Elyanna: Palestinian Identity, Coldplay Collaboration, and Her Artistic Journey

“When you are showing your identity, you shine all the time,” asserts Elyanna. The 22-year-old Palestinian-Chilean singer has already accumulated millions of views on YouTube and achieved a collaboration with Coldplay. This year, she is also undertaking her inaugural European tour and informed BBC Newsbeat of her desire to disseminate her homeland’s message “through music and art.” Elyanna’s birthplace is Nazareth, an Arab city situated in northern Israel. Israeli Arabs are the descendants of Palestinians who acquired Israeli citizenship upon the state’s establishment in 1948, with many maintaining a strong self-identification as Palestinian. Elyanna states, “I feel as a young Palestinian artist, if I have a voice and I have a platform, I [can] talk about where I come from.” She adds, “And talk about the beautiful things about back home, which is so needed.” In 2017, Elyanna and her family relocated from Nazareth to California; however, she maintains a profound connection to Palestine. She achieved a historic feat in April 2023 at Coachella, becoming the first artist to perform an entire set in Arabic at the Californian music festival. On 7 October, months later, the Palestinian group Hamas initiated an unprecedented cross-border attack against Israel. Israel’s substantial military offensive in response remains ongoing. Last year, Elyanna informed her audience that she was “praying for” Gaza and opted to postpone her tour during the same year, expressing solidarity with individuals impacted by Israel’s military offensive. Her song, “Olive Branch,” co-written with her brother and mother, contains allusions to the people of Palestine, and she states that the song is dedicated to them. She remarked, “They’ve been going through so much for so long.” While certain celebrities have encountered criticism for their silence regarding events in the Middle East, Elyanna asserts that her situation differs. “I don’t feel like there’s any pressure because I am very proud of where I come from, who I am and my identity,” she conveyed to Newsbeat following a performance in Michigan last month. She added, “And I want other people my age, young people and artists in general, I want them to be proud of where they come from.” Elyanna further stated, “I feel like that’s my mission as an artist. It gives me so much purpose.” She concluded, “I always believe in speaking your mind, and I do believe that everybody should feel free to express how they feel.” Elyanna performs her songs in Arabic. A review of her album, Woledto, describes her as someone who “plays with Arab pop, R&B, EDM, and jazz to express the nuances of love, loss, and longing.” This year, she collaborated with Coldplay, appearing alongside Burna Boy, Little Simz, and Tini during their headline set at Glastonbury. For Elyanna, who is approaching 10 million monthly Spotify listeners, the collaboration with Coldplay represents the realization of a teenage aspiration. She recounted, “I watched their show [when] I was 15 years old in San Diego with my siblings, and I was so inspired for like a week.” She added, “And I remember I told my sister: ‘One day I feel like I’m going to perform with them’.” Elyanna expressed, “I cannot believe that it’s true.” She described her experience working with the group as “perfect inspiration and a perfect environment to be around” for a young artist. Elyanna stated, “They’re legends, and they are so sweet and humble in person, which makes it even more perfect.” She concluded, “They stand for beautiful things, and I feel like they really inspired me.” With her tour now active again, Elyanna shared that the postponement instructed her “to be patient.” She elaborated, “It’s a process, and it’s just like you have to learn how to trust the process.” Her objective while performing on stage is now to “inspire people,” much like she was inspired by artists such as Amy Winehouse, Freddie Mercury, and the renowned Middle East singer Fairuz. She stated, “As a little girl, I always wanted to feel inspired by artists, especially when they’re performing live.” Elyanna continued, “So I feel like I need to give that to other people, inspire them, give them hope.” She concluded, “I have so many people that really inspired me in their own way, and I want to do the same for other people.” Elyanna expressed her enjoyment of performing in the UK and observing fellow Arabs attending her concerts. She commented, “I feel like there are so many Arabs that want to introduce their friends [to] their culture.” She added, “I’m always so surprised and inspired that they’re all here to listen to Arabic music.” Newsbeat broadcasts live at 12:45 and 17:45 on weekdays, with playback options available. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding their external linking policy is accessible.