Layaly Dalida is a research-based creative project exploring the psychological effects of narcissistic parenting—specifically, the complex emotional aftermath experienced by the child. At its center is Dalida, a woman who spent her life idolizing her mother, Layaly, believing her to be the epitome of love, sacrifice, and strength. Her relationship with her mother was obsessive—she lived in her shadow, seeking approval, internalizing her values, and shaping her identity around her mother’s perception of her.
But everything shifts after Layaly’s death.
In the silence that follows, Dalida begins to revisit her memories, and for the first time, she sees them without the emotional filter of reverence. What once seemed like loving guidance now feels manipulative. Moments she believed were filled with warmth take on a colder, calculated tone. Through this re-examination, Dalida begins to uncover a painful truth: her mother had never truly loved her unconditionally. She had controlled her, used her, and shaped her into an extension of herself. Dalida was not nurtured—she was managed.