Beirut – 21 November 2025:
In the intimate setting of Beirut’s Smallville Hotel, Franco-Lebanese singer Manel Mallat introduced Hayati Al Talti (My Third Life), her first EP in Arabic. Conceived as a self-contained universe, the project weaves together five interconnected tracks and a trilogy of music videos filmed in a theatre, blurring the lines between pop release, musical theatre and cinema.
More than just an EP launch, the evening was conceived as a journey through the “lives” of love: from the daydreams of a first crush to the pain of heartbreak, all the way to self-acceptance. Accompanied on the piano in a stripped-back live performance, Manel Mallat invited the audience to follow the emotional evolution of a woman who reclaims her voice and steps into her truth.
Written and composed by Anthony Adonis, and produced by Danny Bou-Maroun and Alex Missakian, “Hayati Al Talti (My Third Life)” bridges vulnerability and inner strength, weaving together romantic nostalgia and modern soundscapes. The five tracks form a continuous narrative arc: tender, at times raw, but ultimately deeply liberating.
Five tracks, one emotional journey
The EP “Hayati Al Talti (My Third Life)” is made up of five songs that trace, like a red thread, the transformation of a woman on her way to freedom.
I. “Ma Telmahni” – Produced by Alex Missakian
A delicate, almost whispered opening, “Ma Telmahni” is the confession of a woman standing on the edge of love. She feels the pull of her emotions but still hides behind hesitation, asking not to be seen until she is ready. A song about desire, imagined futures, and the possibility of love.
II. “Enta Al Asli” – Produced by Danny Bou-Maroun
This is the heartbeat of the EP, its brightest chapter. “Enta Al Asli” is a declaration to authenticity: the joy of finding “the original one”, the person who feels like an inner home, the obvious choice that brings down all defences.
III. “Badil” – Produced by Danny Bou-Maroun
Here comes the broken-heart chapter. The protagonist finds herself replaced: she watches the one she loved move on with someone else, telling herself over and over that what she sees is nothing more than a role on stage. It is denial turned into melody, vulnerability turned into defiance—a song where pain transforms into a refusal to betray oneself.
IV. “Hayati Al Talti (My Third Life)” – Produced by Danny Bou-Maroun
As the central track and emotional resolution of the project, “Hayati Al Talti (My Third Life)” is an ode to transformation. It revisits past “lives”, mistakes and lessons in order to welcome a new beginning, filled with peace and clarity.
V. “Ma Telmahni (Lo-Fi Version)” – Produced by Alex Missakian
The EP closes with a dreamy reinterpretation of the opening track. In a stripped-back, intimate and nostalgic version, “Ma Telmahni” returns as a softened echo of the journey’s beginning. The circle closes in a quiet acceptance—calmer, and more self-assured.
A musical mini-series on stage: life as a role to play
The high point of the project, the trilogy of music videos accompanying the EP, translates these themes into a theatrical universe. Directed by Kristian Abouanni, it brings together the songs “Ma Telmahni”, “Enta Al Asli” and “Badil” into a single narrative arc that unfolds entirely inside a grand theatre, that of Casino du Liban.
The storyline is simple yet powerful: a woman auditions for the lead role in a musical called “Hayati Al Talti (My Third Life)”. She lands the part and, in the process, falls in love with her co-star. But what begins as a dream role on stage quickly turns into an emotional trial: love becomes betrayal, the protagonist is left heartbroken, leaves the stage, and another actress steps into the spotlight in her place.
In this universe, the theatre is more than a set; it becomes an analogy for life itself: a place where we rehearse emotions, perform texts that end up echoing our own stories. Between illusion and truth, between stage and reality, the character played by Manel Mallat rediscovers herself—not through applause, but through pain and transformation.
A visual language between musical theatre and dreamscape
Visually, the trilogy blends the vocabulary of musical theatre with that of a dreamlike fantasy. Sets, lighting and choreography create a stage world that is both cinematic and suspended, hovering between what is lived and what is imagined.
From one chapter to the next, the camera follows the metamorphosis of Manel’s character:
- first shy and reserved in “Ma Telmahni”,
- then romantic and daring in “Enta Al Asli”,
- and finally resilient and combative in “Badill”.
By the end of this journey, a woman fully inhabiting her “third life” emerges: she no longer performs love, she writes the script herself.
The trilogy’s credits reflect the project’s production ambitions:
directed by Kristian Abouanni, shot by DOP Ribal Bsaibes, executive produced by Roody Madi, choreographed by Lea Chahine, with art direction by Tracy Ghanem and costumes by stylist Roy Azar. On screen, Manel shares the stage with Carl Metrebian (male lead) and Eliane Chahoud (supporting role), while project management is overseen by Celine Habchi.
A “third life” at the crossroads of music, stage and self-discovery
With “Hayati Al Talti (My Third Life)”, Manel Mallat’s first fully Arabic EP, the singer joins a new generation of artists who approach their work as a complete universe: music, image, narrative. Across five tracks and three music videos, she offers a journey where love becomes a space for learning about oneself, and where fragility never excludes strength.
A project short in format but rich in narrative imagination, it opens a new chapter in the artist’s career—one that aligns with her previous commitments across stage, music and theatre, while asserting a more personal voice than ever: that of a woman rewriting her own story.
To watch the EP’s music videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUC7sqzw2k-teVZzL4srYhBJmGxpeRpQm