FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Maria Taktouk Introduces Debut EP MARIA
Listen & Pre-save MARIA:
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A Multilingual Exploration of Identity, Belonging and Love
The London-based Lebanese singer-songwriter explores identity, love and belonging through a striking blend of English, Arabic and French.
LONDON, UK
August 7, 2026
With the release of her debut EP, MARIA, London-based Lebanese artist Maria Taktouk introduces a body of work that is emotionally intimate and culturally expansive. Written across English, Arabic and French, the six-song collection reflects the experience of growing up between identities, discovering strength through vulnerability, and finding beauty in complexity rather than certainty.
Produced alongside acclaimed collaborators AKA Hugo (Swedish House Mafia) and Erik Hassle (Rihanna, Shakira), MARIA blends contemporary pop with subtle influences from Arabic music, Afrobeat and Latin rhythms to create a sound that feels both globally minded and personal.
For Maria, language is an emotional instrument.
“English, Arabic and French each give me access to emotions and ideas the others don’t. I choose the language that feels most authentic to the message.”
That philosophy shapes every song on the project. The EP moves effortlessly between the soaring vulnerability of “hurt me,” the confident pop energy of “THICK SKIN,” the hypnotic romance of “maria maria,” and the deeply personal Arabic songwriting found on “valentina” and “ma na’isni.” Rather than separating cultures, the songs allow them to coexist naturally, reflecting the complexity of Maria’s own experience.
Raised between Lebanese heritage and Western culture, Maria spent her childhood absorbing everything from Fairuz and the Rahbani Brothers to Western pop, later discovering Afrobeat, Latin music and contemporary global sounds. Instead of choosing one musical identity, she embraced all of them.
That same philosophy extends beyond music.
Influenced by writers including Khalil Gibran and Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Maria approaches songwriting as a form of emotional honesty, one that welcomes contradiction instead of trying to resolve it. Her work argues that identity isn’t something to simplify but something to embrace in all its complexity.
At the emotional center of the EP is “hurt me,” a song born from the realization that vulnerability is not weakness but courage.
“I wrote ‘hurt me’ when I realized I’d finally stopped living in fear of getting my heart broken. The song isn’t about wanting pain, it’s about believing that love is always worth the risk.”
That willingness to lean into uncertainty echoes throughout the record. Across six songs, MARIA explores heartbreak, resilience, longing and self-discovery without offering easy answers. Instead, it invites listeners to sit inside the contradictions that make us human.
The response has already begun to build. Ahead of the EP’s release, Maria has generated remarkable organic momentum across streaming and social platforms, including:
To celebrate the release, Maria will explore intimate live shows in London, creating space for audiences to experience the songs in their most personal form.
At a time when music increasingly transcends borders, MARIA doesn’t ask listeners to choose between cultures, languages or perspectives, but instead celebrates the richness that exists where they meet.
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About Maria TakTouk
Maria Taktouk is a London-based Lebanese singer-songwriter whose music weaves together English, Arabic and French with contemporary pop, Middle Eastern influences and global rhythms. Drawing inspiration from poetry, philosophy and her multicultural upbringing, her songwriting explores identity, belonging, vulnerability and human connection. Her debut EP, MARIA, introduces an artist creating music that exists comfortably between cultures while remaining deeply rooted in authenticity.
Listen & Pre-save MARIA:
https://drop.cobrand.com/d/MariaTaktouk/presave-maria
www.mariataktouk.com
Media Contact
Deborah Fenstermacher
Happy Home Music
[email protected]
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