“Took a year long hiatus to make my best music yet,” Marcelina wrote underneath one of her recent Instagram posts. The cryptic caption was alluding to her newest single, Leila, which officially dropped on all platforms on Feb. 23, following weeks of teasing. Indeed, it’s been a year since the 23-year-old dropped her last music video for Il Awal, and her sonic comeback serves as a testament to the artistic evolution she’s undergone during that time, a genre-bending blend of English and Arabic lyrics set seamlessly over a mesmerizing Jersey Club beat. “Leila is my baby, I love this track with all my heart,” she gushed to MILLE. “It is a great example of the level of quality and artistry I am moving into with my sound, lyricism, and just hoping to make music that can resonate with any person who listens,” she added.
Marcelina is known for her experimental approach to genre, having flitted between pop, noise, and trip-hop since she first began dabbling in music aged 16. The self-proclaimed theater kid’s music style defies categorization, drawing inspiration from a diverse range of genres including Arabic music, 2000s club pop, experimental/electronic, trap, R&B, and neo-soul. Yet, amidst this eclectic mix, there exists a cohesive “Marcelina” essence that sets her apart from other artists in the region. “My various streams of inspiration all come into one naturally when working on new stuff,” she explains, crediting the likes of boundary-pushing creatives Soapkills, Kaytranada, Sevdaliza, Rosalia, Kali Uchis, and Raye for influencing and shaping her sound.
However, Leila feels particularly bracing. Listening to it with good headphones, its hypnotic allure can feel almost like a portal into another world. An ethereal dance anthem of sorts, the track has strong virality potential thanks to its high energy and infectious beat mixed with confessional lyrics deeply imbued with feelings. “I hope (listeners) feel the energy of the song in their heart,” the Lebanese-American artist expressed. “Leila is filled with emotion. It is a very magical experience,” she continued, dedicating the song to those who may have ever felt misunderstood. “Trust me… I feel you,” she assures.
Central to her music is her deeply personal lyrics, which offer a raw authenticity that resonates with fans, leaving them with the impression that she bared her soul to them. “My lyrics are fueled from raw thoughts, memories, experiences, feelings, and just anything that I feel is being emphasized in my life at that time,” she reveals.
Marcelina was ready to release Leila a couple of months ago, but with the current situations in Palestine, Lebanon, and Sudan, she decided to wait a little bit longer. But as the old adage goes, good things come to those who wait, and in this case, those words couldn’t be truer.
