Singer Elyanna on Palestinian identity, Coldplay and ‘trusting the process’
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Palestinian-Chilean singer Elyanna has been performing around the world
“When you are showing your identity, you shine all the time,” says Elyanna.
The 22-year-old Palestinian-Chilean singer already has millions of views on YouTube and a collaboration with Coldplay under her belt.
This year she’s also doing her first European tour and tells BBC Newsbeat she is keen to spread the message of her home “through music and art”.
Elyanna was born in Nazareth, an Arab city in northern Israel.
Israeli Arabs descend from Palestinians who became citizens of Israel when the state was established in 1948, many of whom continue to strongly self-identify as Palestinian.
“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,” says Elyanna.
“And talk about the beautiful things about back home, which is so needed.”
Elyanna and her family moved from Nazareth to California in 2017, but she still feels a strong connection to Palestine.
In April 2023 she made history at Coachella, becoming the first person to sing an entire set in Arabic at the Californian music festival.
Months later, on 7 October, Palestinian group Hamas launched an unprecedented cross-border attack on Israel.
Israel’s massive military offensive against it still continues.
Last year Elyanna told fans she was “praying for” Gaza and chose to postpone her tour last year in solidarity with people affected by Israel’s military offensive.
One of her songs, Olive Branch, written with her brother and mum, include nods to the people of Palestine, and she says the song is dedicated to them.
“They’ve been going through so much for so long,” she says.
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Elyanna says she is proud to represent her Palestinian heritage
Despite some celebrities facing criticism for not speaking out about events in the Middle East, Elyanna says it’s not like that for her.
“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 tells Newsbeat after a gig in Michigan last month.
“And I want other people my age, young people and artists in general, I want them to be proud of where they come from.
“I feel like that’s my mission as an artist. It gives me so much purpose.
“I always believe in speaking your mind, and I do believe that everybody should feel free to express how they feel.”
The power of manifestation
Elyanna sings in Arabic, with one review of her Woledto album stating she “plays with Arab pop, R&B, EDM, and jazz to express the nuances of love, loss, and longing”.
And this year she teamed up with Coldplay, alongside Burna Boy, Little Simz and Tini, during their Glastonbury headline set.
The Coldplay collab is a teenage dream come true for Elyanna, who is now closing in on 10 million monthly Spotify listeners.
“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.
“And I remember I told my sister: ‘One day I feel like I’m going to perform with them’.
“I cannot believe that it’s true,” she says.
Working with the group was for her, as a young artist, “perfect inspiration and a perfect environment to be around”.
“They’re legends, and they are so sweet and humble in person, which makes it even more perfect.
“They stand for beautiful things, and I feel like they really inspired me,” she says.
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Elyanna says working with Coldplay has been a dream come true
Now that her tour is back up and running, she says the delay has taught her “to be patient”.
“It’s a process, and it’s just like you have to learn how to trust the process.”
And being on stage, her aim is to now “inspire people” in the same way she was by artists such as Amy Winehouse, Freddie Mercury and legendary Middle East singer Fairuz.
“As a little girl, I always wanted to feel inspired by artists, especially when they’re performing live,” she says.
“So I feel like I need to give that to other people, inspire them, give them hope.
“I have so many people that really inspired me in their own way, and I want to do the same for other people.”
Elyanna says she loves performing in the UK and seeing fellow Arabs at her concerts.
“I feel like there are so many Arabs that want to introduce their friends [to] their culture,” she says.
“I’m always so surprised and inspired that they’re all here to listen to Arabic music,” she says.
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