Different worlds on Dillo Day

For the first time in history, Arabic will echo across a Dillo Day stage.

On May 16, rising Palestinian popstar Lana Lubany is bringing the Middle East to the Midwest for the 54th Dillo Day.

Lubany is known for bending music and blending cultures. She layers alternative pop with R&B and soul, and she sings Arabic and English verses — a style recognized as Arabizi.

“There’s something so captivating about the way she tells stories — her voice, her production, and her bilingual lyricism all come together in a way that feels completely unique,” said Alberto Najera, Mayfest Productions member and second-year Weinberg student. “She’s the kind of artist you don’t just listen to, you experience.”

Lubany will bring her bilingual sound to the Burrow Stage — a new stage dedicated to underrepresented Northwestern audiences. 

And for communities on campus, this unique cultural cross-section can carve out connection and representation for everyone, from international students to the ‘third-culture kid’ — a person identifying between Arab and Western worlds.

“To see Arabizi take the stage at the largest student-run music festival in the country means MENA students at Northwestern aren’t just present, we’re part of the cultural conversation,” said fourth-year McCormick student Rani Joudeh, former co-president of Middle Eastern North African Student Association.

Beyond the stage, MENA’s connection to Lubany runs deep. When she was a Northwestern student, Lubany’s booking agent, Sara Ibrahim (Weinberg ‘24), started MENA Beats — a concert featuring MENA artists and DJs.

Ibrahim says it was always a dream of hers to see Arab artists bring their culture to the broader university community.

“It feels especially full-circle to have booked her for this,” Ibrahim said.

Lubany is arriving at Dillo Day with momentum, bringing her modern alt-pop sets to the stage. Her breakout single “THE SNAKE” has amassed over 16 million streams over multiple platforms, including TikTok and Instagram.

She also sold out on her own European tour, recently opened for The Last Dinner Party’s European tour and performed with artists such as Saint Levant, TUL8TE and Ty Dolla $ign.

Lubany’s style can also be compared to recognized artists like Billie Eilish and Rosalía. 

“Lana Lubany’s music feels like stepping into a different world,” Najera said.

On the Lakefill, that world may not feel so different. 

The bridge between the West and the Middle East — with Lubany’s globally influenced and personally rooted performance — will offer festival-goers a taste of both. 

“I’m beyond excited for what this means for our students and for the future of MENA representation in mainstream music,” Joudeh said.