In a region often defined by its diversity of voices, sounds, and stories, bringing artists together under a single creative vision is no small feat, especially when the timing carries emotional weight. With Aktar Men Ayya Waqt, Anghami stepped beyond its role as a streaming service to orchestrate a cross-regional collaboration that reflects a shared cultural moment.
Launched on Anghami earlier this month, the track brought together voices from across the Middle East, featuring AbdulAziz Louis, Aseel Hameem, Bader AlShuaibi, Ghaliaa, Jaber Al Turki, Salim Assaf, and Sultan Khalifa.
In this conversation, Eddy Maroun, co-founder of Anghami, unpacks how the platform moved quickly to bring the project to life as an Anghami Original, connecting talent from across the Levant and the Gulf within a matter of days. He explains the realities of producing a multi-country track under pressure, the balance between creative direction and artistic individuality, and why this release signals a broader shift toward more structured pan-Arab collaborations.
At a time when the region is navigating complex emotions, Maroun also reflects on how music can move beyond entertainment, serving as a channel for connection, resilience, and a sense of unity that resonates far beyond the track itself.
For Anghami, this project is positioned as artist-led, but what role did the platform really play in shaping and accelerating the collaboration?
While the project is artist-led in spirit, it was very much initiated and brought to life by Anghami as an ‘Anghami Original’. Anghami is much more than a music streaming platform; it’s a complete music ecosystem, and this project reflects the breadth of what we do across production, distribution, live events, licensing, and even music strategies for brands.
Through Anghami Studios, we built and executed this collaboration end-to-end as a full in-house production, from concept development to connecting songwriters across the Levant and the Gulf, aligning artists, and overseeing both the music and video production process.
What made this particularly impactful was how quickly we were able to move – we went from concept to a fully realised release in under two weeks, without compromising on quality or scale. We’re deeply grateful to all the artists who participated in this project and contributed so generously with their time and talent to bring the vision to life.
More importantly, this isn’t a one-off initiative. We’ve done this before, with projects like ‘The Sound of Beirut’ in 2020, where we similarly stepped in to support music-led responses to a wider public moment. This is part of how we aim to bring together talent, culture, and brands in a way that’s both efficient and creatively meaningful.
This track was executed across multiple countries in a short time. What were the biggest challenges in making a cross-regional track actually come together cohesively?
The biggest challenge was orchestrating a seamless production under a very challenging and fast-moving set of circumstances across the region. We weren’t just working against tight timelines; artists were navigating real-world conditions on the ground, from regional tensions to extreme weather, yet still made the effort to get into studios, record their sessions, and film their parts for the final clip – which speaks volumes about their commitment to the project.
What made this possible, however, was a very deliberate and proactive approach from our side. Anghami is well-positioned as a connector across fragmented markets, with an existing network of artists, producers, and studios across the region, supported by the infrastructure needed to mobilise quickly, including Anghami Studios as a full in-house production arm, enabling us to move from concept to execution with a high level of in-house coordination.
Beyond logistics, we were also mindful of the timing and the wider context. We closely monitored what was happening across the region to ensure the release would feel respectful and appropriate, rather than feel like just another track. Bringing everything together within such a tight window required constant alignment across markets, but that ability to move fluidly across borders is something we’ve built into how we operate, which is very much a core strength of our model.
Do you see Aktar Men Ayya Waqt as a one-off cultural moment, or the start of a more structured wave of pan-Arab collaborations?
This is definitely not a one-off cultural moment. If anything, it sets the foundation for a more structured and intentional approach to pan-Arab collaborations, reflecting a shift from isolated initiatives towards a more repeatable way of working.
Through Anghami Studios, we’re building a framework that consistently brings together artists, producers, and brands across the region in a creatively meaningful way.
More broadly, this sits within our role in shaping a more connected and collaborative Arab music landscape, creating projects that reflect both the diversity of the region and the shared cultural pulse.
For the artists, with so many voices and styles involved, how did you avoid creative clashes and arrive at a unified sound?
That was one of the most important and challenging aspects of the project. It wasn’t just about blending voices, but also different dialects, tones, and musical styles in a way that felt authentic to each artist while still serving a unified track.
Beyond coordination, Anghami played an active role as a creative producer on the project. We worked very closely with all contributors throughout the process, providing creative direction to ensure that both Levantine and Khaleeji influences complemented each other. A lot of attention went into the structure and harmonisation, especially in the chorus, to create a sound that felt cohesive while still allowing each artist’s identity to come through.
Ultimately, our role was about shaping the overall musical direction while preserving artistic individuality, and that balance is what allowed the diversity to become the project’s strongest asset.
The song blends Levantine and Khaleeji influences. How intentional was that in representing a broader Arab identity rather than individual markets?
It was very intentional. From the beginning, the goal was to reflect a broader Arab identity rather than focus on individual markets.
This was also guided by Anghami’s understanding of listening habits and cultural consumption patterns across the region. We continuously look at how audiences engage with different dialects, genres, and cross-market collaborations, which helped inform both the timing and the creative direction of the track to ensure it would land in a way that feels authentic.
Even with the challenges we faced in securing artist availability due to ongoing circumstances, we made a conscious effort to bring together a diverse mix of voices from across the region. This diversity is what gives the track its depth and authenticity and reinforces Anghami’s role as a cultural bridge connecting different parts of the Arab world through music.
The track has since reached approximately six million streams across platforms, which speaks to how strongly it connected with listeners beyond its initial release moment.
At a time when the region is going through a lot emotionally, do you see this track as purely artistic expression, or does it carry a deeper message about unity and resilience?
It goes beyond artistic expression. The track captures a shared emotional moment across the region, bringing together different voices, perspectives, and experiences into one unified narrative.
At its core, it’s about connection. Music has always been a natural way to bridge distance and differences, and this project shows that in a very tangible way. Through Anghami, we’re able to help make that connection possible, bringing artists and audiences across borders into a shared cultural moment in a way that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.
In that sense, it becomes more than a collaboration; it’s a collective expression of empathy, resilience, and closeness during a time when those sentiments are deeply felt across the region.
