Dystinct
Dystinct الياس المنصوري | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Dystinct |
| Born | Iliass Mansouri September 9, 1998 Mortsel, Belgium |
| Genres | Reggae, raï, pop-rap |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter, music producer |
| Years active | 2017–present |
Iliass Mansouri (Arabic: إلياس المنصوري, born September 9, 1998), better known by his stage name Dystinct (stylized in all caps), is a Belgian-Moroccan singer-songwriter and music producer.[1][2] He is among the most-streamed artists in the MENA region[3] as well as Europe.[4][5][6]
Early life
Iliass Mansouri was born on September 9, 1998, in Mortsel, in the province of Antwerp, Belgium, to a Moroccan family. He grew up in the Zurenborg neighborhood of Antwerp. In addition to Belgian nationality, he also holds Moroccan nationality. During his youth, he played football at Dageraadplaats near his neighborhood in Antwerp. Later, he followed in his father's footsteps, who was a singer, abandoning his passion for football and turning towards music production before beginning to sing at the age of 14. He started developing his art through English covers and then moved on to composing in Dutch, often mixing languages.[7][8]
At 18, while his family moved to Molenbeek-Saint-Jean in the Étangs Noirs neighborhood, Dystinct relocated to Amsterdam, Netherlands, after signing his first contract with Avalon Music, where he began collaborating with various Dutch artists.[9][10]
He took on several jobs, from call center advisor to accounting assistant. Dystinct negotiated with his mother for a gap year after obtaining his bachelor's degree, promising to fully commit to music for a year. If he didn't succeed, he pledged to return to his studies. With a contract from Avalon Music, Dystinct released his first Dutch-language songs, including the audio track "Panamera." He also released his first music videos, such as "No Ring Ring," and collaborated with Moroccan artist Ahmed Chawki on the track "Zina." Aiming to popularize his name in the Benelux and Maghreb region, Dystinct quickly engaged in international collaborations, notably in 2018 with French rapper Franglish for a track on his album titled "Que Pasa".[11]
Career
First project: Mon Voyage (2018–2021)
Influenced by pop culture and the Dutch "allochtoon" (immigrant) music scene, Mansouri chose the title Mon Voyage ("My Journey") for his debut studio album, aiming to tell the story of his musical path. As he explained in an interview with Belgian press:[12]
"It’s about my journey, my path in music."
The album featured collaborations with Dutch artists 3robi & Chivv, Moroccan artists Chawki & Inkonnu, French artist Souf, German artist Ardian Bujupi, and Belgian artist Tawsen.[13] Released on July 9, 2021, the album broke records as the best-selling album in Morocco in 2021.[14]
International breakthrough with Ghazali (2021–2022)
In early 2021, Dystinct recorded Ghazali ("My Beauty" in English) with Belgian rapper Bryan Mg, produced by Dutch duo YAM & Unleaded (from Avalon Music). Initially hesitant to release it due to its departure from his usual style, he was convinced by his producers and manager. The song was filmed in Monaco with Bryan Mg.
Dystinct later reflected:
"I had other songs scheduled, and Ghazali—where I sang in Moroccan Arabic with French rap—was different. I kept saying, ‘Not now!’ But they pushed me. I agreed to test it, and it dropped just before the 2022 World Cup. The rest is history. Lesson learned: don’t be too stubborn!"[15]
The track became an anthem for Morocco's national football team, the Atlas Lions, during their historic 2022 World Cup run. Players celebrated victories by dancing to Ghazali, thanks to Dystinct's friend, footballer Abdelhamid Sabiri.[16] Dystinct told Belgian media:
"Seeing the Moroccan team embrace my song was insane. Ghazali’s success was completely unexpected."[17]
Released on June 3, 2022, the music video broke streaming records in Belgium and across the Maghreb. The song blends Moroccan Arabic vocals (Dystinct) and French rap (Bryan Mg) over a pop-raï guitar melody, telling the story of a man enchanted by a woman's beauty.
In November 2022, Dystinct attended the World Cup in Qatar as a guest of Moroccan footballer Ilias Chair (a fellow Antwerp native).
Second project: Layali (2023)
On May 5, 2023, Dystinct made his debut on Skyrock’s Planète Rap, performing Ghazali and the exclusive Tek Tek—a preview of his sophomore album Layali (released June 9, 2023).[18] The album's lead single, Tek Tek (feat. MHD), went viral on TikTok.[19][20][21][22]
Layali is a multilingual and multicultural project uniting European and global sounds, featuring songs such as Ku Je Ti (May 26, 2023), a collab with Swedish rapper Ricky Rich and Kosovar singer Dafina Zeqiri, featuring Albanian-Kosovar dance and global flags in the video and Business (June 2, 2023) with French artist Naza.[23] On June 10, 2023, Brussels mayor Philippe Close hosted Dystinct for an exclusive tribute at City Hall.
CAF Awards performance (2024)
On 16 December 2024, Dystinct performed at the CAF Awards in Marrakech, singing Ghazali and Tek Tek at the sports gala.[24]
Discography
Albums
- Mon Voyage (2021)
- Layali (2023)
- Bababa World (2025)
Singles
As lead artist
- 2017: "Panamera"
- 2017: "No Ring Ring"
- 2017: "Zina" (featuring Chawki)
- 2017: "Pablo"
- 2017: "Wat Je Wilt"
- 2018: "Que Pasa" (featuring Franglish)
- 2018: "Vervloekt"
- 2019: "Chicha del Ghetto"
- 2019: "Ya La Laa"
- 2019: "Boussa"
- 2020: "Blessing"
- 2020: "Malika"
- 2020: "Awaa"
- 2021: "Habiba" (featuring Tawsen)
- 2021: "Alleen" (featuring Ardian Bujupi)
- 2021: "Nada Nada"
- 2021: "Ya Dellali" (featuring Bryan Mg)
- 2021: "Fini"
- 2022: "Niye" (featuring Ali471)
- 2022: "Omri" (featuring Kouz1)
- 2023: "Ku Je Ti" (featuring Ricky Rich & Dafina Zeqiri)
- 2023: "Business" (featuring Naza)
- 2024: "Wala 5, 7, 10"
- 2024: "Salam"
- 2024: "Spider" (with Gims)
- 2024: "Pas comme ça" (featuring Dadju)
- 2024: "Mazal" (featuring Dadju)
- 2024: "Dumlla Dumlla" (featuring Dafina Zeqiri)
- 2025: "Boss" (featuring Werenoi)
- 2025: "Ya Baba" (featuring French Montana)
- 2025: "RS6" (featuring Morad)
- 2025: "Selek" (featuring Gazo)
As featured artist
- 2017: "Kabhi" by F1rstman and Dystinct
- 2018: "Daba Daba" by Oualid and Dystinct
- 2018: "Alé Vamos" by Chawki and Dystinct
- 2018: "Real Thing" by Quesswho and Dystinct
- 2019: "Mal a la tête" by Bryan Mg and Dystinct
- 2019: "Sensiz" by Emil Rosé and Dystinct
- 2019: "Passer passer" by DJ Hamida, Dystinct and CHK
- 2020: "Choqué" by GLK and Dystinct
- 2020: "Problematik" by TiiwTiiw and Dystinct
- 2020: "Latino Gang" by DJ Hamida and Dystinct
- 2020: "Fidèle" by Maestro and Dystinct
- 2021: "Oh Bébé" by DJ Sem and Dystinct
- 2021: "Real Love" by Architrackz and Dystinct
- 2021: "Dommage" by Driks and Dystinct
- 2021: "Démarre" by 3robi and Dystinct
- 2021: "Mehbooba" by F1rstman and Dystinct
- 2022: "Diamant" by DJ Sem and Dystinct
- 2022: "Bebegim" by Ali471 and Dystinct
- 2022: "Ik hoor je" by Ice, Dystinct and Ashafar
- 2023: "Alone" by Makar and Dystinct
- 2023: "Darba 9adiya" by Moha K and Dystinct
- 2023: "Ça c'est bien" by Franglish and Dystinct
Charted singles
As lead artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart position | Album or EP | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL (WA) [25] |
FRA [26] |
ISR [27] |
MENA [28] |
NA [29] |
KSA [30] | |||
| "Ghazali" (featuring Bryan Mg) |
2022 | — | 121 | * | 12 | * | Layali | |
| "Tek tek" (featuring MHD) |
2023 | 34 | 12 | 19 | ||||
| "Business" (featuring Naza) |
28 | 12 | — | — | — | |||
| "La" | — | — | 9 | 2 | — | |||
| "Spider" (with Gims) |
2024 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | Le Nord se souvient |
| "Yama" | 2025 | — | — | 27 | 10 | 4 | 15 | Non-album single |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. "*" denotes that the chart did not exist at that time. | ||||||||
As featured artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart position | Album or EP | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL (WA) [25] |
FRA [26] |
NA [29] | |||
| "Y dor" (Soolking featuring Dystinct) |
2023 | — | 126 | 5 | Non-album single |
| "Oh qu'elle est belle" (Jul featuring Dystinct) |
2024 | 36 | 8 | 17 | Décennie |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||
Tours
- Layali: (2023–2024) Europe, North America (Canada) including AFAS Live
- Baba: (2025) North Africa (Morocco), Europe, North America (USA & Canada)
Awards
- 2023 : Winner Best Artist - North Africa of at the Trace Awards[31]
- 2023 : Nominated for Belgian Newcomer of the Year at the NRJ Music Awards[32]
- 2024 : Best Album at the FunX Music Awards for LAYALI
References
- ^ "Dystinct, le chanteur belgo-marocain dont le morceau 'Ghazali' est devenu l'hymne des Lions de l'Atlas en Coupe du Monde". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 2024-06-23.
- ^ Mustafa, Hala (2024-04-22). "Charting the Global Musical Map in Morocco: Dystinct's Quest for Love and Arabic Music". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
- ^ Hajjar, Danny (2024-02-13). "DYSTINCT Is Taking Moroccan Culture Global, One Hit at a Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2025-12-25.
- ^ "France vs. the algorithm: How cultural policy kept local music alive | Skoove". Your guide to learning piano | Skoove Magazine. 2025-09-08. Retrieved 2025-12-25.
- ^ Mbote, Redaction (2024-08-19). "Le titre "Spider" de Gims et Dystinct établit un nouveau record sur Spotify France". Mbote (in French). Retrieved 2025-12-25.
- ^ Dufresne, Maya (2025-04-23). "Dystinct sort son nouveau single "Ya Baba" en featuring avec French Montana". Billboard France (in French). Retrieved 2025-12-25.
- ^ "Antwerpse rapper Dystinct immens populair in Marokko". NPO Radio 1 (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-06-23.
- ^ "Dystinct présente son nouveau projet Layali". www.booska-p.com/ (in French). Retrieved 2024-06-23.
- ^ Amdaa, Said (2023-06-07). "DYSTINCT : "Je ferai peut-être une chanson pour le Maroc à la prochaine Coupe d'Afrique"". Mouv' (in French). Retrieved 2024-06-23.
- ^ "Enjoy The Music Video Of The Latest Hindi Song Zaalima Sung By DYSTINCT And Shreya Ghoshal | Hindi Video Songs – Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
- ^ Olaf (2021-09-06). "[MAINTENANT DISPO] DYSTINCT sort son premier album " Mon Voyage ". | AVALON MUSIC". Avalon (in French). Retrieved 2024-06-23.
- ^ "Dystinct, le chanteur belgo-marocain dont le morceau 'Ghazali' est devenu l'hymne des Lions de l'Atlas en Coupe du Monde – RTBF Actus". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ Olaf (2021-09-06). "[MAINTENANT DISPO] DYSTINCT sort son premier album « Mon Voyage ». | AVALON MUSIC". Avalon (in French). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ "Antwerpse zanger Dystinct is hot in Marokko: "Mijn hoofd staat hier op de billboards"" (in Flemish). Archived from the original on 2023-03-26. Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ "Antwerpse 23-jarige DYSTINCT scoort de populairste zomerhit van het jaar: "Ik ben een workaholic, we gaan het nu wereldwijd aanpakken"". GVA (in Flemish). 2022-07-02. Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ Hajjar, Danny (2024-02-13). "DYSTINCT Is Taking Moroccan Culture Global, One Hit at a Time". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ "DYSTINCT". Hole Berlin. Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ "DYSTINCT, l'artiste urbain sensation du moment, vient de dévoiler son nouvel album « Layali » !". Le7tv.ma (in French). 2023-06-09. Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ Daoud, Inès (2023-05-14). "Dystinct et MHD sur le toit du monde avec leur morceau « Tek Tek » [CLIP]". Generasonrap (in French). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ estelle (2023-05-12). "MHD devoile le tube l'ete dans son incroyable duo avec Dystinct" (in French). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ "DYSTINCT et MHD font danser le monde entier sur "Tek Tek"". www.booska-p.com (in French). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ Generations (2023-05-12). "Generations". Generations (in French). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ "DYSTINCT et Naza sont en Business". www.booska-p.com (in French). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ Rédaction, La (2024-12-15). "Diamond Platnumz et Dystinct : les stars de la soirée des CAF Awards 2024". Senenews – Actualité au Sénégal, Politique, Économie, Sport (in French). Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ a b "Discographie Distinct". Ultratop (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- ^ a b "Discographie Distinct". lescharts.com (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Israel:
- "Yama": המצעד השבועי: היטליסט – שבוע 2, 2026 – 30.12.2025 – 05.01.2026 [Mako Hit List: Weekly Chart – Week 2, 2026 | 30.12.2025 – 05.01.2026]. Mako Hit List (in Hebrew). 6 January 2026. Archived from the original on 6 January 2026. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
- ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Middle East and North Africa:
- "Ghazali": "The Official MENA Chart | Weekly Chart – Week 52, 2022 – 23/12 to 29/12/2022". The Official MENA Chart (Select year 2022 and week 52 to view peak.). Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- "Tek tek": "The Official MENA Chart | Weekly Chart – Week 21, 2023 – 19/05 to 25/05/2023". The Official MENA Chart (Select year 2023 and week 21 to view peak.). Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- "La": "The Official MENA Chart | Weekly Chart – Week 52, 2023 – 22/12 to 28/12/2023". The Official MENA Chart (Select year 2023 and week 52 to view peak.). Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- "Yama": "The Official MENA Chart | Weekly Chart – Week 48, 2025 – 21/11 to 27/11/2025". The Official MENA Chart (Select year 2025 and week 48 to view peak.). Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- ^ a b Peak chart positions for singles in North Africa:
- "La": "The Official MENA Chart | Weekly Chart – Week 52, 2023 – 22/12 to 28/12/2023". The Official MENA Chart (Select year 2023, week 52 and North Africa chart to view peak.). Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- "Spider": "The Official MENA Chart | Weekly Chart – Week 30, 2024 – 19/07 to 25/07/2024". The Official MENA Chart (Select year 2024, week 30 and North Africa chart to view peak.). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- "Yama": "The Official MENA Chart | Weekly Chart – Week 51, 2025 – 12/12 to 18/12/2025". The Official MENA Chart (Select year 2025, week 51 and North Africa chart to view peak.). Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- "Y dor": "The Official MENA Chart | Weekly Chart – Week 38, 2023 – 15/09 to 21/09/2023". The Official MENA Chart (Select year 2023, week 38 and North Africa chart to view peak.). Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- "Oh qu'elle est belle": "The Official MENA Chart | Weekly Chart – Week 14, 2024 – 29/03 to 04/04/2024". The Official MENA Chart (Select year 2024, week 14 and North Africa chart to view peak.). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- ^ Peak chart positions for singles in Saudi Arabia:
- "Yama": "The Official MENA Chart | Weekly Chart – Week 46, 2025 – 11/07 to 13/11/2025". The Official MENA Chart (Select year 2025, week 46 and Saudi Arabia chart to view peak.). Retrieved 1 January 2026.
- ^ "Nigerian musicians dominate Trace Awards winners' list – TRT Afrika". Nigerian musicians dominate Trace Awards winners' list. Retrieved 2023-10-23..
- ^ "Découvrez les nommés aux NRJ Music Awards (et comment voter pour vos artistes préférés)". 7sur7.be. Retrieved 2023-10-30..