Acknowledging rap as an escape from the challenges of everyday life, rising musician Hala has career-shaping credits both in front of the mic and behind the boards. At 14, she was already a certified sound engineer, recording with pioneers of the Egyptian rap scene. Adding the roles of singer and songwriter to her growing CV, Hala released her first singles in 2022—melding an aura of nostalgia with a bold new musical language. Her deeply atmospheric songs are vulnerable yet uncompromising, weaving a flurry of slinky synths and beats around emotionally charged vocals. Hala’s debut EP, Tlef Wetdoor, takes listeners through the stages of a harmful relationship—from trying to analyse inexcusable behaviour to finding the strength to say goodbye. It’s inherently sombre, honest and self-examining, drenched in haunting melodies and left-field electronics. Speaking to Apple Music, Hala takes us behind the scenes and into the inner workings of her four-track tale of heartbreak. “The inspiration for the EP comes from the sequence of events in a toxic relationship,” Hala says. “Every stage has a special song. ‘Shok W Sakakeen’ talks about understanding or analysing the person I love. I try to understand why he thinks like this—how does he do this, why does he do this while his brain is working, how do I build excuses because I think I can fix him? ‘Tlef Wetdoor’ is the stage of awareness. I begin to notice all his tricks and all his toxic traits but, at the same time, I continue to make excuses and ignore everything. ‘Msaykeb’ is a state of discovering that there is no hope for him. ‘Salam’ is a song about how to gather all the energy inside you to cut all the strings and leave this person behind.” There’s power in Hala’s lyrics beyond sharing a personal narrative: “The message of the album is not that I tell the story, or that people feel what I felt and that’s it. Every song is like a story, with the standards of how to stop a love that will break you, or a toxic relationship, and how to overcome it.” In addition to living through an unhealthy romance, Hala has had to overcome the challenges often faced by female Arab rappers. According to her, it takes determination and a thick skin for female Arab artists to succeed, but she welcomes the new wave of opportunities available—along with much-needed support from fans. “We are met with criticism and attacks from anyone who listens to our music. This happens most of the time, but when they get a chance to listen, they are happy in the end,” she says, adding that even when a female artist’s work is good, this is often not enough. “But the bright side is that now there is more support and more opportunities for girls to shine.” Hala’s relationship with rap runs deep. “Since I was young, I listened to rap and this saved me from my difficult life,” she says. “When I turned 14, I was the youngest sound engineer certified by the union and I recorded for all the OG rappers at that time in Egypt, such as ’99HIPSTREET, RADIO BAND, MT3, R Devil and more. Rap has always been a part of my life.” Are there any other female artists that Hala looks up to? “I love all kinds of art, and when I grew up, I no longer knew how to hate any artist unless they were a monster,” she says, explaining that every artist, whether male or female, inspires her in some way. “But if I were to pick, I would say Jorja Smith, Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Rihanna, Beyoncé and a new artist named Dina Ayada, who is amazing.” The rapper’s creative process is highly self-reliant: “I write, compose and do sound engineering for all my songs in my home studio, which I built myself this year. When I write, I always start by choosing music that suits the situation I am in—if I’m sad, happy or want to talk about something specific.” At the same time, Hala notes that working with the right people is also a source of inspiration. “Recently, I was very happy that I started dealing with music producers like Mazz and Omar Gangster, because they understood my brain and created the sound I wanted—full of experimental sounds and sound design.” How about other Arab artists she’d like to work with? “A big part of my dream is to work with artists in the Middle East and Africa, from Morocco and Tunisia in particular,” Hala says. “As for Egypt, I’d very, very much like to work with Dizzy.” Largely self-taught, Hala trusts her own creative instincts, explaining that she hasn’t studied music formally other than sound engineering: “The rest is all passion.” She takes the time to develop and get lost in the ritual of creating. “When I write, I literally forget the world and don’t think about anything other than my words. It was as if I was in boxing class, letting out everything inside me.” When asked to give a personal story or anecdote behind these tracks, Hala sums up her work with moving honesty: “All my songs are very personal, especially in this album, because I was in a strange situation in my life. I knew that there was a person who was very hurtful to me, and I understood all the signs, and yet I was still trying to complete and fix anything that was broken.” The artist cites her fans as a source of strength, despite the challenges in her life. “Motivation for me is always there, because of the people who listen to me. They keep me very close to them,” she says. Hala concludes with a touching message for her listeners. “You are never alone,” she says, adding: “I never intended to make relatable music, and when people responded and interacted with every release, they said they were very passionate about the songs—and I felt like I was here for that reason.” This sentiment ties in with Hala’s biggest ambition: “To impact. With music, with words, with feelings.”