Manal (singer)
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Manal منال | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Manal Benchlikha منال بنشليخة |
| Also known as | Manal BK |
| Born | 18 September 1993 , Morocco |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Labels | RCA Records / Sony Music France |
Manal Benchlikha (Arabic: منال بنشليخة; born 18 September 1993), better known by her first name Manal, is a Moroccan pop singer-songwriter.[1][2]
Biography[]
Originally from El Kelaa Des Sraghna, Manal grew up in Marrakesh where she studied business and finance. Having always wanted to be a musical artist, she posted covers on YouTube and was discovered by Hamza Ait Khali, the partner of Moroccan producer DJ Van.
After a short stint with DJ Van's label Magic Castle Entertainment and the release of her debut single Denia, which earned her the 'Best Female Artist in Northern Africa' award at the Africa Music Awards in 2015, she switched management to Tarik Azzougarh, better known as Cilvaringz, producer and conceptualizer of the world's most expensive musical work ever sold, Wu-Tang Clan's Once Upon A Time in Shaolin.
Manal followed up her debut single with her song Koulchi Ban, the last song she would do with DJ Van. The release of Koulchi Ban received critical acclaim from fans and sparked the interest of Sony Music Middle East. In October 2017, Manal became the first Moroccan artist from the urban scene to sign to a major label in the Arab world.
In February 2018, Manal released her third single Taj (Crown). Due to its music video and a significant departure from Manal's signature sound, Taj started a buzz and garnered millions of views in a short time. It is one of the most viewed Arabic rap song performed by a female artist. After Taj, Manal released the song Nah featuring Moroccan rap duo Shayfeen and then had her biggest single to-date, Slay, in collaboration with ElGrandeToto.
In April 2019, she released Pas Le Choix and followed up with love ballad Nta in September.
In November 2019, Manal signed a distribution deal with RCA Records, a division of Sony Music France.
In May 2021, she released her first album entitled 360, which included the hit single Niya.
Deprived of stage during the COVID-19 pandemic, she launches, with the help of her husband Moncef Guessous, a streetwear brand called Bari & Soch.
In November 2021, Manal earned the 'Best Female Artist in Northern Africa' award at the 2021 All Africa Music Awards for the second time in her career.
Discography[]
Singles[]
| Single | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Denia" | 2015 | Non-album single(s) |
| "Koulchi Ban" | 2017 | |
| "Taj" | 2018 | |
| "Nah" | ||
| "Slay" | ||
| "Pas Le Choix" | 2019 | |
| "NTA" | ||
| "360" | 2020 | 360 |
| "Sans Toi" | ||
| "Niya" | ||
| "3iytou Lbouliss" | 2021 |
Other appearances[]
| Single | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Mantsayadch" (DJ Van featuring Ahmed Soultan, Dizzy Dros, Manal, Muslim & Shayfeen) |
2014 | Non-album single(s) |
| "Tarikhona Fakhrona" (Soundtrack of the series "Tarikhona Fakhrona" on Medi1TV) |
2015 | |
| "Ana Mani Fiyach" (ft. Masta Flow) (Moroccan Music Awards 2015 original performance) | ||
| "Sans Toi" (La Relève Deezer) |
2020 | |
| "Lonely Days" (Draganov featuring Manal) | ||
| "Safe Salina (Moroccan Remix)" (Tawsen featuring Manal & ElGrandeToto) | ||
| "Pas Le Choix - Manal Mix" (Now United Remix) | ||
| "Lyali" (Soundtrack of the series "Dayzou Lakwam" on 2M) |
2021 |
References[]
- ^ "Biography | Manal". Manal. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
- ^ "MANAL HIT RADIO". HIT RADIO. Archived from the original on 25 September 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
External links[]
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- 1993 births
- 21st-century Moroccan women singers
- Moroccan pop singers
- Living people
- Moroccan people stubs