11 Arabic Songs Offering Honest Reflections on Mental Health
As-salamu alaykum, friends! Arabic music has long been full of expressions about love, loss, longing, and faith. But lately, some artists have started to openly share their struggles with anxiety, displacement, resilience, and healing – in ways that feel genuine and heartfelt.
Sometimes the message is straightforward, other times it’s woven into lyrics about the exhaustion of pushing through hardship.
Here are 11 Arabic songs, sorted alphabetically, that go beyond just entertainment. They offer comfort, hope, and courage by acknowledging the challenges we face.
“Argeen” by Sudanese rapper Soulja is named after the Sudanese-Egyptian border crossing. It mixes traditional North African rhythms with Egyptian and Sudanese folk vocals, reflecting on the pain of being displaced and how family and community can bring stability.
“Bosakber” by Marwan Moussa, from his raw album The Man Who Lost His Heart, explores grief after losing his mother. The song touches on trauma, emotional numbness, and how every day feels different. It’s part of a growing wave of Arabic hip-hop tackling mental health honestly, with lines like “I talk to myself, I am sick” and “The world’s worries made you forget your name.” The music combines beats with Sufi chants and folk melodies, creating a tense, hypnotic feel.
Palestinian singer-songwriter Faraj Suleiman’s track from his album Maryam captures the mental strain of holding on in a war-torn land. It focuses on everyday comforts - the smell of cooking, the stillness of a carpet - showing how routine helps keep us steady when nothing else is sure.
Sometimes it’s okay to admit you’re not okay. Lebanese band Mashrou’ Leila’s song “Inni Mnih” (meaning “I’m fine”) uses a repeating phrase as both a shield and a quiet cry about anxiety and emotional fatigue, standing out as one of the few Arabic pop songs to openly face these feelings.
Tania Saleh’s song from her album Fragile reflects the emotional toll of exile with intimate lyrics about feeling disconnected while riding the Paris metro, ending with a reminder to reclaim self-worth from within.
Fairuz’s song “Li Beirut,” released after Lebanon’s civil war, became a form of healing for many. With her tender voice, she expresses pain and love for a city that refused to fall, singing about its soul made from the people and their struggles.
Syrian singer Ghaliaa’s “Ghamed Ayoonak” (Close Your Eyes), created for the UN Refugee Agency, draws on family memories of conflict to offer a comforting message to children affected by war.
Adonis’s track “Ma’rafha” from his album Wedyan uses a sparse piano and electronic beats to explore the quiet devastation of a breakup and the protective urge to forget painful memories.
Lina Makoul’s “Radiya” is a calm, reflective song that treats contentment not as a fleeting feeling but as a conscious state, bringing a new emotional language to Arabic pop that values balance as strength.
Moroccan singer Jihane Bougrine’s “Rahat El Bal” (Peace of Mind) breaks the silence on mental illness by telling the story of a family member with schizophrenia, blending gentle folk music with compassionate lyrics about patience and care.
Finally, The Synaptik’s “Ritalin” is one of the first Arabic rap songs to openly discuss mental health, naming the medication he uses and his struggles with depression and anxiety. By speaking out, he turns vulnerability into courage and encourages others to seek support.
May these songs remind us that seeking help and sharing our feelings is a strength, and that healing is always possible. Jazakum Allahu khairan for reading!
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