Maryam Saleh Returns With Taqtuqa-Inspired Single ‘El Fetra’

Egyptian musical powerhouse Maryam Saleh has soft-launched her long-awaited comeback with the Taqtuqa-inspired single, ‘El Fetra’, her first release in two years.

The track previews ‘Syrr’, her first full-length album in nearly eight years. Written and composed by Maryam herself and co-produced with longtime collaborator Maurice Louca and lo-fi shaabi visionary, El Waili, ‘El Fetra’ flirts with traditional Egyptian Taqtuqa, while reimagining it through modern electronic textures. Maryam’s haunting, instantly recognisable vocals glide over sweltering cello lines and mellow keys, punctuated by crisp, carefully placed percussion. Her introspective lyrics create a compelling meditation on instinct and intuition, delivered with a tender, ethereal touch that is unmistakably and distinctively hers.

‘Syrr’, set for a 2026 release, is the product of a three-year collaborative journey between Saleh and Palestinian music icon Kamilya Jubran, mastered by the legendary Heba Kadry. 

Despite her long absence from the spotlight, with ‘El Fetra’, Maryam returns with a more refined sound, reaffirming why she remains one of Egypt’s most authentic artists.