Before embarking on a major new tour, you decided to mark your 20th anniversary with a mega-concert at Bercy sports stadium, the biggest venue in Paris (17,000 places). What did performing at Bercy mean to someone who's already played to audiences of 100,000 in Algeria and 80,000 in the U.S.?
For me, playing at Bercy was a logical choice really. When I got to the stage of singing in important venues in Paris I was invited to do concerts at places like the Bataclan, the Olympia and then the Zénith. Basically, each time I played the venue got bigger! So it seemed appropriate to celebrate twenty years in the music business at a really huge venue like Bercy.
But it's not just the size the counts. It's always been a bit of a dream of mine to sing at Bercy. After all, although my first fans were Algerian, Parisian audiences played an instrumental role in helping me towards international success. And it was wonderful to get up there at Bercy and sing in front of an audience of French and African fans. I felt like it was such a symbol of fraternity, solidarity and communities coming together. I couldn't have asked for a better public than that!

Since rising to fame - after scooping 2nd prize in a talent contest on Algerian radio/TV in the early 80s - you seem to have enjoyed a smooth transition between Oran, Paris and New York. What's the secret of Cheb Mami's international success? Would you say it's a matter of good luck or hard work?
I'd say, without a doubt, that it's down to the latter. OK, so I've had a bit of luck along the way, I can't deny that! But I've put in a lot of hard work over the years as well. Ever since I arrived in France there hasn't been a minute when I haven't been working, rehearsing or learning something… There's only one way to maintain a successful international career and that's by plugging away and digging your furrow every day! Honestly, the fact I've got where I am today is the result of a lot of hard graft.

Your latest album, Dellali, has rocketed to no.1 in the Arab world and recently you also won a "World Music Award" as the best-selling singer in Arabic. Do you feel that that status comes with added responsibility at a time when relations between East and West are in crisis?
Well, I can't honestly say I feel any special responsibility because I happen to be the singer who's sold the most albums in Arabic. Of course, I feel really proud and flattered to be considered as the best-known Arab artist in the world. You can't deny that's great, can you? And not just for me, but for Raï and Oriental music in general. I thank God that my kind of music's doing so well right now on the international scene!

Talking of which, you seem to be very much in demand these days. We've seen you with a host of international stars recently such as Charles Aznavour, Ziggy Marley and Sting – to name but a few! What do you feel about receiving a stamp of approval from such big names?
Having the chance to work with people like that has been a gift from heaven! I mean, can you imagine someone like Charles Aznavour offering to write a song like Viens Habibi for me? That's a real mark of recognition and respect coming from a music legend like him! My collaboration with Ziggy was a bit different from that really. Ziggy's big mates with Nile Rodgers, who was the main producer on my last album. Anyway, what happened was we were working on the mix of Madanite one day and Ziggy happened to be in the studio. When he heard the reggae beat thumping out across the studio he leapt up and said he absolutely had to do the backing vocals for that song. Nile Rodgers turned round and asked me what I thought about that and I said, "OK why not? But are you sure we're really talking about Bob Marley's son here?" (Laughs).
As for my work with Sting – which actually goes back beyond the last record that everybody knows – I'd say that really increased my recognition factor overnight! Sting opened a lot of doors for me. But, most of all, he helped me break through onto the American market - and that's a pretty tough market to crack, especially when you sing in Arabic! And, believe me, things were bad enough before the attacks on the World Trade Center on 11 September.
You know, a lot of Anglo-Saxon artists have to struggle to break through in the States and not many of them do as well as I have. For me, breaking into the American market was a real conquest! But I have to say, I opened a lot of doors for Sting in return – he's really big in the Arab world now! I guess if I had to sum up what's happened to me in recent years I'd say it would be a bit like doing a couple of performances on the French cabaret circuit and then suddenly going from there to working with Johnny Hallyday! From one day to the next, wham! bam! you're a household name! And that's exactly what happened to me with Sting. All I can say is, I'm really immensely grateful to all the artists who've given me their support.

Has being rich and famous changed your attitude to money? What does it feel like for someone who used to work as a welder on an Algerian assembly line to know that you can blow loads of cash on a whim whenever you feel like it?
Well, contrary to what a lot of people might think, I never blow money on a whim. I've kept a very real idea of what money means – and even though I've got a bit more cash to my name these days, I actually lead a very simple lifestyle. I'm just like anyone else really, you know, I need one square meal a day, a house to sleep in and a car to get around – and that's that! After that I try and share what I have with my 'brothers'. Take the money I earned from my Bercy concert, for instance, 100% of the profits went to victims of the flood that hit the Bab el-Oued neighbourhood in Algiers last November. I try to help those in need whenever I can, because I like people. And I believe that if you love your fellow man you should be prepared to share what you have with him. For me, that means sharing my life and my love as well as my money.

This discreet generosity seems to be in keeping with your image in general...
Well, I don't know whether it fits with the image people have of me or not. All I know is, I feel very strongly about getting involved in causes close to my heart. I think it's a noble thing to do. And, apart from that, I'd say I do it for other people but for myself as well, because it makes me feel good. I feel like I'm doing something useful in this world. The way I see it, helping others is absolutely essential in life. What's more, for me it's a good way of keeping my feet on the ground and keeping in touch with real life.

Talking of staying in touch, I know you're still very closely attached to your homeland and that you now divide your time between homes in Paris and Oran. How important is it to you to keep a footing in Algeria?
It's absolutely essential! I couldn't imagine cutting ties with my homeland. In fact, I've always said my dream was to live "in stereo" between France and Algeria. Whenever I'm in Algeria I feel this strong need for France and when I'm here I'm overwhelmed with homesickness for Algeria. There's no doubt about it, I need both countries in my life – it's like having a mother and an adoptive mother! Going back to Algeria, my point of departure, is a great way of recharging my batteries and getting some perspective on how far I've come. I think that's what keeps my head on my shoulders really!

Talking of going back to the bled, what's happened to the chebs on the "Corniche" in Oran? Are there still young up-and-coming Raï singers working the circuit like you did in the early 80s?
Yes, Algeria's still got plenty of Raï singers. There are still plenty of chebs singing in the cabarets in Oran and recording cassette albums. But, you know… Things have changed a lot since my day. We've given them a dream to work towards now. I mean, when I was starting out no cheb had ever made it big on the international scene. But Algerian artists today are lucky enough to have seen others before them succeed abroad. We're sort of role models for them in a way, we showed them it was possible! And somewhere down the line I think that's been a very positive thing for the new generation – because there's a new generation out there, believe me!

So the future of Raï is assured? There will be a post-Mami?
Yes, of course, there's a new guard out there. And so long as the Raï of tomorrow remains open to Western ears, it'll keep going strong! If young chebs just roll out the same old Raï that was made 20 years ago, then of course, they won't have much chance of breaking through abroad. But otherwise, the world's their oyster!

Dellali (Virgin)