Saudi Arabia: Rock n’ Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution
Saudi Arabia is widely regarded as one of the most conservative of the Middle Eastern nations. However, a unique recent emergence may warrant a revaluation of that view.
In Jidda, four college-age Saudi girls have formed a rock band, Accolade, and has released their first single “Pinocchio,” which became an instant sensation among Saudi youth. The members of the band sport body piercing much like their rebel counterparts in the West, only they are afraid of giving out their last names in the interview in fear of consequences.
The religious police, once ubiquitous, has largely retreated from the streets, signifying more tolerance. The rock movement is gaining traction in the most cosmopolitan city in the Kingdom, and so is hip-hop.
The band is named after a painting by Edmund Blair Leighton, an English painter, which depicts a noblewoman knighting a young warrior. Though the band provokes controversy among the conservative within Saudi Arabia, the members themselves proclaim that they respect traditions.
The rock scene in Jidda started about 20 years ago, understandably, with opposition. More recently, though, people have grown increasingly comfortable with expressing themselves with music. One can some times spot performers with their guitars outside cafes.
The girls’ parents are supportive of their daughters, though they advise them to keep their activities low-key.
Bo-yun Liu
