Rabat – Moroccan rapper Khtek is set to release her new single “Kiya” tomorrow, marking a fresh chapter in her career and a noticeable shift in her sound. A teaser shared on her official channels hints at a more fluid, melodic direction, with wider use of vocal nuances and tonal variation than in her previous work.
For Khtek, “Kiya” represents a deliberate step outside her usual framework. She describes the song as a space to leave her comfort zone, experiment with new melodies and harmonies, and explore a different type of production.
The track also ventures into themes she rarely foregrounds, including love, social issues, and a touch of melancholia, adding emotional depth to her writing.
A Paris residency that changed the process
Part of this evolution comes from an artistic residency she recently completed in Paris. There, she was not only recording and composing, but also discovering a new daily rhythm and creative dynamic. That period encouraged her to pursue a sound that drifts slightly away from the hard-edged image many listeners associate with “classic” Khtek, while still staying true to her identity.
Collaboration has also played a key role in shaping “Kiya.” Working with Paris-based producers Skiba and Oldy opened up new possibilities in her approach to songwriting and arrangement. Through these sessions, she says she realized she could sing and create music that speaks to a wider audience without sacrificing her core as an artist.
Over the past year, Khtek has been relatively quiet in terms of official releases. She only put out the freestyle track “L’7eloufStyle #1” with producer Villain, built on an old-school beat. On that cut, she doubled down on what first made her stand out: sharp punchlines, dense wordplay, and a confident delivery that reminded fans she remained fully present in the scene despite the slowdown.
She describes the past year as personally challenging but ultimately formative. The break pushed her to slow down, focus more deeply on her craft, and reconnect with where she wants to go artistically. “Kiya,” she says, marks the beginning of a new phase in which listeners will see her growth, her flexibility, and a more vulnerable side of her artistic persona.
Last year, she earned the Best Female Hip-Hop Artist award at the inaugural Billboard Arabia Music Awards in Riyadh.
With “Kiya” arriving tomorrow, Khtek now appears ready to build on that recognition by opening a more intimate, emotionally layered chapter — one where melody and sensitivity coexist with the lyrical bite that first drew attention to her name.
