When Elyanna met Coldplay: Inside the collaboration that elevated the Palestinian singer's career

The Palestinian-Chilean artist, who will open for the British band in Abu Dhabi, is featured in the single We Pray

Chris Martin and Elyanna perform on NBC's Today last year. Photo: NDZ / Star Max

Coldplay and Elyanna's first encounter was more than just a chance meeting – it was a convergence of artistic visions.

In a US recording studio, their paths crossed through mutual acquaintances, leading to the discovery of welcome chemistry.

For Elyanna, the opportunity was compelling. As an emerging singer-songwriter, she saw a chance to introduce her distinctive Arabic-influenced pop style to a global audience. And what better way to showcase that approach than through a prospective collaboration with one of the world’s biggest bands?

Coldplay's interest stemmed from a different place. After dominating international charts for a quarter century, the band was seeking to evolve their sound into something more universal and humanist. They aimed to create more albums like 2021's Music of the Spheres and last year's Moon Music, which could resonate across cultural boundaries, relying more on meaning than only melodies, while still delivering the stadium-filling hooks they were known for.

Elyanna performs with Coldplay’s Chris Martin during the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas. Reuters

At this point, Elyanna was fully confident in her vision, reportedly becoming the first artist to deliver a full Arabic set at the 2023 Coachella music festival in the US. Born in Nazareth to Palestinian parents, her Chilean heritage traces back to her paternal grandmother.

Recognized as a vocal prodigy from a young age, she performed at local schools and festivals, captivating audiences with her talent. At the age of 15, she moved with her family to the US to pursue her music career. It was there that she connected with key collaborators, including Wassim Slaiby, The Weeknd's manager, who took charge of her career. She also worked with Grammy Award-winning Palestinian-Chilean producer Nasri Atweh, known for his work with Justin Bieber and Shakira, as well as Lebanese-Canadian singer-songwriter Massari.

Under their guidance, she began singing bilingually, blending Eastern and Western melodies into the thrilling compositions showcased in last year's debut album, Woledto.

Though an avid consumer of contemporary pop music who had previously discovered emerging talents online and championed them to his record label, it remains unclear whether Chris Martin was familiar with Elyanna's work before their studio session. Regardless, both artists arrived at the studio that day, ready to create something special.

Elyanna recalled the moment Martin introduced the plaintive piano notes to their first official collaboration, We Pray. “I joined in with some Arabic scales, and he loved it. We wrote my verse the same day we met and continued working on the track together in the studio,” she told Vogue Arabia. “I was nervous, but Chris is such a down-to-earth and humble person, which made it easy to build this connection. I met the rest of the amazing band for the first time at Glastonbury – an unforgettable moment.”

The stage was set by the kind of introduction Martin offered Elyanna during the set. He said: "I want to introduce an amazing young Palestinian-Chilean singer named Elyanna, who I’m sure will be headlining this festival in just a few years, I am sure."

In one of the more emotive moments of the euphoric set last June, Elyanna came on stage twice to perform We Pray alongside the track’s other collaborator, English-Nigerian rapper Little Simz. Elyanna also lent her talents to Coldplay’s Arabesque, a song inspired by Chris Martin's 2017 visit to Palestine.

Both artists took their collaboration on the road. Elyanna joined the group for a rendition of We Pray during Coldplay's four-night performances at Dublin's Croke Park in August, followed by the iHeartRadio Music Festival in the US with Martin the following month.

With We Pray featured in Coldplay’s latest album Moon Music, Elyanna prepares to be one of the official supporting acts for the band’s Abu Dhabi shows and subsequent Indian tour.

Their cross-generational relationship underscores the kind of multicultural musical collaboration embodying what pop music should do – reflect the diversity of our world today.