World Photography Day: 6 accounts to follow in the region

Saudi photographer Faisal Al-Jrifani uses his Instagram feed to showcase breathtaking scenes in the Kingdom. (Supplied)
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Updated 19 August 2021
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World Photography Day: 6 accounts to follow in the region

In celebration of World Photography Day on Aug. 19, we round up the top Instagram photography accounts in the region that will give you a visual treat and inspire you to pick up a camera.

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Saudi photographer Faisal Al-Jrifani uses his Instagram feed to showcase breathtaking scenes in the Kingdom. His photography is filled with majestic scenes ranging from rocky mountainous terrains to bodies of water that embrace impressive reflections of the surroundings.

Lina Mo

The photographer is slowly becoming a rising star in Saudi Arabia. Her feed illustrates engaging portraits that often feature subjects mixing Saudi culture with modern arts.

Tasneemalsultan

With an inquisitive eye and a camera at hand, the Saudi photographer offers intimate and unique perspectives into the everyday lives of her subjects. Her powerful imagery is a depiction of how art can serve as a medium to challenge stereotypes and engage with important regional and social issues.

Egypt Shots

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Egypt Shots (@egyptshots)

The travel photography account focuses on the hidden beauty all around the North African country, with a dreamlike quality to the photos that capture more than just the image.

Yoriyas

Yassine Alaoui Ismaili is a Moroccan photographer who uses photography as a means of self-expression. The unique blend of his North African heritage, strategy of chess, and love for dance led him to explore new methods of experimentation through photography.

Aljvd 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by A L J V D (@aljvd)

Hailing from the UAE, investment banker turned photographer Altamash Javed’s editorial-like imagery depicts the iconic landmarks across the UAE and ties in the beauty of the cities’ landscapes with the simplicity of the old harbors.


Amr Diab and Sherine top Spotify list of 2025 MENA artists

Updated 17 December 2025
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Amr Diab and Sherine top Spotify list of 2025 MENA artists

  • Egyptian stars and icon Fairuz continue to resonate in region
  • Artists shaping rap, mahraganat, hybrid sounds feature

DUBAI: Spotify has released its list of the Top Middle East and North Africa artists and songs globally, shaped by streams from listeners both inside and outside the region, offering a snapshot of how MENA music travelled in 2025.

Topping the global MENA artists list is Amr Diab, a mainstay of Arab pop. He also led Egypt’s Wrapped this year, while his catalogue — spanning both older hits and newer releases — continued to draw sustained global engagement.

The return of “Tamally Maak” to the global Top Tracks list underlines the lasting appeal of his music across generations.

Sherine is one of the year’s most emotionally resonant voices with four tracks in the global Top 10. Her classics “Kalam Eineh,” “El Watar El Hassas” and “3la Bali,” alongside her newer release “Btmanna Ansak,” reached listeners from Egypt to Germany and the UK.

Spotify data shows her catalogue maintaining a strong, personal connection with audiences throughout 2025.

Regional classics also featured prominently. Nancy Ajram’s early-2000s hit “Ya Tabtab Wa Dallaa” found renewed popularity in markets including Indonesia and Turkiye, while Khaled’s “C’est la vie” continued to cross borders, resonating with listeners from France to India.

Fairuz remained a fixture in daily listening habits, anchoring morning and coffee playlists across the Arab world and the diaspora.

Beyond pop, artists shaping rap, mahraganat and hybrid sounds maintained strong global visibility.

ElGrandeToto, Morocco’s Top Artist on Spotify from 2020 to 2025, continued to spotlight the evolution of Moroccan hip-hop, which in 2025 blended rai, chaabi and local rhythms with trap influences.

His collaboration with Spanish-Moroccan rapper Morad, “Ojos Sin Ver,” featured on the global MENA Top Tracks list, highlighting the genre’s cross-regional and European appeal.

Egyptian rapper Marwan Pablo also remained a prominent global presence, recognized for his introspective approach within the country’s hip-hop scene.

Mahraganat artists Essam Sasa and Eslam Kabonga appeared in the global rankings as well, underscoring the genre’s expanding reach beyond its local roots.

The global MENA Top Tracks list included “KALAMANTINA,” a collaboration between Saint Levant and Marwan Moussa that blends hip-hop and pop within a hybrid electro-shaabi sound.