RIYADH: Saudi singer and songwriter Aseel Bishi hopes to inspire a new generation of women in the domestic music industry through her sensuous and innovative tunes.
The 29-year-old singer recently became the first winner of the Community XPERFORM contest organized by XP Music Features in Riyadh.
The objective of the competition was to highlight and empower local talent. Not long ago, women were banned from singing on local platforms, leave alone international platforms. Now female artistes are taking the music industry towards new horizons.
“I think we’re developing in such an incredible way and I think it’s the end of the era of Western music, and our (Arab) voice and talent is being recognised,” Bishi told Arab News.
Out of hundreds of applications for XPERFORM, only 10 artists and musicians were selected to move on to the next round by a four-judge panel consisting of Matthew Dix, Karima Damir, Lil Eazy and Banah Anabatavi.
Fans and viewers were then able to vote for the top five finalists – Asyel, MoeLex, Rina Khoury, Loki, and Skinny G – who gave final performances during the music convention.
“It is great to have competitions like XPERFORM because we encourage each other to work as artists and make music. Music is now more of a language rather than an art form. People can speak through music. There are… you will find a lot of people inspired to create, people who never thought they could be artists,” said Bishi.
After a tough discussion, the judges announced Asayel as the winner of the first XPERFORM contest, who got the chance to work with MDLBEAST’s record label to develop his own path within the industry in which he continues to gain recognition. Still working.
She said: “Before I won first place,[MDLBAST]checked on me. After I won, we had meetings to discuss what I wanted to do with my music. I heard from him, He heard from me, took his opinion on how to proceed.
“The whole period before this, I was working alone, so it’s really nice to have someone with tips and expertise to offer help, especially from MDLBEAST.”
While the company is widely known for its annual music festival Soundstorm, which has been gaining international recognition for its global lineup and notable acts, the firm also operates a record company and radio station.
He also gained music production experience from the Music Commission’s virtual training concert program or SANA, which is part of the Ministry of Culture’s efforts to develop the sector and support emerging artists.
“The support that is happening now is amazing. I was just amazed. We didn’t have this before, there was no community, we didn’t know what was going on in the scene,” she said.
Bishi was gifted the first cassette tape in school by his mother, which introduced him to a whole new world.
The first song she sang was “Ana Mu Walhan” (I’m Not in Love) by Saudi singer Abdullah Al-Ruwish, and from that point her fascination with how music could communicate emotion grew.
Music was also a gateway to learning English. Although the language was not part of the school curriculum at the time, she began learning on her own through reading, watching films, translating material, and eventually writing her own songs.
Bishi grew up with vivid memories of songs sung by her grandmother and several family members. His passion for music was always present, but never developed into a career until 2019, when he ventured into rap and then more soulful rhythms.
While the singer’s music primarily falls under the R&B category, she is not strictly bound and is open to adopting any genre to further develop her style.
She greatly admires Doja Cat for her whimsical and avant garde approach, and often uses him as a reference for her own compositions.
“There are many female singers, but when it comes to hip hop artists, especially females, there is a hesitation about whether or not people will accept what they hear or see. But now, you can It could be hip hop, rap, R&B artists or whatever genre. XP was definitely part of that change and that support,” she said.
“I want women to feel confident enough to break into the music scene. I don’t want to make music that’s out of reach so they feel like they can’t. Through my multi-genre art, I I want the audience to feel like they can do anything,” Bishi said.