Rolling Stone MENA - Music, Film, TV and Political News Coverage

GFF Examined

The Screens Behind Smoke Screens at El Gouna Film Festival

What lies behind the polarized coverage of El Gouna Film Festival, beyond red carpet glamour and class critique?

God Approved Groove

These Songs Might Contain Music: The Rise of Halal Beats

Between pop and hip-hop, Sharia loopholes and sonic innovation – meet Halal Beat, the umbrella term for a new nasheed wave.

By Pierre France

Cover Story

THE STRENGTH OF SOFTNESS: ALSARAH IS MAKING MUSIC FOR A BORDERLESS WORLD

Alsarah’s evolving artistry blends ancestral sound, diaspora politics, and a bold vision for a borderless musical future.

By Zahra Hankir

Blessed Pop

How Islam’s First Female Saint Inspired Rosalía’s ‘La Yugular’

How Rabia Al Adawiyya shaped the spiritual core of Rosalía’s ‘La Yugular,’ a track titled after a Qur’anic verse.

By Zainab Mehdi

2025 Ranked

The 75 Best Arabic Songs of 2025

75 tracks that shaped Arab music in 2025, from soft mahraganat and indie pop to political rap and Moroccan grunge.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Zeitgeist Forecaster

15 Years Later, ‘Microphone’ Still Finds Its Voice in Egypt’s Youth

By Ahmed Amin

The First Rolling Stone Rooftop and the Rebirth of Georgia’s Cultural Story

By Josh Wilson

The late columnist at Al Ayyam newspaper, Hassan Al Battal

In Bad Taste

Why Column? Why Opinion? Why Bite?

Why cultural writing lost its bite, and why criticism with teeth still matters. Introducing Rolling Stone MENA’s new column: In Bad Taste.

By Salma Mousa

Silent Shifts

Souad Massi’s ‘Samt’ Bridges Tradition and Modernity

With “Samt,” Souad Massi leans into a fresher, groovier sound while preserving the intimacy and depth that define her artistry.

By Ahmed Amin

Cultural Bridge

Arabiano: 5 Iconic Performances by African Artists on Arab Stages

From Burna Boy to Tyla, five performances that chart the deepening musical exchange between Africa and the Arab world.

By Raïs Saleh

Sole Searching

The Music We’re Looking Forward to Hearing At Dubai’s Sole DXB

Rolling Stone MENA’s top recommended musical performances to catch at this year’s Sole DXB in Dubai.

By Ammar Manla Hasan

Remembering Rim

Lullabies of Resistance: Remembering Rim Banna

Maram Khenissi remembers Rim Banna on her 59th birthday and celebrates her defiant legacy of sound, resistance and memory.

By Maram Khenissi

Post-Ceasefire Fire

Yasser Abu Shabab, Gaza Militia Leader Accused of Aid Looting, Killed

Israeli-backed militia leader Yasser Abu Shabab, accused of looting aid in Gaza, is reportedly killed in Rafah amid post-ceasefire clashes.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Nation Defining Trial

Post-Assad Syria’s Most Crucial Trial Isn’t About Assad’s Crimes

Trials begin in Syria over sectarian and state violence, raising questions about transitional justice and the country’s fragile transition.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Miss Muammar, winner of the Global Creative Women Award (GCWA) 2021, teaches her students at UNRWA Fukhari Elementary Girls school in Gaza / 2022 UNRWA Photo

Women At The Table

Trump’s Gaza Plan Mustn’t Follow His Record on Women’s Rights

Trump’s 20-points Gaza peace plan shouldn’t repeat his domestic failures on women’s health, education, and rights.

By Dr. Felicity Gerry

Saleh Aljafarawi was killed by an armed gang in Gaza city

False Peace

Saleh Aljafarawi’s Killing Shows Ceasefire Isn’t The End

The killing of Saleh Aljafarawi exposes the fragility of Gaza’s ceasefire.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

Palestinians celebrate announcement of peace plan agreement in Khan Younis in southern Gaza in this screengrab obtained from a video.

Historic Moment

Early Celebrations as Trump Announces Agreement to First Phase of Gaza Deal

Gazans are hopeful that Trump’s announcement will mark the end of two years and two days of the gruesome war.

By Rolling Stone Staff

Very Small Dreams - From Ground Zero screening at El Gouna Film Festival

GFF Coverage

A Window That Refuses to Close: Window on Palestine at GFF

Window on Palestine returns for its third edition at El Gouna Film Festival – a bold act of cinematic and cultural grounding.

By Maram Khenissi

Samra's Dollhouse by Tunisian filmmaker Maïssa Lihedheb is nominated at El Gouna Film Festival

GFF COVERAGE

‘Samra’s Dollhouse’ Blurs Love, Control, and Performance At GFF

Tunisian filmmaker Maïssa Lihedheb’s ‘Samra’s Dollhouse’ redefines power, desire, and the female gaze at GFF.

By Maram Khenissi

Exclusive

Watermelon Pictures Wants To Be The Future Of Palestinian Representation In Hollywood

From “The Voice of Hind Rajab” to “The Encampments”, co-founders Hamza and Badie Ali are just getting started.

By Sumayya Tobah

Commentary

The U.S. Military Industrial Complex Has Weaponized Hollywood. Arab Filmmakers Must Fight Back.

Stories of U.S. military strength have infiltrated entertainment.

By Ralph Arida

TV & MOVIES

Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina Created History for Algerian Film in 1975. Fifty Years Later, His Legacy Still Resonates.

Fifty years after winning the prestigious Palme d’Or for his film ‘Chronicle of the Years of Fire’, Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina continues to be the gold standard for Algerian filmmakers.

By Donia Ismail

Art Deco Reclaimed

Traveling Lotus and Stolen Faience: Egypt’s Art Deco Legacy

Wizara’s Adham Hafez explores Egypt Art Deco, a new project tracing the design movement’s roots in Egyptian history.

By Adham Hafez

Creators on Trail

Egyptian Creator Suzy Sentenced to One Year in Jail Over ‘Inappropriacy’

One of the Arab world’s most influential creators, Suzy faces a one-year prison sentence in her second trial.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

POLITICS

Sinéad O’Connor and the Weaponization of Hunger: What if she Sang for Gaza, Yemen, and Sudan?

If Sinéad O’Connor were around today, watching the children of Gaza, Yemen, and Sudan starve, her outrage would be incandescent.…

By Dr. Felicity Gerry

sports

MENA Athletes Share The Meaningful Music In Their Lives

Imane Khelif, Abdelrahman Elaraby, and Fadi Eldeeb share what they listen to before a huge competition, what reminds them of home, and a song tied to a turning point in their lives.

By Sophia Shalabi

(Sub)Culture

Meet Kème, The Indie Production House Bringing MENA’s Biggest Stars to the North American Stage

Kème Production is bridging the gap between Middle Eastern talent and their fans abroad, in turn helping to broaden the genre’s reach.

By Diba Mohtasham

Democratizing Longevity

Democratized Longevity? UK Startup Bien-Être Tests It in the UAE

UK startup Bien-Être enters the UAE, testing whether longevity tech can become everyday health rather than a luxury for the wealthy.

By Rolling Stone MENA Staff

TECH

CoinTerminal Shows Transparency Can Be Rewarding with Its $10,000 Monthly Prize

Crypto has never been short on opportunity, but it has often lacked trust. CoinTerminal’s $10,000 monthly prize aims to change…

By Anthony Burr

MUSIC

GPM Music Group: A Fresh Take on Music Marketing For Independent Artists

In the evolving landscape of music promotion in the digital age, independent artists often face a familiar dilemma: how to…

By Chris Gallagher

Fitness

Sound, Sweat, and Strategy: The Culture Collision Fueling the Future of Wellness

There’s a new rhythm pulsing through the world of wellness—one where athletes and musicians move in sync, powered by innovation,…

By Chris Gallagher

Middle East

Tax Haven? More like Tech Haven

“I want Dubai to be a place where everybody from all over the world meets each other.” Sheikh Mohammed bin…

By Anthony Burr

Lifestyle

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