Palestinian-Jordanian Star Zeyne Releases Debut Album "Awda", A Powerful Return Home

Palestinian-Jordanian powerhouse Zeyne just returned to her roots with her debut 13-track album Awda, released 16 October! Blending fan favorites like Asli Ana, Hilwa, and Arrib Minni with fresh, bold tracks, the album is a full glimpse into the world Zeyne has been building genre-defying, rooted in Arabic melodies, and already amassing over 58 million streams. For the ultimate experience, Zeyne asks listeners to start with Asli Ana, move through the album in order with Hilwa and Arrib Minni, then dive into the new tracks to feel her evolution!

🚀 Breaking Barriers, Shaping Sound

2025 was a milestone year: headlining OffLimits Festival, performing for 65,000 during Ed Sheeran’s Mathematics Tour, and taking over a Times Square billboard as an EQUAL Arabia ambassador, redefining Arab and Palestinian identity on one of the world’s biggest stages. Her COLORS debut with Ma Bansak made her the first Levantine woman to appear on the platform, while a viral collaboration with Bottega Veneta showed how her artistry flows seamlessly between fashion, sound, and activism. On top of it all, she became the first Arab artist to join YouTube’s Foundry Program 2025, placing her alongside global icons like Rosalía and Dua Lipa.

💬 In Her Own Words

“Music became my way of expressing myself to the world in ways I can’t always manage otherwise. I love how open it is to interpretation, where people can take a song and make it their own, connect it to their story. That’s the connection and meaning I aim for,” Zeyne shares.

🎧 Zeyne’s Inspirations

• Asli Ana – Zeyne: “The moment my life outside of music and within it finally clicked into one.”

• Bali Ma’ak – Lena Chamamyan: “Tender, soft, with Fairuz as the eternal thread shaping beauty in music.”

• Houdou Nisbi – Ziad Rahbani: “A genius ahead of his time, blending Arabic and Western elements effortlessly.”

• Blond – Frank Ocean: “It changed the way I think about sound, so fluid and complex.”

• Zareef – El Funoun Dance Troupe: “Dabkeh from my childhood—roots, joy, and family.”

• SOS – SZA: “Messy, raw, real; it taught me to prioritize honesty in writing.”

✨ With Awda, Zeyne doesn’t just release an album, she reclaims her story. It’s a return to her roots, her sound, and her truth, a fearless declaration of identity and a new chapter for Arab women in music.

Source: Vogue Arabia