Laura Bashraheel Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – Aspiring musicians around the world most commonly use open mic nights at cafes and bars to perform in the hopes of getting noticed by a music label. Particularly popular in Europe, most struggling artists have, at one time or another, performed at an open mic night. For Saudi artists, such platforms do not exist but with social media websites immensely popular in the Kingdom, there is tremendous potential for artists to finally have an outlet where they can spread their music. In order to help aspiring musicians, Libra Productions, a Jeddah-based professional audio production studio, created a platform for artists to perform on a YouTube show appropriately titled Open Mic. Open mic events are usually held at a bar or a coffeehouse where singers-songwriters and other performers take turns performing. Occasionally, open mic events are a mixture of songs and poetry and/or readings. Most improve and work on their delivery until they are finally ready to perform in front of a live audience. But for Saudi artists, things work slightly differently. “What we did is transfer the idea of open mic cafes to our studio and then to YouTube. We invite talents who already have original music composed and are ready to perform. We take care of the sound production side and then we promote them through our YouTube show called Open Mic which is sponsored by Nescafe,” said Thamer Farhan, a talent manager at Libra Productions. Open Mic is not yet open to the public; all the talents who will be presented in the next few episodes are the production house's own artists. “We receive so many talents who do basics like cover songs but we prefer those with original material. After the third episode we will open up to the public and start accepting auditions,” Farhan said. The most popular music in Saudi Arabia is Khaleeji music, a style of music native to countries along the Arabian Gulf, and Libra Productions is seeking to breathe some life into other neglected genres. “We have a perception here that any genre other than Khaleeji is simply a copy of Western music. These artists are making their own original material and music which is full of feelings and passion so on what basis can we say it is a copy of the West?” Open Mic's first episode featured Adwa Al-Dakheel who recently released her first acoustic album on iTunes, produced by Libra Productions, under the name Adwa by Adwa. Al-Dakheel received a 5-star rating on iTunes and although feedback on her solo acoustic guitar album has been overwhelmingly positive, Al-Dakheel said her second album will include other instruments. “It will definitely include vocals, violins, qanun, oud, piano and other instruments,” she said. Al-Dakheel, a stock analyst and student in Boston, Massachusetts majoring in business and psychology, is deeply passionate about music and said it will have a constant presence in her life. A young Saudi woman pursuing a career in music is a dream for many due to social and cultural stigmas as well as the raw state of the music industry in the Kingdom. “A great part of our society is against music let alone female musicians. So you can imagine the opposition any female receives. However, I make it a point to listen to even the opposing views because, after all, it is the way our society is driven,” Al-Dakheel said. Although living in Boston has increased her knowledge of different styles of music, Al-Dakheel said she finds it easier to practice music in the Kingdom. “Being preoccupied in Boston with my studies and work, I only find time to compose either with other musicians (in jam sessions) or on my own at the end of a full day,” she added. According to Al-Dakheel, the most challenging part is overcoming criticism that a conservative society gives any Saudi female musician. To face the challenge, she believes women will have to cope, to some extent at least, with the rules and regulations society is based on.
