Tag: morocco

Akshat Harbola, Spotify’s MENA Managing Director, on the Creative Vibrancy of the Region

November 14, 2023

Akshat Harbola, Spotify’s Managing Director of Middle East, North Africa (MENA), and South Asia is a massive rock music fan. Egyptian indie-rock band Cairokee, Abdul Hannan from Pakistan, and Jadal from Jordan top his playlists—showcasing a captivating blend of talents from the markets he oversees. The Middle East and North Africa is a vast, rapidly changing region that is categorized in particular by its young demographics, increasing digital landscape, and fast-growing music market. And all that was set to hyperspeed when Spotify first entered the region five years ago. 

Akshat Harbola

“At the heart of MENA’s digital landscape is its youthful, tech-savvy demographic, who hold a profound appreciation for both global and local content,” Akshat told For the Record. “Platforms like Spotify act as catalysts for this cultural exchange, enabling users to discover and share new music genres and podcasts. Countries like Egypt, Saudi, UAE, Morocco, Iraq, and Algeria are at the forefront of content sharing on Spotify, showcasing a community-driven digital culture.”

In honor of Spotify’s five-year anniversary in the region, For the Record chatted with Akshat about his auditory observations. 

What are some notable similarities and differences around music listening across MENA? 

The musical preferences across the region are as diverse as they are interconnected, especially when venturing beyond local genres. While Khaleeji music finds a strong foothold in Saudi, Egyptian pop, local indie, and local rap are favored in Egypt. This local appreciation also meets a growing affinity for global genres like K-Pop, U.S. rap, and Afrobeats, painting an eclectic musical canvas.

Having high rates of internet penetration have been pivotal in catalyzing this engagement. Saudi Arabia is at 99% and Egypt is nearing 80%. Consumers’ preference for mobile Spotify streaming really illustrates this digital savvy and hyper-connected MENA demographic. The popularity of streaming Spotify on gaming consoles in Saudi Arabia, a market where 80-90% of the population identifies as gamers, also indicates the hyper digital culture in the region.

MENA’s music market is on an upward trajectory, with IFPI statistics spotlighting it as the world’s fastest-growing music market in 2021, and ranking third in 2022, with 23.8% year-on-year growth. Streaming dominates the market, holding a 95.5% share, the highest globally. 

The region’s incredible music and artists are streamed in huge numbers abroad. What does this tell you about MENA’s global impact? 

On Spotify, music genres from MENA have grown by over 170% between 2019 and 2022. Some of the most exported genres we are seeing include Egyptian pop from Egypt, Amazigh from Morocco, and Khaleeji from Saudi Arabia, thus reflecting the rich diversity of the sounds emanating from the region. The rising international streaming of MENA music reflects the region’s creative vibrancy and the evolving tastes of today’s young Arab listeners. 

There’s also been a surge of new creators and a rising popularity of local hip-hop and indie music, driven largely by Gen-Z listeners and young artists. They blend local and global sounds, moving towards a more fluid musical narrative that doesn’t box them into a singular identity. This shift towards experimentation in musical expression is gaining traction in the wider music scene, with increased cross-border collaborations among artists. More artists are embracing multilingualism in their music, and diaspora artists like Saint Levant and Elyanna are reconnecting with their home cultures. Artists like Issam Al Najjar and kouz1 are also finding audiences beyond MENA, with tracks like “Hadal Ahbek” resonating in Indonesia and kouz1 gaining fans in the Netherlands. 

The growing global interest in MENA music, as seen by the nearly 40% yearly increase in MENA artists streaming outside the region from 2019 to 2023 on Spotify, signals a promising outlook for the Arabic music scene on the global stage.

What streaming trends are you noticing? 

We are really pleased with the evolution of local consumption that has been taking place on Spotify. Earlier this year, we welcomed Saudi Arabia’s music production label Rotana with its full catalog on our platform, encompassing over 10,000 songs by a variety of over 100 legendary Arab artists from across the region. With that, we are seeing more Khaleej music being consumed in Saudi. And when we look at our Spotify Charts and our annual Wrapped results in markets like Egypt and Morocco, we see predominantly local songs and artists being streamed the most. 

How about podcasting? 

Podcasting in MENA is witnessing an exciting momentum, with a notable surge of 223% in average daily podcast listening hours from November 1, 2021 to September 10, 2023. A particular highlight is the popularity of long-form interviews in Saudi Arabia. According to a recent YouGov study, MENA markets boast the highest percentage of heavy podcast listeners, with Saudi Arabia leading, as an impressive 67% of adults tune into podcasts for an hour or more weekly.

This burgeoning interest is further fueled by the creativity of independent creators, who bring unique shows like the Karohat comedy podcast in Egypt and Al Salfa in Saudi. Additionally, mainstream media entities like The National and CNN Business Arabic are embracing this trend by incorporating podcasts into their content strategies, thereby expanding the podcasting realm.

The podcast genres resonating most with listeners include society and culture, comedy, and mental health and self improvement, as seen in popular shows Kanbet El Sabit in Saudi and Eshtrey Menny in Egypt. The diversity in content is exemplified by top shows like Finjan with Abdul Rahman Abu Maleh, Jinaya, #ABtalks, and Droos Podcast, each offering a unique narrative, contributing to a rich and evolving podcast culture in the region.

Looking forward, what are some of the continued opportunities for creators? 

It’s exciting. Our RADAR and EQUAL Arabia programs are close to our hearts, and the impact they’re having is pretty incredible. Artists in these programs are not just seeing their streams skyrocket—which is awesome—but they’re also getting some amazing opportunities that go way beyond our platform. Our Saudi EQUAL Arabia Ambassador, Zena Emad, has recently collaborated with Alan Walker on a new version of his single “Land Of The Heroes,” featuring Sophie Stray. Having Zena on the record was like a nod to Saudi’s influential gaming culture and a celebration of the Arabic music scene. Another movement we are particularly excited about is the growing scene of women artists in indie music, and we are excited to see this continue to grow into 2024.

Catch the biggest hits from the Arab world on Yalla.

‘Ya Salam,’ the New Track Bringing Together the Best of Moroccan Beats and UK Drill

April 14, 2023

cover art for the song ya salam that depicts all 7 artists' faces etched into a giant stone wall

What do you get when you bring seven artists from countries across North Africa to London to collaborate? In our case, the answer is a new drill-inspired hit, “Ya Salam.” But the track is more than a catchy beat featuring smooth rap flows and a gospel choir: At its core, the song represents the culture of the Maghreb diaspora communities. 

This production, created in partnership with Spotify’s Noteable studio, is about empowering the next generation of creators, especially the independent artists who make up the music industry in North Africa. “Music in our region is currently living in one of its most exciting eras; it is getting exported and connecting with new fans beyond borders like never before,” shared Naoufal El Amrani, Senior Artist & Label Partnerships Manager for Maghreb. “With our global reach and commitment to helping artists grow their fan bases, we wanted to invest our resources into ‘Ya Salam’ to bring these diverse and incredible creators together in one space to make magic.”

Collaboration will only nurture the next generation of creators and open new opportunities for them. “There is North African representation in U.K. music, but not as much as there should be,” shared Algerian-born, London-based singer-songwriter Miraa May. “So whenever there are other people who are trying to do the same thing [that I want to do], I immediately flock to them.”

Listeners will hear the voices and influences of Miraa May along with Flomine, Smallx, Ard Adz, YP, BLESSED, and Sybka featured throughout the song, which merges Moroccan sounds with U.K. drill and gospel sounds.

“Collaboration is more than just music,” explained YP, who hails from the U.S. but has parents of Moroccan and Filipino descent. “It’s something that we want to instill in the next generation, and the generation after.”

Hear from the artist themselves in the video below.

Want more hits like “Ya Salam”? Check out our Hot Hit Maghreb playlist.

Meet Manal, the Moroccan Artist Changing the Game

April 20, 2020

Spend a half hour with Manal, and you get the impression of an artist far more experienced than her 26 years would suggest. The Moroccan singer—who speaks three languages and commands multiple music genres including Maghreb hip-hop, Afro pop, and Afro house—is making a splash in both the local and global music scenes.

Her debut single, “Denia,” earned her the title of Best Female Artist, North Africa, at the African Music Awards in 2015, but it was her first rap song, “Taj,” that put her on most people’s radars as she tackled the region’s historically male-dominated genre.

Manal’s already having a very busy year: she’s in the middle of recording her first album, 360, pursuing a PhD, and growing the record label that she launched with her husband in 2019. For the Record recently caught up with Manal over the phone from her home in Marrakech. Read on for the full interview.   

Rappers Issam, Shayfeen, and More Are Growing Trap’s Moroccan Roots

July 22, 2019

In recent years, trap music backpacked across Puerto Rico, Mexico, and multiple destinations in western Europe. Notably, it gained a foothold in Germany and France where popular artists like Mister You, Soolking, and PNL then helped spread it beyond these borders to their shared region of origin, North Africa, where it is now a staple in the music scene. 

According to Suhel Nafar, Spotify’s Global Lead of Arab Music and Culture, relatability is the reason for trap music’s global takeover. “It connects with a wide range of people because it’s relatable and easy to digest in its simplicity, which is an important aspect of music.”

Today, trap is one of the most streamed genres in Morocco. The popularity of artists like female MC iLY is helping solidify Moroccan trap as an official sub-genre of hip-hop. “I call it Turab—which is a combination of the words trap and to-rap,” Nafar told For the Record. “Turab also means soil in Arabic, which is fitting seeing how we’re witnessing the growth of a new era of music in the Arab world.”

In May, the clearest indication yet of trap’s rising popularity in Morocco occurred when the rapper Issam signed a recording deal with Universal France—which the Huffington Post’s North African arm reported was the biggest contract ever signed in the history of Arab hip-hop. “One day, I picked up a rap playlist and I listened to Young Thug … I was really into him,” Issam told the Paris-based Arab arts collective NAAR last year about his introduction to trap music and his biggest musical inspiration. 

With hundreds of thousands of monthly Spotify listeners and international attention from music publications and labels, Moroccan trap artists are putting their own spin on the ubiquitous subgenre and telling Moroccan stories by mixing Auto-Tuned vocals and Algerian Raï music’s rhythmic drum patterns and flute melodies with trap’s hi-hat heavy beats and dark synth lines.

Issam and iLY are just two of several rappers at the forefront of Morocco’s dynamic trap movement. ElgrandeToto, along with duo Shayfeen and rapper Madd also lead the wave. Other artists making their mark right now are 7liwa, a rapper from Casbalanca who recently signed a deal with Sony, and Lbenj, another Casablanca-based artist whose 2017 release, Galaxy, was well received in both his home country of Morocco and parts of Europe.  

In Morocco specifically, trap’s influence tells a larger story of technology, access, and globalization. In recent years, the internet and smartphones have become much more accessible in the country, providing an infrastructure within which a movement could build and thrive. “Now everybody is connected, everybody can buy a two-quid smartphone … This is why, now, more people are following the movement…. It is more accessible,” Shobee of Shayfeen told NAAR in a recent interview. 

Artists are also experiencing the benefits of access and globalization in the creative process. “I make music for Moroccans and people abroad—I try to make tracks and toplines that will interest people abroad, even if they don’t understand what I’m saying,” Issam has explained. While he makes and mixes a lot of his own music, Issam has also collaborated with American producers 808Godz (Migos, Travis Scott) and BricksDaMane (Young Thug, Drake, and more), as well as producers in Germany and France. 

And yet, his songs retain the perspective of a young man from Morocco who is consistently engaged with the complicated realities inherent to his identity. “Caviar” samples the late Algerian Raï icon Cheb Hasni—known for his love songs and tackling taboo subjects in his lyrics—and tells the story of an immigrant abroad who misses his family and reminisces about life back home every night. “It’s a theme that’s very close to Cheb Hasni and a concept that’s pretty universal across the Maghreb,” (the region of North Africa that includes Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, and Libya) Issam told The FADER last year. 

While certain levels of access have allowed rappers like Issam to take DIY approaches and employ creative agency (in addition to writing and mixing his own music, he directs his videos), the lack of a deeply entrenched music industry infrastructure in Morocco has presented some obstacles. “There is no network to organize concerts, no venue to make your own tours, but musically speaking, we have everything, even to match the American market,” Shayfeen’s Shobee has said. Nevertheless, Issam’s new record deal is an exciting affirmation from the larger music community and proof that, like so many other powerful off-shoots, Moroccan trap is here to stay. 

Check out songs by Shayfeen and 7liwa on our Arab Hip-Hop playlist.