Moroccan-Canadian artist El Mehdi returns to his debut EP SALAM with a new Darija version of its title track.
Originally released as the opening track of his five-song debut EP in January, “SALAM” sits at the heart of a project built around identity, belonging and finding peace without hiding parts of yourself. The new Moroccan Arabic rendition brings that message closer to El Mehdi’s roots by placing his mother tongue at the centre of the song.
It is a fitting next chapter for an artist whose music moves between contemporary alternative pop and North African influences, while reflecting a life shaped by both Morocco and Canada.
“SALAM” finds a new voice in Moroccan Arabic
On “سلام”, El Mehdi does more than simply revisit the original song in another language. Singing in Darija gives the track a more personal connection to the culture and community that helped shape him.
The song explores the tension between holding on to what is familiar and accepting the changes needed to live more truthfully. Drawing on images of a world in collapse, El Mehdi approaches the idea of an ending as both unsettling and hopeful: the possibility of leaving an old reality behind and making space for something new.
That search for peace runs throughout SALAM. Across the EP, El Mehdi combines cinematic strings and contemporary production with elements inspired by North African musical traditions, including chaabi, Amazigh and gnawa influences. The project moves between Arabic, French and English, making language an important part of its exploration of identity.
Listen to “SALAM”
Listen to the new Moroccan Arabic version of “SALAM” below.
El Mehdi has also recorded an acoustic version of “SALAM” in Darija, offering a more stripped-back take on the song.
A debut EP rooted in Morocco and the diaspora
SALAM was released on January 30, 2026 and features five tracks: “SALAM”, “EL KASS HLOU”, “LIKE THAT”, “ENCORE” and “SKIN”.
The project brings together different sides of El Mehdi’s musical identity rather than separating contemporary pop from his Moroccan heritage. Traditional references sit alongside electronic production, strings and alternative pop, while the multilingual songwriting reflects his experience between different cultures.
That approach was already visible on earlier releases such as “EL KASS HLOU” and “ENCORE”. With SALAM, however, those ideas became part of a complete project centred on self-expression, intimacy and belonging.
From “ENCORE” to the big screen
El Mehdi’s connection to his Moroccan heritage also runs through the visual side of his work. The self-directed music video for “ENCORE”, for example, featured century-old Amazigh jewellery from the Aït Atta tribe, from which he descends.
In 2026, his work expanded further beyond music. El Mehdi makes his feature film debut in Mohamed Nadif’s L’Héritier des secrets, alongside Moroccan actors Nisrin Erradi, Nadia Kounda and Younes Bouab, as well as Noor Talbi.
The film has already screened at festivals and cultural events including Cinémania, Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma, the Institut du monde arabe in Paris and the Arab Film Festival Rotterdam. A Canadian theatrical release followed in August 2026, with a Moroccan release planned for later this year.
Watch the trailer of L’Héritier des secrets
Listen to El Mehdi’s SALAM EP
The new version of “SALAM” adds another chapter to a debut project shaped by different languages, cultures and sides of El Mehdi’s identity. Listen to the complete SALAM EP on Spotify
Discover more music from Morocco in the Arabsounds Moroccan music playlists.
