across Tunisia and the Arab world. As his demand grows, Rabii continues to showcase mastery in his craft and a remarkable gift for melody. His compositions are known for their high musical quality, bridging Tunisian traditional music, Arabic music, and Western classical and modern genres, creating unique sounds that both captivate and entertain. With an impressive array of film scores, TV series, theater, and dance music, Rabii Zammouri’s musical universe is constantly expanding, enriched with challenges and beauty.
