Echoes of the Kingdom: Saudi Music on the Global Stage
Music and beats, sounds and vibes – they are the language of the universe. When words fall short of expressing our feelings, melodies step in. Sometimes with goosebumps, sometimes with tears, and sometimes with a smile on our face, we close our eyes and surrender to the sounds of centuries and geographies, carrying the hopes, heartbreaks and celebrations of humanity.
The Saudi musicians are now on a mission to carry those quiet whispers of centuries, songs once shared in courtyards, deserts, and coastal gatherings, from the farthest corners of the Kingdom of Sound to the world’s most iconic and historic stages. Each performance serves as an occasion to bring people across the world closer to each other.
From backstage to the global spotlight, here’s how Saudi’s national sound is turning heads worldwide.
A New Saudi Sound: The National Choir Takes Versailles
Now picture this: the glittering halls of Versailles; home of French kings, chandeliers the size of cars; and in the middle of it all, a 100-piece Saudi choir singing Les Champs-Élysées and traditional Saudi songs.
That’s exactly what happened on the eve of Saudi National Day in September 2025, when the Saudi National Orchestra & Choir brought their voices to France’s most iconic stage.
Launched in 2019 under the Music Commission, the choir was built from scratch to train musicians, revive Saudi musical heritage, and take it global. Every show mixes the traditional with the modern, bringing new life (and voice) to global music.
Through their repertoire, the choir asserts traditional inheritance, but with the language of contemporary global music.
Saudi Music on the Global Stage
Performing at Versailles on September 22, 2025, wasn’t just a gig for the Saudi National Orchestra & Choir – it was a whole mic-drop moment. The same palace that once hosted Mozart now echoed with Saudi rhythms.
Led by the young Saudi maestro Reab Ahmed, the group teamed up with France’s Royal Opera Orchestra for a night to blend classical French pieces with Saudi folk songs. More than a concert, it was a remix of history: two worlds, one stage.
But Versailles was just the start. Through the “Marvels Program” – a touring initiative blending Saudi heritage with global music traditions – the choir is hitting major cities around the world including places like Paris, Mexico City, New York, London, Sydney, and Tokyo, where the National Orchestra will mix with local folklore and music, creating a unique mix everywhere they go. An Addayt fi Marqab and Adele mashup in London, Sinatra’s Fly Me to the Moon with Eastern beats in New York, and anime themes in Arabic in Tokyo; a glocal tour.
The Humans Behind the Harmony
The 100-plus members of the choir come from every corner of Saudi life. Engineers, former psychologists, and nurses; rap fans, Western classical music singers, Arabic classical music experts, they all now share the same stage.
Their music draws from icons like Mohammed Abdu and Talal Maddah, re-orchestrated for full symphonic drama. It’s the sort of Saudi music that carries what qanun player Yazid Al-Aidi calls “dignity and majesty.”
Women lead many of these performances, including soprano Reemaz Al-Oqbi on training, resilience, and opportunity. The mix is festive, “like Eid”, according to some of the choir members: pure jubilation and celebration.
What’s Next?
More tours. More collaborations. More homegrown talent levelling up through the Music Education Program. The goal is to turn the Kingdom of Beats into a world hub for music and performance, where global artists come to collaborate, not just to perform.
