| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Manal BK |
| Profession(s) | Singer, Songwriter |
| Physical Stats | |
| Height (approx.) | 5' 5" (165 cm) |
| Eye Colour | Brown |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Career | |
| Debut | Music Album: 360 (2021) Song (Single): Denia (2015) |
| Award(s) | • Best Female Artist in Northern Africa Award at the Africa Music Awards (2015) • Best Female Artist in Northern Africa award at the All Africa Music Awards (2021)  |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 18 September 1993 |
| Age (as of 2024) | 31 Years |
| Birthplace | Marrakesh, Morocco |
| Zodiac sign | Virgo |
| Nationality | Moroccan |
| Hometown | Marrakesh, Morocco |
| Religion | Islam |
| Educational Qualification | A Degree in Business and Finance |
| Food Habit | Non-vegetarian |
| Social Media | • Instagram • YouTube |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Affairs/Boyfriends | Moncef Guessous |
| Marriage Date | 25 November 2018 |
| Family | |
| Husband/Spouse | Moncef Guessous |
| Children | Son- None Daughter- Aya  |
| Parents | Father- (Died of a Heart Attack) |
| Siblings | Brother- Jaafar Benchlikha Sister- None |
Some Lesser Known Facts About Manal Benchlikha
- Manal Benchlikha grew up in Marrakesh.
- She was inclined towards music at a young age and always desired to become a musical artist.
- Manal quickly learned singing and guitar through television and the internet.
- She sang on the stage for the first time when she was just 6 years old.
- She then created a YouTube channel, where she began posting cover songs. Manal was discovered by Hamza Ait Khali, the partner of Moroccan producer DJ Van, who offered her to be a part of his music label Magic Castle Entertainment.
- In 2014, Manal, along with Ahmed Soultan, Dizzy Dros, DJ Van, Muslim, and Shayfeen, appeared in the music video of the song Mantsayadch, which encouraged the younger generation to vote in the national elections.
- In 2015, she released her debut song Denia which was loved by the audience and earned her the ‘Best Female Artist in Northern Africa’ award at the Africa Music Awards.
- After a brief stint with DJ Van’s label Magic Castle Entertainment, Manal switched her management to Tarik Azzougarh, better known as Cilvaringz. Cilvaringz is a music producer and conceptualizer of the world’s most expensive musical work ever sold, Wu-Tang Clan’s Once Upon A Time in Shaolin.
- In 2017, she released her second single Koulchi Ban which was an instant hit and sparked the interest of Sony Music Middle East. It was the last song that she did with DJ Van.
- In the same year, she became one of the first Moroccan artists to sign to a major label in the Arab world.
- Manal released her third single Taj (Crown) in February 2018. The song gained millions of views within a few days of its release. The song became one of the most viewed Arabic rap songs performed by a female artist.
- In the same year, Manal released the songs Nah (featuring Moroccan rap duo Shayfeen) and Slay (in collaboration with ElGrandeToto). Both songs were huge hits.
- Benchlikha’s music videos drew significant public attention as she spoke out against the stereotypes shaped by a long-standing patriarchal society.
- A year later, her record company Bench & Guess Entertainment, signed a distribution deal with RCA Records. Later, her company also signed a music publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing.
- In May 2021, Manal released her debut music album titled 360. The album comprised of the songs 360, Niya, 3iytou Lbouliss, and Call Me.
- The song Niya from her debut album paid a tribute to Moroccan culture-specific customs and became a superhit.
Manal Benchlikha in a still from the music video of the song Niya
- In May 2022, Manal performed the song 3ARI for COLORS, becoming the first Arab female artist to be on COLORS. The song denounced the suffering of women all over the world from domestic abuse.
Manal Benchlikha performing for COLOURS
- In October 2022, Benchlikha, along with other artists, RedOne, Balqees, Rahma Riad and Nora Fatehi, featured in the song Light The Sky for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Manal Benchlikha performing on stage in the World Cup Finale in Qatar
- Later, she released the song Makhelaw Magalou, which was again a tribute to Moroccan culture. The song received more than 56M views on YouTube.
- In 2024, Manal released her second album Arabia Heartbeat.
- Influenced by a diverse blend of styles including Pop, R&B, and Rap, she is recognised for her modern take on Arabic music.
- Besides singing, she has also launched a streetwear brand called Bari & Soch along with her husband, Moncef Guessous.
- Manal has been featured on the covers of various magazines, including FDM Magazine, Femmes du Maroc Magazine, and Vogue Arabia.
Manal Benchlikha featured on the cover of FDM magazine
- Manal is obsessed with rings and has a huge collection of them.
Manal Benchlikha’s collection of rings
- As of 2025, Manal is managed by Anissa Jalab, former manager of Belgian rapper Damso, head of Wagram Belgium, and also manager of ElGrandeToto.
- In an interview, Manal Benchlikha said she sees her music videos as a medium to address serious issues like gender stereotypes and feminism. She said,
I work closely with my team to ensure that my music videos are produced in such a way that they depict crucial societal messages with a subtle air of sarcasm at times.”
- In an interview, Manal shared that her father was over-weight and had several health issues. He passed away on her birthday. After her father passed away, her mother raised Manal and his brother single-handedly.
- In the same interview, she revealed that seven years after her father’s death, Manal met Moncef on her birthday. There was Oasis Festival organised in Marrakesh, Morocco, and some of her friends went to the festival on her birthday and asked her to join them. However, she did not have enough money to pay for the entry ticket and refused to join. Then one of her friends suggested that why doesn’t she wear someone else’s bracelet (required to enter the event) and enter the event. At the Festival, she met Moncef through a common friend.
- Initially, Manal didn’t talk to Moncef as he seemed very arrogant. A day after the event, she received Moncef’s text on social media saying Happy Birthday. Soon, the two exchanged their numbers and began dating each other.
- She has a massive fanbase on social media, with over 4.5 million followers on Instagram, 2 million subscribers on YouTube,[6] and an average of 300,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.
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