While debuting one of her latest hits, the rapidly rising Palestinian-Chilean artist took the stage wearing a bandana, with eyes delicately painted on the backs of her hands — a powerful symbol of identity. Her mission is to inspire Arab women to embrace and celebrate their ethnic roots.

Last year, she made history as the first artist to perform in Arabic at the iconic American music festival Coachella. This is the journey of Elyanna (Elian Amer Marjieh), who, at just 22, has shattered the glass ceiling of the global music scene.

Her grandparents were poets, and her father often played songs by legendary Arab artists Sabah Fakhri and Umm Kulthum. Every Saturday, her parents would drive young Elyanna to Los Angeles for singing lessons, nurturing the voice that would one day captivate audiences worldwide.

Now, as she prepares to release a new album—two years in the making—she returns to the roots of her artistry, drawing deeply from the family legacy that laid the foundation for her solo career.

But Elyanna’s journey toward her dream wasn’t without obstacles—even in her school years. In 2017, her family emigrated from her hometown of Nazareth to the United States. She struggled with English, her classmates didn’t share her passions, and she often found herself sitting alone at the lunch table.
Inspired by artists like Shakira and Amy Winehouse, she stayed true to her passion. At 17, fate brought her to fellow Nazareth native and music manager Nasri, who connected her with renowned producer Wassim Slaiby. He not only brought Elyanna into the Universal Arab Music label, but more importantly, convinced the rising star to sing in Arabic — a bold and rare choice at the time. With Latin artists soaring in English-speaking charts, there was a space waiting to be filled by Arabic music.

One of the singer’s greatest sources of motivation is her genuine desire to elevate the standards of Arab music. However, Elyanna’s love for singing in her native language didn’t come instantly. After recording her first demo, she was so dissatisfied with the result that it brought her to tears. Everything changed with a freestyle track called "Ta Ta," which reignited her confidence and inspired her to keep pushing forward on this path.

Her roots and the unfolding events in her homeland made it impossible for the singer to remain indifferent to politics. Following the latest escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, she postponed her U.S. tour and, together with her brother, launched a clothing line under the slogan albi Falastini (“My heart is with Palestine”). All proceeds from the collection were donated to support residents of the Gaza Strip.

Elyanna also took the stage at the prestigious Brown University during pro-Palestinian protests, speaking to a powerful crowd of supporters—many of whom were draped in keffiyehs, a symbol of national resistance.

Much of Elian Amer Marjieh’s rise to fame can be credited to her bold eclecticism. Her sound is a vibrant fusion of Arabic pop and electronic music, American jazz, Latin rhythms, traditional Middle Eastern melodies, the carefree spirit of Rihanna, and the belly-dance flair of Shakira — all woven into a style uniquely her own, only faintly reminiscent of other artists.

Yet the true foundation of her success lies in her character: her passion, perseverance, deep love for her heritage, and an authentic desire to share that culture with the world.