Palestinian singer Elyanna accompanies Coldplay on set

Palestinian-Chilean singer Elyanna scored a surprise hit at the Glastonbury Festival this weekend, where she thrilled millions of viewers with her Arabic rendition of a hit song ahead of headliner band Coldplay.

A rising star in world music, Elyanna’s fusion of Latin and Arabic sounds, courtesy of her Palestinian and Chilean heritage, is quickly becoming a household name in the UK too, having recently performed to a sold-out crowd at London’s KOKO.

On Saturday, she sang an Arabic-language section in the Coldplay hit arabesque supported by a dizzying mix of brass and guitars.

“Thank you for giving us and me back the belief that most people, with all their different flags, colors, genders, sexualities and ages, can come together peacefully and just sing, have fun and eat ice cream. There are no fights, nothing like that,” Martin told the crowd.

“So thank you for your inspiration. Hopefully together we can send this all out into the world as a beacon of togetherness in a time when that may seem impossible. You just proved that it is. That’s amazing, thank you.”

Although Martin did not mention Gaza, many welcomed the inclusion of a Palestinian singer in his headlining performance.

“I’m so excited to see this amazing Palestinian artist at Glastonbury @Elyanna you are truly amazing! @coldplay thank you for the opportunity and for letting her sing in Arabic too. (And if you haven’t heard her yet you should, she’s soooo good),” one person said on X.

Elyanna, whose family is from Nazareth, spoke proudly of her Palestinian heritage and wore a keffiyeh as she sang an Arabic-language song. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

In 2023, she released the song “Olive Branch,” which she dedicated to Palestine and in which she expressed her hope for a better world for the Palestinians.