As Saudi Arabia continues its rapid advancement on the world stage, women have been key in leading this charge, traversing previously unheard-of career paths, and thus carving out a route, not only for themselves, but for the upcoming generation of young women. At the forefront is the Kingdom’s cohort of acclaimed female DJs, whose slick beats are shifting the cultural perception of the country at home and abroad.
Two women spearheading this musical revolution are the Jeddah-based artist, composer, and DJ Cosmicat, and Saudi Arabia’s first-ever female music producer, DJ Viva. Friends, as well as contemporaries, it’s no surprise that these women have much in common – especially when it comes to their polymath status.
From career pivots to cultural powerhouses
Cosmicat enjoyed a successful career as a dentist before swapping veneers for decks, and DJ Viva thrived in academia, with a Master’s degree in business administration and a PhD in organisational development.
In fact, Cosmicat laughs when she says that she didn’t believe she had a “single creative bone” in her body. Just six years ago, the DJ – who prefers to be referred to by her stage name – was teaching full-time at the University of Business and Technology (UBT) in Jeddah. “You could literally draw a line down the middle of my two worlds, but I feel like my experience in academia and business have transferred to my career in music production and DJing,” she says.
For Cosmicat, however, music was a long-held and unrealised dream prior to 2018, before the entertainment world opened up in the Kingdom. “I never thought about music being a career given the circumstances I grew up in back in the 1990s. It wasn’t an option,” the DJ explains. Recalling that she listened to music “every single day”, Cosmicat continues that she decided to go into dentistry precisely because it felt like the “most artistic” of the sciences. The plus side? She’s brought her structured thought processes to the decks. “I am one of the most organised people you will meet,” she smiles.
Saudi Arabia’s collective sound is still forming
Although the music craze sweeping the nation may be in its infancy, the emerging sounds are not – case in point Cosmicat and DJ Viva. They may share a similar background and history, but the differences in their styles point to the diversity of beats coming out of the Kingdom. While Cosmicat has a slick, Y2K and Noughties-inspired feel to her tracks – and cites Missy Elliott and Aliyah as references – DJ Viva embraces a more dark and sultry sound that traverses tech and progressive house. Both are examples of Saudi Arabia’s recently developed collective sound, which is at once decidedly modern, yet carries influences as far reaching as hip-hop and R&B to traditional Arabic instrumentalism and oud.
It’s unsurprising that the ascent of these two DJs has been rapid. During her eight-year career, Cosmicat has travelled all over the world to play at legendary venues like London’s Fabric and Tomorrowland. Then, in 2020, she released her debut single, Dilemma, with Yann Dulché. Still, the path of two musicians is never the same. After being challenged to DJ when attending one of the first public music events in the Saudi Arabia, Viva dropped a viral SoundCloud mix that changed the trajectory of her life forever. She embarked on DJ residencies, before going on to become the only woman in the country to play the role of Entertainment Director for two prominent events groups, including her own, EntertainmenTen.
The business behind the beats
Their success, in part, is thanks to efforts put in by the Music Commission, which exists under the Kingdom’s Ministry of Culture. In recent years, it has installed studios and music hubs in key cities and provided scholarships to study music abroad – and that’s not to mention the enduring support and opportunities provided by MDLBEAST, the country’s largest entertainment company.
As Heba Zaidan, MDLBEAST’s Senior Creative Strategist, emphasises: “These talents have always been there – learning, practicing, and performing in their own spaces. So, when we talk about their rise, it’s not so much about them emerging as it is about the spotlight finally finding them.”
With this attitude in mind, last year MDLBEAST launched the Hunna Initiative; women-led, its aim is to amplify female talent across the MENA region, as well as grow the next generation of female talent in music through mentorship, listening circles and masterclasses. Their guided mentorship matchmaking programme is one of the first in the country and connects up-and-coming female talent with established figures within the industry for a four-month-long, tailor-made scheme.
These listening circles and personalised initiatives are key to the success of female musical talent going forward, explains Zaidan. “To amplify the voices of Saudi women and artists we have to listen to them first,” she says. “Consciously and actively listening to the needs of the women in our music ecosystem is the only way to make progress. At the same time, it’s important to treat these artists as just artists – not female artists – and allow them the space to create and explore without scrutiny or expectations, negative or positive, because of their gender.”
As such, more than anything, there is a palpable sense of optimism felt by the country’s female musical talent: “Every problem we had in the past is actively being solved,” states Viva. “Female DJs are now headlining events, collaborating with global brands, and becoming icons of empowerment and artistic expression. Anyone, male or female, can learn and participate in becoming a DJ.” Hearteningly, 85 per cent of the talent in Sensation Art Collective – Viva’s creative brand, which was launched last year – are female.
Breaking stereotypes and writing their own narratives
But while they have the support of government entities, societal expectations, especially from friends and family, have been slow to shift – especially for women who feel the pressure to balance family expectations alongside creative ambitions. Certainly, when Viva first came to the Kingdom aged 18, “Segregation was at its highest and music was unheard of in public places. Now, it’s like being in two different countries. But people’s attitudes remain a barrier… They think that because you’re a DJ, you’re a party animal who is living a superficial lifestyle. That’s not true – the majority of female DJs I know have families and are educated. They have their own businesses, fashion lines and events companies – Cosmicat is a dentist!”
For her part, Cosmicat says that while these pressures exist, she wants to highlight that Saudi women can maintain their cultural identity while moving with the times. “There’s this misconception that being cultural and being modern are two different things, and that is absolutely wrong,” she asserts. “If you go and visit any Arab country, you will see those two things living together in harmony. I’m seeing more ladies every single day going out publicly to the world with their music.”
For her part, Zaidan says that MDLBEAST is more than aware that social stigma still exists and acknowledges that more work needs to be done to reassure women that music is a viable and worthwhile career path. “It’s a barrier to passionate women who just want to perform. This means that often women don’t take a chance at their full potential due to some cultural hangups. It’s not as easy for women to be in these social spaces and participate authentically. There are also misconceptions about female performers where people discount or discredit their abilities just because of their gender – but this is quickly changing as music is becoming more and more celebrated societally.”
With the Kingdom’s renewed commitment to shine a light on its creative talent, and the plethora of opportunities around, Cosmicat and Viva are full speed ahead. Viva will soon DJ on the first day of this year’s MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2025, as well as at the Red Sea Games, both in December. And Cosmicat promises more music soon, as well as collaborations with both Arab and international artists.
Paving the way for the next generation
As well as advancing their careers, both Cosmicat and Viva are keen to pass the baton to the incoming wave of young female DJs. “I’ve always tried to prioritise placing female talent in my events. One of my recent initiatives was when I organised a beach festival with an all-women line-up, and it was completely sold out, with a line at the door! Viva says. “I help and mentor wherever I can,” adds Cosmicat, noting that she was one of the very first established musicians in the nation. “But I built everything from scratch, and not everyone has to go through the hassle I went through eight years ago now,” she smiles.
And so, their advice to the next generation is refreshingly simple. “What I would say to anyone out there is that it’s totally okay to indulge yourself in the creative realm,” Viva concludes. And for Cosmicat, it’s all there for the taking: “No one came up and just gave me instructions on how to make music. Keep on being persistent and don’t get dragged down.” Words to live by, for sure.
Read more about the Saudi women’s DJ space.