Bayou Teams Up with Saudi Rapper DJmubarak on Love Anthem ‘Ya Zeina’
The track, an intricate blend of Egyptian R&B and Khaleeji sounds, explores the complexities of lovers caught in limbo.
Shortly after dropping his debut EP ‘Never at Home’ back in November 2024, Egyptian R&B artist Bayou went musically off-grid for a while, only teasing fans with cryptic TikTok videos potentially hinting at new music in the works. Now, Bayou is finally unveiling what he’s been cooking in the studio over the past six months: a new track, titled ‘Ya Zeina’, featuring the rising Saudi rapper DJmubarak.
For Bayou, ‘Ya Zeina’ marks the beginning of a new chapter, in which he tries to embrace different sounds outside of his sonic peripheries. Although the track is unmistakably Bayou at its core, imbued with his signature Egyptian R&B sound that is quite soft at the edges, retailing the story of lovers caught in limbo, DJmubarak’s commanding bars add a subtle and unexpected Khaleeji rhythm to the mix.
The music video for ‘Ya Zeina’ is a surrealist dream sequence directed by Yan Bokhanovich, aka YANCHI, who previously worked with the likes of Virgil Abloh, Mike Will Made It, and ZHU. Shot in Sharjah, the video demonstrates cinematic visuals, following Bayou and DJmubarak as they arrive at a remote location, where Bayou gets pulled into a parallel world after spotting a mysterious muse, aptly his lover, whom he can’t quite reach.
