Belgian-Moroccan artist Dystinct won two awards at the inaugural Billboard Arabia Music Awards in Riyadh. Nominated five times, he secured the Artist of the Year Magharebi and Top Male Artist Magharebi awards.
Dystinct, whose real name is Iliass Mansouri, is the first artist from the Low Countries to achieve this. He described his nominations as a victory for Arab music, emphasizing the opportunity the event provided to showcase Arab culture globally.
The awards, recognized worldwide, are seen as a milestone. Rami Zeidan, general manager of Billboard Arabia, and Mike Van, director of Billboard, called the show a “historic event” reflecting the region’s industry growth.
Dystinct’s career, which began with Dutch music, has expanded globally, highlighted by his sold-out tour in the US and Canada and the success of his song “Ghazali” during the 2022 World Cup. With 7.3 million Spotify listeners and a significant international following, Dystinct is now a prominent global artist.
Source: NOS