Iliass Mansouri, is a Belgian singer with Moroccan roots. He’s 27 and we met him during his world tour stop in Milan, at Fabrique on November 3rd.
Spending some time together, we discovered the rich cultural background he comes from and the reason why he feels so driven to share his music, which speaks to generations and regions of the world that are very different from one another. For his first world tour, three years ago, Iliass and his team of friends invested their own money to be able to play around the world. No booker wanted to take a chance on them, so the team achieved excellent results on their very first world tour. Many thought that his blend of Arabic and European pop wouldn’t sell. As a child, DYSTINCT loved attending Moroccan weddings with his parents, often insisting on going even when they didn’t want to, just to soak in the sounds of traditional Moroccan chaabi music. You can still hear traces of that influence in the drum patterns of his latest tracks, along with echoes of classic Arabic music icons like Oum Kalthoum and Abdel Halim Hafez. Those sounds are deeply rooted in his memory, as his father used to play their cassette tapes on every car ride.
Today, Iliass is an artist deeply connected to his roots, yet he has adapted them beautifully into a sound that feels fresh, innovative, and full of energy, sometimes even emotional, depending on the message.
Once the tour ends, he plans to visit Japan, a country he loves for its calm, its Zen spirit, and its culture of elegance, from the food to the people. He says that the Japanese sense of tranquility inspires him. The artist encourages young people to always be the best at what they do, even if that means flipping burgers because excellence and positivity can create an environment that radiates good energy to everyone around us.
His favorite Italian dish is lasagna, while back home in Morocco, he loves chicken with potatoes and beef with prunes, a topic that clearly made him a bit hungry during our chat. Beyond food, DYSTINCT carries Morocco in every song, live performance, and artistic project and it’s his personal trademark, and it means so much more than just a sound.
Iliass’ success lies in his ability to revive and reimagine a culture that has so much to offer the world especially today, when we need the richness of every culture to make our world more colorful, diverse, and inspiring. I truly hope that more innovators like DYSTINCT will continue to emerge in the years to come.
Discover below our full chat with DYSTINCT before his show at Fabrique in Milan.
We had a quick chat.
He was focused.
The energy was strong.
The venue was ready.
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Haffid El Maataoui
Haffid El Maataoui is a Moroccan Italian creative based in Milan.
Born in Morocco and raised in Faenza, he grew up between two cultures that shaped his vision: the warmth and philosophy of Morocco, and the craftsmanship and design sensibility of Italy. Through his projects and writing, he celebrates cross cultural identity, human connection, and the beauty of difference, always seeking new ways to tell stories that feel both personal and universal. Passionate about North African Art and Design, specifically Amazigh Art and Ceramics.