Rabat – Moroccan-Canadian artist El Mehdi released “El Film,” a self-directed musical short film supporting his debut EP “Salam.” 

A masterclass in multidisciplinary artistry, El Mehdi choreographs, directs, edits, and even costumes himself, blending music, fashion, movement, and cinema into a singular statement.

Set in a Moroccan riad, “EL FILM” traces a journey from darkness into light through the lens of a traditional mint tea ceremony. 

El Mehdi dismantles norms of masculinity with ritual chants and performance, turning ancestral tradition into a canvas for liberation. 

“They wanted me in Hell. Baby, I went there. I came back. I only warmed up my tea,” he said in a press statement.

Drawing from his Arab and Amazigh heritage, El Mehdi transforms ritual into alchemy, tenderness, beauty, and peace become pathways to renewal. 

‘Salam’

The five-track EP “Salam” is ceremonial, cathartic, and unapologetically bold. 

Melding modern pop with Maghrebi and Arabic sounds, El Mehdi’s multilingual songwriting (English, French, Darija) fuses cinematic strings with dance-driven energy and sensual urgency. 

The record bridges North African identity with global pop, expanding the genre without diluting its roots.

Produced with Sūn Jùn and featuring collaborations with Wake Island, mixing by Grammy-winner Wez Clarke, and strings by Grammy-nominated Drew Jurecka, “SALAM” is a transcontinental declaration of emancipation and belonging. 

“I needed to create a space where we can exist without hiding. And beyond that, a place where we can celebrate ourselves,” El Mehdi stated.. “‘Salam’ is that place.”

Critics are taking notice 

From his breakout single “El Kass Hlou” to the self-directed follow-up “Encore,” El Mehdi has established a genre-defying, magnetic sound. 

CBC calls him “a rising young phenomenon,” while L’Orient Today hails him as “emblematic of a generation.” 

On the other hand, ICON MENA praises his “quiet revolution, far from clichés.” 

Stage and screen converge for El Mehdi, from TIFF to Amsterdam Dance Event, from sold-out Canadian performances to his 2025 acting debut in “L’Héritier des secrets,” he is indeed redefining what it means to be a Moroccan man today.

With “El Film” and “Salam,” El Mehdi doesn’t just release art.