In recent years, the Sudanese music scene has flourished, with new musicians and fresh sounds emerging so quickly that it’s almost hard to keep track. Today’s scene embraces a vibrant mix of genres, as many artists modernise traditional sounds to resonate with younger generations both in Sudan and abroad.
In this new series, New Sounds of Sudan, we’ll highlight new Sudanese songs from traditional to contemporary, celebrating the evolution of Sudan’s rapidly growing music scene.
“Nasheed Alam” – WD Alzain
Release date: 30 September 2025
The resident reggae musician of Sudan’s music scene brings us another heartfelt track, with patriotic and antiracism themes tied together with hopeful lyrics. Produced by Hubash Music, the track leans heavily on reggae with a strong bass melody carrying it.
“Tamenni Alaik” – Amira Badraldeen
Release date: 30 September 2025
Another profoundly traditional track with a production style and lead melody resembling Sudanese sound from the early 2000s. The song revolves around themes of love and yearning, with a more playful melody building the track.
“Ticket” – Colo and Mshakil
Release date: 28 September 2025
After a controversial promotion tactic on TikTok, where he posted a screen recording of his breakup voice notes, rapper Colo released his new track produced by Mshakil. This hip hop track features tracks of electric guitar that draw from Western soul influences and synth melodies that resemble Sudanese tracks.
“Al Rail Ab Rigaiba” – Marwa Al Duwaliya
Release date: 28 September 2025
Known for being a gona, or party singer, Marwa Al Duwaliya leans into a softer upbeat sound with her new track. The track is heavily percussion or dalouka based, a style characteristic for aghani al banat, which are songs for women by women, typically played at small wedding gatherings.
“Al Sagriya” – Mohammed Bashir
Release date: 25 September 2025
On his most recent release, traditional singer Mohammed Bashir pays homage to a traditional Eastern Sudanese dance, Al Sagriya, where men are barefoot, in low squat positions and dancing with swords. The song itself has the sonic influence of Eastern Sudanese music, which is typically percussion heavy with repetitive melodies.
“Shetel Algamayr” – Eman Al Sharif
Release date: 24 September 2025
After releasing her hit song “Melina” with rapper Essam Satti on 10 July 2025, Eman Al Sharif followed up with “Shetel Algamayr”, the first Sudanese music video produced using AI. The song is her first track with producer Mshakil, who is known for working with rappers such as Esaam Satti and Awab The Rapper, iconic female singer Eman Al Sharif explores a new sound that blends heritage rhythms and vocal style with a more contemporary production.
“Zaniga” – TooDope and LBandy
Release date: 24 September 2025
Tayeb “Too Dope” Hajo, who rose to fame in the early years of Sudan’s modern rap scene, explores the blend of Sudan’s percussion-rich underground genre, zanig, with modern hip hop influences in his new track with Dubai based producer LBandy. The track was released with AI visuals.
“El3eed 3yonek” – Hyper249, Maman and Cymona
Release date: 23 September 2025
Rapper Hyper249 and vocalist Maman collaborated on a track produced by Cymona, bringing us a fresh take on romance with a wistful and dreamy production style accompanied by Maman’s soft vocals and emotive delivery and Hyper’s unique style of melodic rap.
“Galbi Hanna” – Huda Arabi
Release date: 22 September 2025
Known as Al Sultana or The Queen, traditional singer Huda Arabi released her new track with lyrics with themes of yearning, which are reflected in the softer production of the song, bearing little resemblance to her typical party-style music.
KALBAIN EP – WISSY
Release date: 19 September 2025
Rising rapper WISSY released an upbeat, rap EP with three tracks in collaboration with several producers. All three tracks pay homage to traditional influences, with zanig inspiration and North African percussion styles at the forefront of production.
“Mercedes Benz” – Hleem Taj Alser
Release date: 16 September 2025
In his new short song “Mercedes Benz,” he raps in both Sudanese and Libyan Arabic. The accompanying dark, Gotham-inspired music video features a black Mercedes Benz and a crowd dressed in black, watching cars drift.
“MAKANA” – LIL FREENY
Release date: 5 September 2025
After a short hiatus, Sudanese-American rapper Lil Freeny makes a comeback with “Makana”, a music video shot in the US that blends luxury cars with men in jalabiya, rapping in both English and Sudanese Arabic, and even referencing his 2019 hit “Sam7a.”
And that’s just the beginning. Follow our series New Sounds of Sudan to stay up to date with the latest from Sudan’s ever-evolving and versatile music scene.
Samar Bengawi is a medical student by day, and a literature and music enthusiast by night. She was born and raised in the UAE and is now based in Georgia. She is never without a cup of coffee in hand, and is always “on the go,” chasing after one hobby or another. Passion in Sudanese politics runs in her blood and she considers herself a patriot who hopes to leave a memorable mark in the world.
Samar Bengawi is a medical student by day, and a literature and music enthusiast by night. She was born and raised in the UAE and is now based in Georgia. She is never without a cup of coffee in hand, and is always “on the go,” chasing after one hobby or another. Passion in Sudanese politics runs in her blood and she considers herself a patriot who hopes to leave a memorable mark in the world.
