Marcelina: Defying the Bounds of Arab Alt-Pop

Music found Marcelina before she went looking for it. “I never planned on becoming a singer,” she admits with a laugh. “I was a theatre kid; music just became the space where all my passions could get acquainted.” And that’s the key to her magnetic world. Marcelina’s music goes beyond a single sound, shaped instead by an unrelenting impulse to evolve and push boundaries. Think of her music as a moodboard come to life—part rave fantasy, part diary entry, all unfiltered emotion.

Based between London and Dubai, the Lebanese-American musician has found a sound that’s equal parts experimental, ethereal, and chaotic. Her latest EP, Stargirl, is the culmination of everything she’s been stitching together over the years, a project that feels like both a debut and a declaration. “The birth of Stargirl was my most honest reflection of self so far,” she explains. “An entire lifetime of moments led to it. And sharing her with my girls was special.”

That sense of freedom reverberates through her voice and process. At 25, Marcelina creates with a kind of ecstatic instinct, weaving together everything from post-punk grit to late-night raves, from McQueen’s dark romanticism to the glow of an iPhone 5S screen. “Los Angeles, Beirut, black cats, my mom, and my inner world,” she rattles off, listing more of her influences and inspirations.

Her vision for the region’s music scene is just as vibrant. “I know that my sound is contributing to the growing alternative and electronic scene in the region,” she says. “I really just want to inspire other artists to take creative risks and push boundaries. I hope to create spaces where people feel safe to be themselves. I just want us to have a fun time and not take things too seriously.” It’s a sentiment that defines Marcelina’s vivaciousness, the same energy that her sound exudes. In fact, it runs through everything she does, from the self-aware humour behind her captions to the theatrical energy of her videos. 

But beneath the glitter and chaos, there’s something quietly powerful about how she talks about purpose. “Being part of the creative field just feels like home to me,” she shares. “I don’t know who I would be if I didn’t create. I have this crazy sense of purpose, and my personal experiences are continuous fuel to the fire.” Imperfection, for Marcelina, isn’t a flaw but a precondition for art that touches, pulsates, and echoes. “I’m stepping into an era of dropping more consistently,” she adds. “Imperfection over perfection always, putting things out while they resonate rather than holding on too tightly.” 

The ethos that feels suited to the moment. Having dropped an EP in August, the singer says she’s both inspired and excited to build off what she has created. “My listeners can expect to be well fed,” she teases, so go ahead and queue Stargirl until you await a new release. Marcelina’s world is growing fast, and you’ll want to be there when it explodes.