Rabat – Two of the Arab world’s most visible young female voices have released their first collaboration today. Moroccan artist Manal Benchlikha and Palestinian-Jordanian singer Zeyne put out “Kentili” on October 16, a song about leaving a relationship in which one person gives everything and gets little back.
The song opens with Manal’s soft vocals over a slow beat. Zeyne joins her, switching between Moroccan and Levantine Arabic dialects. Their voices work well together as the song tells the story of a relationship falling apart. Through their lyrics and vocals, both singers look back on the memories they shared at the beginning of the relationship, building up to an emotional ending.
The song tells its story from both of their perspectives, moving between questioning what went wrong and finding the strength to move on. The lyrics explore heartbreak, disappointment, and the hard decision to leave.
According to Arab News, the two artists have followed each other’s work for years.
For Zeyne, the new track is released shortly after a hectic period. She embarked on her AWDA Tour, her first tour as a headliner in Europe, on September 1 and ended the tour on September 18 at London’s KOKO, traveling through Dublin, Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Milan, Barcelona, and Istanbul. The song follows her debut album “AWDA” as well as her recent collaboration with Marina Satti.
Manal Benchlikha
Manal, born and raised in Marrakech, is known for blending traditional Moroccan sounds with contemporary pop. Her song “Niya” pays tribute to the chikhat, Morocco’s traditional female singers, while “Mahboula” mixes rai with modern beats. Her 2022 video for “Makhelaw Magalou” has drawn more than 56 million views.
That same year, she became the first Arab female artist on COLORS with “3ari,” a song that denounces domestic violence against women. She was also part of “Light The Sky,” the official anthem of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, alongside Nora Fatehi, Balqees Fathi and Rahma Riad, and performed at the tournament’s final. Outside music, she co-founded the streetwear brand Bari & Soch with her husband, Moncef Guessous, in 2021.
Zeyne
Zeyne, born in Jordan to Palestinian parents, started piano at three and was performing with a dabke group by five. After studying at the University of Sussex in the UK, she returned to Jordan in 2020, just as the COVID-19 lockdown closed borders. Isolated, she began posting cover songs on Instagram to build her confidence.
Zeyne’s breakthrough came with “Ma Bansak,” a performance on COLORS that made her the first female artist from the Levant on the platform. Her debut single, “Minni Ana,” arrived in 2021, blending Arabic R&B with Western influences.
The Palestinian artist’s 2024 single “Asli Ana” drew about 500,000 YouTube views in its first three days. She later released “Hilwa,” a tribute to her mother and grandmother, through Saudi label MDLBEAST Records in partnership with her own label, Scarab Records.
Zeyne’s music has passed 46 million streams, and she has opened as a special guest on Ed Sheeran’s Mathematics Tour in Qatar and Bahrain. She has also written songs for Elyanna and Massari.
