Oulid's New Album 'Ahlam' Shapes Pop Sound with Global Influences

2025 has been a huge year for Moroccan singer-songwriter, Oulid, one that has seen a string of collaborative releases garner millions of views and listens. It’s these very tracks that anchor Ahlam - a bumper 17-track album that sees him recruit in even more collaborators that add plenty of colour to his signature Maghrebi pop stylings. 

At the heart of his collaborative spirit is his self-described status as a ‘third-culture individual’, something that he draws on in blending inspirations from Egypt to the Netherlands and plenty of other places in-between.

Just prior to the full album's drop, Oualid released the lead track, ‘Mali Ana’, which features Fatima Zahra and is inspired by the energy of the kind of anthems that can only be heard from the stands of a rowdy football stadium. Other notable collaborations include ‘Di Mochkila’ featuring Norel, a single that achieved 4 million streams on Spotify and 119 million views on YouTube. The album also features collaborations with Marwan Moussa on ‘Mosh 3adi’, Fares Sokkar on ‘Bosso Alih’,  Zeina on ‘Allo Min’, and Aminux on ‘Bataille’. In addition, the album introduces new collaborations, including one with French-Senegalese artist, Youka, who currently boasts 2 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

True to his eclectic artistry, the majority of the album is accompanied by videos, making ‘Ahlam’ an impressive feat of expression and exploration through the eyes of an artist who achieves what many attempt: utilise global influences without compromising  native regional sounds.