Superstar Elyanna hopes Coachella show will bring Arabic music to global audience

Palestinian-Chilean singer Elyanna hopes her upcoming performance at the Coachella Music Festival will help introduce Arabic music to international audiences, she said in an interview.

The 20-year-old is set join headliners Bad Bunny, Frank Ocean, and Blackpink in California for the highly anticipated show, which will take place across two weekends from April 14 to 16 and April 21 to 23.

“It means the world to me to be able to help open doors and give an opportunity to other Arabic artists to perform here in America as well. I am so honored, and I see the bigger picture. It is a responsibility to be able to convey my culture in the right way and to convey my music in the right way,” she said.

“This is not just about me. This is about being able to sing in Arabic at Coachella in America. It is insane.”

According to Elyanna, diversity for music festivals should be a key factor when selecting artists to perform. Music is a universal language, she said, and sometimes different music and cultures can evoke different emotions for audiences.

Before her upcoming Coachella performance, Elyanna played her largest show at the Middle East’s biggest music festival SOUNDSTORM. The artist dazzled fans in Saudi Arabia’s capital city Riyadh on December 3 with an impressive set list of her most popular tunes and captivating choreography.

Her Saudi debut, she told Al Arabiya English, opened the door for her to be recognized as a serious performer who can put on an enthralling experience for audiences to enjoy.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to perform at SOUNDSTORM, because I do think it opened a lot of doors for me as well. I was able to show that I put my heart and soul when it comes to being on stage and being a performer. SOUNDSTORM opened that door for me, and it let me be free,” Elyanna said.

The 20-year-old said in an interview that she draws inspiration for her music from her Arab and Latin roots, which she says has allowed her to tap into the rhythms of both cultures.

“Our culture is so unique, so beautiful, and very authentic. It is full of art, and I don’t think people know that enough. Once we have a stage and to show who we are, we will be able to have a global reach,” Elyanna said.

The singer first kickstarted her musical career online by posting videos of herself singing covers of popular songs. After moving to the US from Palestine at the age of 15, the star landed on the radar of Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Nasri Atweh.
Atweh then introduced her to Wassim Slaiby – or ‘Sal,’ the powerhouse music industry executive and manager who is widely known for representing globally-renowned superstars The Weeknd and Doja Cat.

In December, Elyanna told Al Arabiya English that she was working on a new album that will introduce new layers of herself to her fans.

“I am so, so excited for this album because it’s going to really show who Elyanna is. It is the first time I will have so much control and input in an album. I’m just really experimenting with; I’m trying things and I’m going out of my comfort zone with this one. This album shows other layers of Elyanna that I don’t think anyone has seen before and I don’t think I thought I’m capable of doing,” she said at the time.