Dalia Mubarak didn’t arrive at the Billboard Arabia March cover shoot as just another cover star. She arrived as a woman carrying her entire life with her.

With her two daughters, Lily and Jazz, by her side, the set felt less like a production and more like a natural extension of her reality, where motherhood, work and creativity coexist.

There’s an immediate familiarity to Dalia. At first, she comes across as effortlessly unpretentious, someone who doesn’t perform for the room. But as the moment unfolds, a clearer picture emerges: a woman deliberately shaping her life on her own terms, and a voice that moves with conviction.

Moving between takes, checking in on her daughters, and keeping an eye on the shoot, Dalia carried herself with warmth and generosity, never too busy to offer a smile, even in the most hectic moments.

Watching this, the cover lines began to write themselves. But the image was too layered to reduce to a single angle: there is Dalia the mother, the woman, and the artist, one of Saudi Arabia’s most distinctive voices carving her own path. Above all, she is a creator finding her way at a time of profound transformation across the Arab world.

That’s precisely why her presence on the March cover feels so fitting.

In a month where International Women’s Day meets Mother’s Day, the choice carries added resonance, especially as Dalia enters a pivotal moment in her career: a new album on the horizon and a highly anticipated role as a coach on The Voice Kids. More than ever, she seems more in sync with herself than ever.

Since 2014, Dalia has built her career with a quiet sense of purpose. She experiments, produces and moves fluidly between dialects, treating production and visuals not as decoration, but as extensions of her sound.

Her relationship with music began early, shaped in part by her mother, whose voice, Dalia insists, is sometimes even more beautiful than her own. From early attempts in talent show auditions to eventually sitting on the judging panel herself, her true breakthrough came in her early twenties. From the start, it was clear she was pushing Saudi music toward bolder territory, whether through lyrical choices or her ability to reframe Gulf poetry and feminine expression within a contemporary sonic landscape.

She has continuously expanded her musical boundaries, drawing from diverse rhythms and influences so that each release feels like a new challenge across voice, language, and performance. From the contemporary pop energy of “Mara ‘Aan Million” (One in a Million Woman), to the traditional Gulf spirit of “Yareitni Rajal” (I Wish I Were a Man), and more recently, her Iraqi dialect experiment “Arja’ La’en” (Come Back, Because…), Dalia resists settling into a single sound.

As she puts it, boredom has been her greatest enemy since childhood, and it doesn’t seem likely to catch up with her anytime soon.

Her trajectory includes milestones that arrived earlier than expected: becoming one of the youngest Saudi artists to join The Voice Kids as a coach, and gaining early recognition in global Billboard headlines following her signing with Warner Music, one of the first moves of its kind for a Saudi artist at that level.

When reminded of these achievements, her reaction was one of genuine surprise, as if hearing them for the first time. Off camera, she said, almost questioning rather than celebrating, “I never really reflected on that before… should I have? Maybe.”

That same honesty carried into the interview itself.

From the outset, it was clear Dalia doesn’t have much patience for overly polished conversations.

Whenever the discussion drifted toward the kind of rehearsed territory typical of artist interviews, she instinctively pulled it back to something more real, more human.

No matter the angle, honesty remained the anchor. Because with Dalia, the conversation doesn’t stop at the music, her personality is inseparable from her work. Which raises another way of looking at her: what if we read Dalia through her songs?

From “Qimmat Tumoohi” (Top of My Ambition) to “Ya Hasidi,” (Those Who Envy Me) from “Enta Koni” (You’re My Universe) to “Tamanni ‘Alaik,” (Let Me Check in on You), these titles feel like fragments of a personal narrative, each opening a window into a different layer of her identity: ambition, defiance, vulnerability, anger, heartbreak and a constant pull to reclaim control.

As the conversation deepened, those layers became more visible.

The woman who appeared so radiant and spontaneous also carried the weight of difficult chapters: two marriages, personal disappointments, clashes within the industry and moments where stepping away seemed easier than continuing.

And yet, alongside those challenges, her career has been marked by significant successes. The latest chapter: her role on The Voice Kids, which she described as a “divine sign” to keep going, at a time when she was genuinely close to walking away from music altogether.

There’s a quiet irony here.

Dalia, who speaks about motherhood with deep intensity, and openly admits she doesn’t want to go through the experience again due to the overwhelming love, emotional exhaustion and constant worry it entails, found her way back to herself, through children.

During our conversation, she recalled a moment with one of the young contestants on the show, a brief encounter that felt powerful enough to ground her again, or perhaps return her to her earliest beginnings, when the dream was simpler and less burdened.

Holding back tears, she said, “I had lost my passion. The energy I got from the kids reminded me of my dream, why I’m here, why I’m sitting in that chair.” She continued: “When I sat on The Voice panel and saw the kids, it felt like rescue. I was taking energy from them, and I told myself, ‘Dalia, you’re here because one day, you were there.’”

With that spark, the idea of retirement faded.

Now, she steps into a new phase, arguably her most energized yet, with her upcoming album promising even greater diversity in dialects and musical directions. Iraqi joins the mix, alongside Egyptian, a dialect she has mastered over the years, bringing her closer to a wider Arab audience.

Which raises the question: is this the most liberated version of Dalia we’ve seen yet?

Whatever impression she leaves on those who meet her, or those who follow her, it’s likely they’ll see an artist more daring than ever. But Dalia herself resists being reduced to any single identity: not just an artist, not just a mother, not even a woman with an “inspirational story” in the conventional sense.

What lingers after the interview is something rarer: A woman who has reclaimed the center of her life, who has finally stopped trying to become what others expect, and simply started being herself. And perhaps that is exactly why this cover feels so fitting.

This in an English translation of an article that originally appeared on Billboard Arabia.

Being in a pop group is a lot of work. Aside from the endless press, appearances, performances, choreo rehearsals and travel, there’s the trickiest work of all: managing personalities and relationships in an often high-pressure situation. Currently on-hiatus KATSEYE member Manon Bannerman hinted as much in a new NYLON cover story about the international girl group that was completed before the singer announced in February that she was taking a temporary hiatus to “focus on her health and well-being.”

“Being in a group, it’s just about good communication and setting good boundaries and building a friendship, but also work relationship, and always remembering that it’s a shared goal that we have,” Manon told the magazine, which noted that remaining members Yoonchae Jeung, Sophia Laforteza, Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj and Megan Skiendiel declined to answer additional questions about Manon’s hiatus when the news broke of her hiatus after the initial interview was completed.

“There’s six of us, so obviously not everyone’s always going to be on the same page about everything,” Manon added. As an example, she noted that during photo shoots two members might have their eye on the same outfit, leading to a tough decision about who gets to wear what. “But I think we all are at, or have been learning and are finally coming to, a point where for the group’s sake, you give and you take. You pick your battles,” she told the magazine.

KATSEYE came together in 2023 via the reality competition series The Debut: Dream Academy, in which 20 candidates were cut down to the final six-member group, who’ve gone on to release two EPs — 2024’s SIS (Soft Is Strong) and 2025’s Beautiful Chaos — with the latter launching their first two Billboard Hot 100 hits: “Gnarly” (No. 82) and “Gabriela” (No. 26).

Since their formation, the group told NYLON that they’ve tried several methods of sorting out any differences, including a majority-rules method. Though when it came to tough decisions on new songs or choreo, that approach has sometimes felt too exclusionary and potentially divisive.

“We’ve learned that if even just one person doesn’t feel good about a certain thing, we need to heavily consider and communicate about it — because it’s not about the majority enjoying it and just having the people who don’t enjoy it adjust,” said Sophia. “If we don’t feel comfortable, we don’t feel passionate. We don’t feel good about something. We need to help that person see another perspective or adjust everything overall because it really is hard to perform a song if you don’t enjoy it.”

When all is said and done, Sophia said it’s all about professionalism and mutual respect. “We’re only as strong as our weakest member,” she told the magazine. “We need to make sure that we’re all showing up for each other and all going at the same pace. We cannot leave anybody behind.”

That all-for-one approach was in evidence in the announcement of Manon’s hiatus in February, when HYBE and Geffen posted a notice on the Weverse fan community that read: “After open and thoughtful conversations together, we are sharing that Manon will be taking a temporary hiatus from group activities to focus on her health and well-being. We fully support this decision. KATSEYE remains committed to showing up for one another and for the fans who mean everything to us. The group will continue scheduled activities during this time, and we look forward to being together again when the time is right. Thank you to our EYEKONS for your continued love, patience, and understanding.”

After missing out on a run of South American shows last month, Manon is also expected to sit out the group’s performance at the Coachella Festival this weekend in Indio, Calif. on Friday (April 10) and the following weekend (April 17). At press time it was unknown if Manon will be on hand for future shows this summer, including the Governors Ball Festival on June 5 in New York, the Hinterlands Music Festival in Saint Charles, Iowa on July 30 and the 88rising Festival: Head in the Clouds in Los Angeles on Aug. 8.

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Tyler, The Creator is back with Converse once again, expanding his line of ever-popular 1908 Joggers.

The new offerings, which dropped Tuesday (April 7), all retail for $105 and are available to shop online at Converse and GOLF le FLEUR*. Sizing for the shoe is available for both men and women. The drop features four new colorways of the jogger, an everyday shoe originally launched for sports purposes that has transitioned into a lifestyle sneaker over the years. The shoe is just one of many collaborative silhouettes the “Big Poe” rapper has created alongside the Converse team.

This redesigned jogger marries athleticism and fashion with a sleek and aerodynamic runner’s silhouette, accompanied by those playful pops of color. This jogger style was introduced by Converse in 1976 during the rise of recreational running. Built for both performance and casual wear, this style features a mix of fun textural suede and nylon uppers, accompanied by a wrap-around heel and wedge outsole construction that imparts a retro vibe. Adding to the fun, the shoes come with two pairs of laces for each colorway, offering the wearer endless styling possibilities. To finish off the model, GOLF le FLEUR* branding can be spotted subtly on the uppers as a nod to the rapper’s brand.

Each shoe is based on a natural setting such as the jungle, the Arctic or the deep sea. The name of each shoe is reflected in the color. Jungle features brown suede uppers, likely representing the dirt and tree bark, while pops of vibrant green represent the foliage. Arctic, one of our favorites, is an ice-cold gray with pale blue paneling, mirroring ice and snow. Sahara is yellow, for the sand in the barren desert, complemented by a bright teal hue that could be representing the mirage of a cool oasis. Finally, Deep Sea comes in shades of blue like the frothing foamy ocean blue.

The “Sucka Free” rapper expanded on this 1908 Jogger line back when he released Don’t Tap the Glass in July 2025. Similar to this drop, the shoe was transformed into interesting hues that reflect Tyler’s impeccable taste. The new silhouettes were released alongside the 1908 Naut-1, a nautical-inspired boat shoe with canvas uppers. Tyler has collaborated with the Converse on numerous occasions now, tapping GOLF le FLEUR*, his own brand, as a sort of muse. The rapper began working with the footwear brand all the way back in 2017, and their partnership has remained steadfast, with tons of loyal sneaker enthusiasts and Tyler fans flocking to each drop.

Slayyyter earns her biggest week yet on Billboard’s charts as her new album, Wor$t Girl in America, debuts at No. 1 on the Top Dance Albums chart dated April 11.

Released March 27 via RECORDS/Columbia Records, the album also launches at No. 22 on the Billboard 200 with 27,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in its opening week, according to Luminate. Of that sum, 16,000 were in album sales, driving a No. 7 debut on Top Album Sales.

Three songs from the set land on the Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart: “Yes Goddd” and “Crank” debut at Nos. 13 and 14, respectively, while “Dance…” reenters at No. 15.

In a March interview with Billboard, Slayyyter said she considered quitting music after making the album. “I just kept saying, ‘I’m going to go back to school after this. I’m done,’” she shared. “This is going to be my last project. I’m going to do one last rollout and give it my all and then I’m going to tell my team that I’m over doing this and shift gears, because it’s not working out. Then I rediscovered my love for making music while working on everything and ended up signing to Columbia for this project and everything has been so great. I really felt hopeless, so I think all of this music came from a place of wanting to make a project that fulfilled me, and then to move on with my life.”

Slayyyter previously reached the charts in 2023 with her second LP, Starf–ker, which hit No. 10 on Top Dance Albums and No. 46 on Top Album Sales, marking her first Billboard chart appearances.

Up next, Slayyyter is set to make her Coachella debut this weekend in Indio, Calif., followed by her first performance at Governors Ball in New York in June. Her headlining Wor$t Girl in the World Tour kicks off in September with dates planned across North America, South America and Europe.