Fez — Moroccan-American travel influencer and artist Yassine Dassalem has released a cover of Dalida’s “Helwa Ya Baladi,” marking his first official solo entry into music after years of building an audience through travel-focused content. 

The release was promoted on his Instagram on March 28, 2026, with the full version published on YouTube. 

The Los Angeles based artist is not entirely new to music. He previously performed with his twin brother, Younès, as part of the “Dassalem Twins,” a duo that drew attention online and publicly promoted their single “Goulou goulou” in 2017. 

A past interview with the twins described them as twin brothers passionate about music and active on social media, giving context to Dassalem’s latest move as more of a return than a sudden shift. 

A personal return to music

In comments shared with Morocco World News, Dassalem said the brothers “started as twin brothers” and that their “first song together was “Goulou goulou.” He added that living in different countries eventually pushed him to pursue music on his own.

Dassalem said he had chosen “Helwa Ya Baladi” because the song reflects his connection to Morocco after more than a decade in the United States. “I have lived in the US for more than 10 years as an American citizen. I have a lot of love for my beloved country Morocco,” he told MWN, explaining that he felt people living abroad would especially connect with the song’s emotional tone.

That choice also carries broader cultural weight. Dalida’s “Helwa ya baladi,” originally released in 1979, remains one of the Arab world’s most recognizable songs about homeland, nostalgia, and belonging, themes that continue to resonate strongly with diaspora audiences.

From travel content to a new creative lane

To support the release, Dassalem also filmed a music video, presenting the track through calm, visually polished scenes that match the song’s reflective mood. His new release is both a musical cover and a personal statement. 

Dassalem told MWN that travel has long shaped his creative outlook. 

He said he has visited 40 countries and draws inspiration from architecture, customs, and everyday culture, describing arrival in a new country as one of the feelings he enjoys most. That background helps explain why his first solo release leans into emotion and place rather than pure performance.