Manal - support: Royane (CANCELLED) (Morocco / Norway)

One of the brightest new stars of Arabic pop will perform at Oslo World this year: Through her blend of Moroccan hip-hop, Afropop and Afrohouse, addressing controversial subjects such as domestic violence and female empowerment, Manal has established herself as a true pioneer.

Born in Marrakesh, Manal began writing songs at the age of 11. In 2014, She posted a cover version on YouTube, and was discovered by Moroccan hitmaker DJ Van, who recognized her as a special talent. She was featured on the blockbuster “Mantsayadch”, and when her debut single “Denia” was released on DJ Vans label Magic Castle Entertainment, it was a huge hit. She got the award for “Best Female Artist in Northern Africa” at the All Africa Music Awards in 2015. In 2017, she became one of the first Moroccan artists to sign to a major label in the Arab world.

Her single “Taj” became one of the most viewed Arabic rap songs performed by a female artist ever and in 2021, Manal once again got the award for “Best Female Artist in Northern Africa”. She became the first Arab singer to appear in the list of artists to perform for "ColorsXStudio", and was selected to participate in the official anthems of the 2022 World Cup. The future looks bright for Manal - at Oslo World, she will perform for the very first time in Norway.

Royane

The Norwegian-Moroccan artist Royane grew up listening to a mix of genres and languages. Her productions are bass-heavy, cinematic and blends a distinct emotional delivery with contemporary club music. In a handful of years, she went from being a well known Instagram influencer to being one of the most interesting artists the Norwegian music scene has to offer in her genre.

After her music debut in 2019, she produced all her music videos, collaborated with several big brands and TV productions such as the Eurovision and Dancing with the Stars all independently. In a handful of years, she went from being a well-known influencer to being one of the most interesting artists the Norwegian music scene has to offer in her genre.

In 2022, after a small break from music, Royane decided to connect more with her Moroccan roots and released “tudo ok remix” where she mixed more of her mother tongue “darija” with English. The song went viral on TikTok, as a lot of women related to Royane. That’s when she discovered that her voice was more important than she ever thought. In 2023, she released “Figaro”, collaborating with different creators from Morocco, with more music to come. During Oslo World, she will perform a double concert with the Moroccan star Manal - a perfect match.