In a rare step, two well-known Arab female singers performed in Saudi Arabia during Eid Al-Fitr holiday in a female-only concert in Riyadh.
Elissa and Angham, the two singers who seem to have a big fan base in Saudi Arabia, expressed their excitement to perform in the Kingdom for their first time ever on Twitter. The Lebanese singer, Elissa tweeted that she is on her way to Saudi Arabia expressing her excitement to meet Saudi fans for the first time ever.
Angham, the Egyptian singer, tweeted as well asking her fans to name their favourite songs, for her to sing during the concert.
Translation: “My fans, share with me your songs choices for Saudi Arabia concert. Waiting for your choices.”
Saudis excitement for the concert did not last long. Shortly after announcing details of the concert, Saudi women rushed to buy the tickets to find several requirements imposed by the General Entertainment Authority for the concert’s attendants.
Requirements varied from banning dance and taking any images or footage during the concert in additino to demanding women to wear the formal Saudi dress for women, the black Abaya.
A few videos were shared from the concert on social media, despite prohibiting taking any footage.
Hashtags like “اليسا في السعودية” Elissa in Saudi Arabia and “حفل اليسا انغام” Elissa and Angham’s Concert” became trending among Saudis splitting opinions between supporters and opponents.
Saudis, mostly, praised concerts in the Kingdom and called for more Arab singers to perform in their country.
Translation: “When you are reading the newspaper and find this great headline. We were starving to live normal life. Congratulations to us that we brought life back to our country. We did not even dream to witness such events in reality to get rid of the nightmare of the Juhaimanism [a Salafist Group in Saudi Arabia].”
Others mocked limiting the concerts on females only.
Translation: “Me while watching Angham and Elissa’s concert”.
Translation: “Why you complicate everything? Musicians who play in the concert are men and attendants are only women! Why?”
Several musical concerts, fashion shows and circus performances have been taking place in the Kingdom since Mohammed bin Salman was appointed as Crown Prince in 2017, and revealed his 2030 Vision, in which the nation will expand its entertainment sector.
The latest was during the weekend, when footage of a Russian circus event held in Riyadh as part of the annual Eid festivities went viral. The video that shows female dancers performing regular circus acts provoked an outcry in Saudi Arabia, where women are obliged to wear a head cover and abaya.
Bin Salman, who is “modernizing” the conservative Saudi Arabia and his policies tend to give the impression of reforms, has been carrying several crackdowns on businessmen and activists in addition to his intervention in Yemen and escalating diplomatic crisis with Qatar. This has provoked questions as to his intentions, while distracting Saudis with the reforms he is making.
