Dressed in a silvery, collared top and faded skinny jeans, her dark hair pulled back into a loose plait, Algerian singer Souad Massi smiles as she sets up her next number, "Samira Meskina" (Poor Samira).

"It's about a woman who's still dreaming," she told the crowd of hundreds at the Kennedy Center last week in Washington. "And I support her."

Later, in an interview, Massi says the song is a qissah haqiqiyah — or true story — about her own sister named Samira, who faced many problems did not have the opportunity  to study much, and though she had aspirations, felt it was too late to fulfill them. "She dreamed of freedom," Massi says. "I sing for her and for all girls living in the same situation. It's hard."

For them, Massi is a sign of what can come true. Once a girl with big dreams as well, she's overcome struggles of her own and matured into a world music icon. She's a far cry from the plastic Arab pop singers whose often pouty lyrics are set to tireless techno beats. Instead, she's recognized for blending  far-reaching genres to create an original sound against her ascendant voice. Massi has returned to the United States after nearly eight years, for a tour commemorating the 50th anniversary of Algeria's independence, on July 5, with her next show slated for Saturday in New York.