Fez — Billboard Arabia has turned its attention to Moroccan hitmaker RedOne, born Nadir Khayat, in a newly released video interview and accompanying write-up that revisit the producer’s path from Morocco to the heart of the international music industry.

In the piece, the outlet frames RedOne as a recurring name across a generation of era-defining global pop records, arguing that the common thread behind billion-stream songs is not only sound and timing, but the producer who “left Morocco to change the face of global music.” 

The feature recounts how Khayat, the youngest among his siblings, pursued music early and moved to Sweden at 19 to build a career that began with performance before shifting toward writing and production. 

A career built on crossover pop

The “Billboard Arabia” profile highlights RedOne’s reputation for high-impact, internationally legible pop, pointing to credits across multiple markets and languages. Among his best-known productions is Jennifer Lopez’s “On the Floor,” which lists RedOne as producer and as a credited writer under his birth name.

While some of the songs referenced in the feature function as shorthand for the global pop era it describes, RedOne’s direct link to Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie” is tied to a separate World Cup performance remix, not the original 2006 single’s core production credits.

In the interview shared by “Billboard Arabia,” RedOne reflects on the emotional hierarchy of his catalog, describing songs as personal “children,” while also pointing to specific turning points he says changed his life professionally — moments he links to early breakthroughs and later superstar collaborations.

AFCON 2025 and an African sound rooted in Morocco

In the interview, RedOne also addressed his recent work linked to Africa Cup of Nations 2025, framing it as part of a broader effort to foreground African and Moroccan musical identity on a continental stage.

RedOne said the idea for Africa-focused tracks emerged while he was in Morocco, explaining that the project was built around rhythm and belonging rather than trends. “The idea came to me in the summer when I was in Morocco,” he said. “For me, Africa is the mother — my country, my land.”

He added that the sound was intentionally constructed as a blend of African, Arab, Moroccan, and Amazigh influences. “I wanted the African rhythm, the Arab rhythm, the Moroccan rhythm, the Amazigh rhythm — a mix that brings people together with positivity and love,” he said.

Discussing the musical direction, RedOne pointed to traditional elements such as Gnawa percussion, the guembri, and metal krakebs as central to the project. He stressed that these elements were not decorative, but essential to preserving authenticity. “I wanted it to feel real, not copied,” he said.

RedOne also drew a parallel between football and music, describing both as shared emotional languages. “Football and music are the same thing,” he said. “They are positive energy. They bring people together, no matter race, country, or language.”

Awards, recognition, and the RedOne-Gaga era

The outlet also revisits RedOne’s awards profile, including his Recording Academy recognition. On GRAMMY, RedOne is listed with two Grammy wins and eight nominations through the 2026 Grammy Awards, reflecting the peak years of his pop dominance.

“Billboard Arabia” positions those achievements as part of a broader narrative about Arab and Moroccan talent breaking into global creative industries, emphasizing how RedOne’s work helped define the sound of a specific pop decade — particularly the wave of electronic-forward, hook-driven mainstream hits that became the industry standard.

From Maghreb pop to global impact

The feature highlights RedOne’s work with Algerian rai star Khaled, describing “C’est la Vie” as a cross-cultural breakthrough that later echoed internationally through cover versions, including Marc Anthony’s “Vivir Mi Vida.” Several music references and databases also list RedOne among the producers linked to Khaled’s “C’est la Vie” project, reinforcing the collaboration’s role in his multilingual catalog.

In a region where creative success is often measured by distance from major industry capitals, RedOne’s trajectory continues to function as a template for how local beginnings can translate into worldwide cultural reach.