Songs celebrating weddings, mass gatherings, camel races and tribal pride are going viral across the Arabian Gulf and making stars out of Saudi artists.
The genre in question is sheilat, a pulsating sound blending colloquial Saudi dialects and ornate Arabic poetry with folk melodies and electronic beats.
Such is the form's dynamism, it is now embraced across the Gulf and has become a favourite soundtrack for regional gamers.
The latter is underscored in the official anthem for Saudi festival Gamers8.
The festival runs until August 31 at Boulevard Riyadh City, and GG Geena blares out frequently at the site.
Performed by Saudi-Ecuadorian singer Mishaal and Jordanian artist Llunar and co-produced with Spotify, the Arabic-English dance pop track features an arresting chanting section straight out of the sheilat playbook.
The tune is one of the first times sheilat elements have been used in western pop compositions and Llunar hopes this is only the beginning.
"Sheilat gets you moving, and it is definitely a head-bopper," he tells The National.
"The music is rhythmic, in both the vocals and melodies. And I believe that similar to other genres, like Afrobeat and jazz, it can be fused with other kinds of music.
“This can be done from its percussion elements to the chanting. The music definitely has a lot to offer the world."
A history of poetry
Discussion surrounding sheilat is an old song.
While the genre enjoyed significant popularity nearly a decade ago with the arrival of streaming platforms in the Gulf, it has its roots in nabati poetry – an art form dating back to the Bedouins of the Arabian Peninsula in the 16th century.
Deriving from the Arabic root word shaal, meaning to raise, sheilat is defined by its undulating melodies and vocal delivery.
In his 2000 Arabic book, translated to Nabati Poetry: The People’s Taste and the Authority of the Text, Saudi anthropologist Saad Al Abdullah Al Soyyan describes how Saudi nabati poets historically defined the characteristics of their work through its rhythms and metres, otherwise known as its “sheila”.
“Instead of classifying poems according to their themes, as we specialists do, the nabati poets classify poems according to the sheila …. that is, according to the melody with which the poem can be sung,” he said.
In modern terms sheila could also be described as the song’s hook, says Majd Alazem, vice president of product at Alfan Group, a UAE and Canadian talent agency representing more than a dozen Saudi sheilat artists.
"The origin of sheilat music essentially began as traditional poetry where words were the real focus and melodies were improvised on the spot," he tells The National.
"What happened over time is the younger generation updated these traditional sounds by using computers and music software, such as autotune, to sing the same kind of basic melodies but in a new modern way and with a faster tempo.”
Alazem recalls first hearing these souped-up versions on YouTube in 2014 as background scores for viral videos ranging from Saudi landscapes and cultural events to car drifting in the desert.
It was also a period when Liliana Abudalo, head of music for YouTube Music Mena was following the online activity with interest.
"It was definitely trending, but it was too early yet to see if it would actually become a genre," she says.
"The music was first being heard and spread through user-generated content and the music really began to evolve into a genre when the artists themselves started coming on to the platform."
The numbers speak for themselves.
Some of the top sheilat artists on YouTube, such as Saudi Arabia’s Ghareeb Al Mokhles and Abdullah Al Farwan have between them attracted more than 3.1 billion views.
Al Mokhles is also currently the highest ranking sheilat artist on the Saudi YouTube charts.
His 16th place is more impressive considering he is above global pop stars The Weeknd and Black Pink.
Helping to facilitate that transition from local favourites to bonafide Saudi pop stars is Al Fan Group, who moved quickly to sign sheilat artists from 2015.
The pitch to the artists was straightforward – they have sole creative control while the company ensures the music is presented and distributed in the most effective way.
“We spent a lot of time trying to find out who these artists were," Alazem says.
"We would cold call them and send emails. We travelled to Saudi Arabia and convinced them this music, in our vision, has a massive future and we wanted to optimise their work and distribute it everywhere.
“We also explained how we wanted to help introduce sheilat as a new genre from the Mena scene."
The sound of Bedouins
An artist who jumped on board with the company in 2020 was Nader Al Sharari, whose songs, including Allahu La Yawafiqhum (May God Not Make You Prosper) and Tamoun (I embrace your every deed with grace) amassed more than 450 million combined streams on YouTube and Spotify.
“I began like many of my peers as a singer of nasheed (Islamic devotional songs) and it was only after I finished university that I started to focus on sheilat,” he says.
“I remember I released first a motivational song, then a patriotic one and then a sad one.
“This shows you how diverse sheilat can be. It also doesn’t require a deep knowledge of music composition but more an understanding of choosing the right poems to perform and singing them the right way. Enunciation is key in singing sheilat songs.”
Born and raised in Qurayyat, a city located in Al Jawf province in northern Saudi Arabia, Al Sharari says sheilat’s popularity lies partly in its ability to connect Saudi youth with their heritage.
"We are Bedouins and this is really our music,” he says.
“These songs revolve around our heritage and different parts of the kingdom.
“From north to south, each region has their own sheilat songs that talk about their traditions.”
What made certain songs popular in the kingdom, like Al Sharari’s Allahu La Yawafiqhum, however, were the accessible lyrics.
“Many sheilat songs today do not have words or meanings strictly linked to a particular region of Saudi Arabia,” he says.
“This is because we artists want everyone to hear and understand what we are saying.”
From Saudi Arabia to the world
Listeners are already tuning in from beyond the kingdom and the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries, according to Nada Elmeri, Spotify’s artist and label partnerships manager for the Gulf.
Ever since the music platform launched an official sheilat playlist in 2019, she says the genre has drawn a diverse audience.
Elmeri notes that among the top five territories listening to sheilat, two countries – Jordan and Egypt – are from outside the GCC.
Also propelling that growth are regional gamers, who view the music as the soundtrack of choice.
“Initially it surprised us how many gamers listen to this while they play,” she tells The National.
“Then again, if you think about it, then it makes sense.
“Sheilat songs can hype you up because of the rhythms and the positive lyrics.”
Such traction partly explained Spotify's move to infuse the aforementioned 2023 Gamers8 official GG Geena with sheilat elements.
“We also had the song appearing on the Spotify billboard in Times Square, New York, and included it on our major global gaming playlist as well," Elmeri says.
"This shows our belief that this music from our region can be exported abroad."
Majed Alrslani, another Al Fan Group artist and known for 2022 hit Adaaj Oyoun (more than 250 million streams on YouTube), is already fulfilling that promise.
From the northern Saudi Arabian town of Rahfa, he is one the few Saudi sheilat artists touring beyond the GCC, including a performance at Jordan's Jerash Festival and Istanbul in 2022.
“I also have shows planned for Bosnia and Erbil in Iraq in the upcoming months,” he says.
“The people love the music because it sounds joyful.
“While those who love poetry will appreciate the lyricism too. I have yet to perform a sheilat that people didn’t like.”
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2015%20PRO%20MAX
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7%22%20Super%20Retina%20XDR%20OLED%2C%202796%20x%201290%2C%20460ppi%2C%20120Hz%2C%202000%20nits%20max%2C%20HDR%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20P3%2C%20always-on%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20A17%20Pro%2C%206-core%20CPU%2C%206-core%20GPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECapacity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPlatform%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20iOS%2017%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Triple%3A%2048MP%20main%20(f%2F1.78)%20%2B%2012MP%20ultra-wide%20(f%2F2.2)%20%2B%2012MP%205x%20telephoto%20(f%2F2.8)%3B%205x%20optical%20zoom%20in%2C%202x%20optical%20zoom%20out%3B%2010x%20optical%20zoom%20range%2C%20digital%20zoom%20up%20to%2025x%3B%20Photonic%20Engine%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%2C%20Smart%20HDR%204%2C%20Portrait%20Lighting%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%20video%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204K%20%40%2024%2F25%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20full-HD%20%40%2025%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20HD%20%40%2030fps%2C%20slo-mo%20%40%20120%2F240fps%2C%20ProRes%20(4K)%20%40%2060fps%3B%20night%2C%20time%20lapse%2C%20cinematic%2C%20action%20modes%3B%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%204K%20HDR%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012MP%20TrueDepth%20(f%2F1.9)%2C%20Photonic%20Engine%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%2C%20Smart%20HDR%204%2C%20Portrait%20Lighting%3B%20Animoji%2C%20Memoji%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%20video%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204K%20%40%2024%2F25%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20full-HD%20%40%2025%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20slo-mo%20%40%20120%2F240fps%2C%20ProRes%20(4K)%20%40%2030fps%3B%20night%2C%20time%20lapse%2C%20cinematic%2C%20action%20modes%3B%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%204K%20HDR%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204441mAh%2C%20up%20to%2029h%20video%2C%2025h%20streaming%20video%2C%2095h%20audio%3B%20fast%20charge%20to%2050%25%20in%2030min%20(with%20at%20least%2020W%20adaptor)%3B%20MagSafe%2C%20Qi%20wireless%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%2C%20NFC%20(Apple%20Pay)%2C%20second-generation%20Ultra%20Wideband%20chip%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBiometrics%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Face%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20USB-C%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDurability%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20IP68%2C%20water-resistant%20up%20to%206m%20up%20to%2030min%3B%20dust%2Fsplash-resistant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECards%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20eSIM%20%2F%20eSIM%20%2B%20eSIM%20(US%20models%20use%20eSIMs%20only)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Black%20titanium%2C%20blue%20titanium%2C%20natural%20titanium%2C%20white%20titanium%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EiPhone%2015%20Pro%20Max%2C%20USB-C-to-USB-C%20woven%20cable%2C%20one%20Apple%20sticker%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dh5%2C099%20%2F%20Dh5%2C949%20%2F%20Dh6%2C799%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.5-litre%20turbo%204-cylinder%20%2F%202.0%20turbo%204-cylinder%20(S3)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20148bhp%20%2F%20328bhp%20(S3)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20250Nm%20%2F%20420Nm%20(S3)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20December%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20TBA%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
WHEN TO GO:
September to November or March to May; this is when visitors are most likely to see what they’ve come for.
WHERE TO STAY:
Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari - Chitwan National Park resort (tajhotels.com) is a one-hour drive from Bharatpur Airport with stays costing from Dh1,396 per night, including taxes and breakfast. Return airport transfers cost from Dh661.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Etihad Airways regularly flies from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu from around Dh1,500 per person return, including taxes. Buddha Air (buddhaair.com) and Yeti Airlines (yetiairlines.com) fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur several times a day from about Dh660 return and the flight takes just 20 minutes. Driving is possible but the roads are hilly which means it will take you five or six hours to travel 148 kilometres.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier
UAE results
Beat China by 16 runs
Lost to Thailand by 10 wickets
Beat Nepal by five runs
Beat Hong Kong by eight wickets
Beat Malaysia by 34 runs
Standings (P, W, l, NR, points)
1. Thailand 5 4 0 1 9
2. UAE 5 4 1 0 8
3. Nepal 5 2 1 2 6
4. Hong Kong 5 2 2 1 5
5. Malaysia 5 1 4 0 2
6. China 5 0 5 0 0
Final
Thailand v UAE, Monday, 7am
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
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MWTC info
Tickets to the MWTC range from Dh100 and can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.ae or by calling 800 86 823 from within the UAE or 971 4 366 2289 from outside the country and all Virgin Megastores. Fans looking to attend all three days of the MWTC can avail of a special 20 percent discount on ticket prices.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
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MOST%20POLLUTED%20COUNTRIES%20IN%20THE%20WORLD
%3Cp%3E1.%20Chad%3Cbr%3E2.%20Iraq%3Cbr%3E3.%20Pakistan%3Cbr%3E4.%20Bahrain%3Cbr%3E5.%20Bangladesh%3Cbr%3E6.%20Burkina%20Faso%3Cbr%3E7.%20Kuwait%3Cbr%3E8.%20India%3Cbr%3E9.%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E10.%20Tajikistan%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%202022%20World%20Air%20Quality%20Report%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates