Elyanna Wants Her Music To Be a Tool for Change

At just 22 years of age, Elyanna has already made history. Last year, the Palestinian-Chilean artist became the first musician to perform an entire set in Arabic at Coachella – an experience she’s since described as “surreal.” Building on that monumental moment, she’ll next take the stage at Lollapaloza and Austin City Limits Music Festival, having taken the world by storm with her debut album, Woledto, impressive vocals and unique sound.

Born Elian Marjieh, the flaxen-haired songstress hails from Nazareth, Palestine. Growing up, she and her family regularly visited Chile, which she credits with shaping her and her music; cue the blending of cumbia rhythms with Arabic folk music and belly dancing. At the age of 15, she and her family emigrated to San Diego, before settling in Los Angeles, adding Western Pop to her sonic repertoire.

Family is key not only to Elyanna’s sound and past but also her present and future. Her father doubles as her manager; sister, Tali, fills in as her stylist; and brother, Feras, serves as her producer. Her mother and grandfather are poets, which undoubtedly impacted Elyanna’s lyrics. (The latter is also sampled in her tracks through his zajal singing, a form of oral poetry.)

Hailed as one of music’s Future 25 by Rolling Stone, Elyanna’s sound effortlessly blends traditional and contemporary Arabic instruments, like the tabla and oud, into mesmerizing melodies. Taking inspiration from Lana del Rey and Etta James, to Dalida and Nancy Ajram, it’s a daring and completely distinct sound that is both unlike anything you’ve heard before and also vaguely familiar, unbound by language, time and geography. The reggae-infused track “Ghareeb Alay”, featuring Tunisian rapper Balti for example, has already racked up more than 10 million streams on Spotify alone. And the catchy “Mama Eh” is inching closer to the 11 million mark on YouTube at the time of publication.

Perhaps most surprising, though, is Elyanna’s distinct ability to bridge cultural divides through her sound and style. The singer is often donning henna, dressed in tatreez shawls or keffiyeh, while her lyrics poignantly explore themes of diaspora, identity, love, displacement and resilience.

Ahead of festival season and in the wake of Woledto’s release, Hypebae met up with the Princess of Arabic pop to talk about her beautiful culture, creative upbringing and the power music has to change the world.

How do you describe your sound?

My sound is a blend of something that feels nostalgic but modernized all at once: a traditional urban sound. I love nothing more than introducing others to my culture.

Tell us about that. As a Palestinian-Chilean artist, how do you use your music to represent your heritage?

My background and my roots make me who I am. I represent it in everything I do, through symbols, instruments, fashion, music and words.

I believe you become what you grew up around and what you grew up listening to. I grew up singing jazz, and I naturally felt connected to my culture as a child and was always immersed in music – at weddings, parties and what my parents would listen to at home. Traveling to Chile annually from a very young age shaped me and my music as well.

Do you think music can be used as a tool for change?

I think that the power and influence of music and artists is underestimated. Music can inspire people and make them look at things from a different perspective. It's a universal language; it's all about feelings. As an artist, it excites me to spread my message every day. The beauty of our culture should be out there and everyone needs a taste of it.

Who are your biggest inspirations, both inside and outside of music?

The world inspires me, and people in general: my friends, my family and different people with unique personalities that I’ve met. I'm inspired by conversations and other people's taste in music, too. I am definitely inspired by traveling and learning about new cultures.

For example, the other day I was in an Uber and the driver was playing Somali music. I loved it. Now I’m exploring that sound and getting to know it more.

It’s the little details that matter and it’s a part of being present, observing the world and taking inspiration from all kinds of moments for me.

What about other artists you love or would be keen to collaborate with?

It’s a long list. I have so many icons and artists that I love. Fairuz and Lana Del Rey are at the top of my list and I would be honored to collaborate with M.I.A. All inspiring in their own way, but all bold artists who have heavily influenced culture. They have a unique sound, lyrics and style, too. I look up to artists who don’t play it safe and always think outside the box. It's powerful to create your own lane and build a world around it.

Was there a particular moment that sparked your love for singing?

I never felt like it was about one particular moment. It's something that, deep inside me I felt so powerfully about. It comes from the skies above.

How would you describe your style?

During tour, Tali [my sister] has been making all my white lace looks. She kept saying, ‘I wanna make you look like an angry angel.’ But if she could, she’d dress me in John Galliano for the rest of time.

I would say my style is definitely a combination of ethereal and urban Arabic. Fashion, like music, is about being yourself, I think. I've loved seeing girlies wear henna and embracing my culture.

What is it like working with Tali?

I’m so grateful to have her. She’s so talented. Growing up, we loved setting up shoots and doing a lot of fun stuff together. My brother always had a camera on him, and we would photoshoot in our backyard in Nazareth, with my sister styling me. Sometimes it was as simple as creating a headpiece out of a piece of fabric, or putting flowers in my hair. But it was always such a team thing. When we put our minds to something that we believe in and into something that we like, we work together to make it happen. In a way, we never really stopped – it’s just on a bigger scale and platform now. The energy is the same as it was then.

So what’s next? What can fans expect this summer?

So much! I’m so excited to share all my videos, and everything we’ve been working on. Shooting and recording it all has been so much fun. I had the opportunity to work with family, friends and passionate creatives who I truly admire. I think it has its own unique touch, and its own world. Finding that persona and building that universe, digging deeper into meaning and intentions, was such a joy. I can’t wait to share that.

I’m also looking forward to all the festivals this summer. It’s always great vibes with the sun out. Hopefully, I’m going on tour again soon and will be able to meet my people, my fans, and work with more artists I’m inspired by.

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