Manal (singer)

Moroccan singer-songwriter (born 1993)

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Manal

منال

Manal in 2018

Background information
Birth name| Manal Benchlikha
منال بنشليخة
Also known as| Manal BK
Born|  (1993-09-18) 18 September 1993 (age 31)
Marrakesh, Morocco
Genres|

* Pop
* R&B
* rap

Occupations|

* Singer
* songwriter

Instruments|

* Vocals
* guitar

Years active| 2015–present
Labels|

* Bench & Guess Entertainment
* RCA
* Sony Music

Musical artist

Manal Benchlikha (Arabic: منال بنشليخة; born September 18, 1993), better known by her first and professional name Manal, is a Moroccan pop singer-songwriter.[1][2] Since her debut in 2015, she has risen to prominence.[3] Manal has released two studio albums: 360 (2021) and Arabian Heartbreak (2024).[4]

Her growing influence is reflected in her massive fanbase, with over 4.5 million followers on Instagram,[5] 2 million subscribers on YouTube,[6] and an average of 300,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.[7]

## Biography

[edit]

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 one of the first Moroccan artists 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 quickly. It is one of the most viewed Arabic rap songs performed by a female artist. After Taj, Manal released the song Nah featuring Moroccan rap duo Shayfeen and then had one of her biggest singles to date, Slay, in collaboration with ElGrandeToto.

In November 2019, Manal signed a distribution deal with RCA Records, a division of Sony Music France, through her record company Bench & Guess Entertainment.

Currently, she is under an exclusive license agreement with the same label, and under a music publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing.

Manal's current management team includes Anissa Jalab, former manager of Belgian rapper Damso, head of Wagram Belgium, and also manager of ElGrandeToto.

In May 2021, Manal released her first album titled 360, which included the hit single "Niya".

Deprived of the stage during the COVID-19 pandemic, she launched, 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.

In May 2022, Manal performed "3ARI" for COLORS.[8] In October 2022, she was chosen to feature in Light The Sky, a song for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, collaborating with artists, RedOne, Balqees, Rahma Riad and Nora Fatehi.[9]

## Discography

[edit]

### Albums

[edit]

Title  | Released  | Record label

|
|

360 | 21 May 2021[10] | Bench & Guess Entertainment / Sony Music France
Arabian Heartbreak  | 20 Sept 2024  | Bench & Guess Entertainment / Sony Music France

### Singles

[edit]

List of singles as a lead artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name  Title  | Year  | Album

|
|

"Dua"  | 2014  | Non-album singles
"Koulchi Ban"  | 2017
"Taj"  | 2018
"Nah"
(featuring Shayfeen)
"Slay"
(featuring ElGrandeToto)
"Pas Le Choix"  | 2019x
"NTA"
"360"  | 2020  | 360
"Niya"
"Lyali"  | 2021  | Non-album singles
"3iytou Lbouliss"  | 360
"Call Me"

### Other appearances

[edit]

List of other appearances, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name  Title  | Year  | Peak chart positions  | Album

|
|
|

LBN
[11]
"Mantsayadch"
(DJ Van featuring Ahmed Soultan, Dizzy Dros, Manal, Muslim & Shayfeen) | 2014  | —  | Non-album singles
"Tarikhona Fakhrona"
(Soundtrack of the series "Tarikhona Fakhrona" on Medi 1 TV) | 2015  | —
"Ana Mani Fiyach"
(with Masta Flow; 2015 Moroccan Music Awards original performance) | —
"Sans Toi"
(La Relève Deezer) | 2020  | —
"Lonely Days"
(Draganov featuring Manal) | —  | Galess Fdar
"Safe Salina (Moroccan Remix)"
(Tawsen featuring Manal and ElGrandeToto) | —  | Non-album singles
"Pas Le Choix - Manal Mix"
(Now United Remix) | —
"Lyali"
Soundtrack of the series "Dayzou Lakwam" on 2M) | 2021  | —
"Maak"
(Tagne featuring Manal) | 2022  | —
"Zina"
(Slimane featuring Manal) | —  | Chroniques d'un cupidon
"Waray"
(Issam Alnajjar and R3hab featuring Manal) | 2023  | 1  | Waray (EP)
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Biography | Manal". Manal. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
2. ^ "MANAL HIT RADIO". HIT RADIO. Archived from the original on 25 September 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
3. ^ "Manal". COLORSxSTUDIOS. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
4. ^ Musicboard. "Review of Arabian Heartbreak by stxtements". Musicboard. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
5. ^ "Instagram - Manal's Profile". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
6. ^ "YouTube Channel - Manal l منال". YouTube. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
7. ^ "Spotify, Manal Profile". open.spotify.com. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
8. ^ "MANAL – 3ARI | A COLORS SHOW". COLORSXSTUDIOS.
9. ^ "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Official Soundtrack release: all-female line-up inspires the globe to Light The Sky". qatar2022.qa. 7 October 2022.
10. ^ "Manal - Album 360". Spotify. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
11. ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Lebanon:
* "Waray": "The Official Lebanese Top 20 – Combined Chart – Week of Sunday August 13th, 2023". The Official Lebanese Top 20. 13 August 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Manal's channel on YouTube

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI

Artists|

* MusicBrainz

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