Assala's Night at Riyadh Season: 7 Dialects and a Global Duet Dazzle the Audience
On an exceptional night that etched its name in gold in the annals of Arab art, specifically within the framework of the Riyadh Season, which has become a global destination for entertainment and culture, the iconic artist Assala Nasri shone in a grand concert entitled "Assala's Night." This event was not merely a fleeting musical performance, but rather an artistic and cultural phenomenon that combined the rich heritage of traditional Arabic music with modern musical arrangements, under the patronage of the General Entertainment Authority and the supervision of Advisor Turki bin Abdulmohsen Al-Sheikh, and organized by Rotana Audio Visual Company.
Riyadh Season: A global platform for fine art
This concert reaffirms Riyadh Season's prominent position as a leading platform for major artistic events in the Middle East. The season concluded its sixth year of classical Arabic music concerts with this evening, which Advisor Turki Al-Sheikh described as "beautiful," led by Maestro Tamer Faydi. He tweeted his praise for the dazzling performance and superb organization. These nights hold special significance as they commemorate a golden era of Arabic music, utilizing state-of-the-art audio-visual technology to produce concerts of international standards befitting the Kingdom's audiences and visitors.
A musical journey through 7 cultures and 23 songs
At the Mohammed Abdo Arena – Emirates NBD, Soula achieved a remarkable artistic record, reflecting her extensive musical knowledge. She performed songs in seven different dialects and languages, including Syrian, Gulf, Egyptian, Turkish, Kurdish, Lebanese, and Moroccan. This diversity was not merely a performance, but a message of love and connection between peoples through music.
Across six diverse segments, Assala performed 23 songs and mawwals, accompanied by folk art troupes that added a dazzling visual dimension to the vocal performance. The concert featured a major surprise: a world-class duet between Assala and the renowned Turkish star Ebru Gündeş on the song "Akthar" (More), as well as a performance of "Al-Farq Al-Kabir" (The Big Difference), lending an international flair to the evening.
New releases and touching human moments
Assala used this grand event to announce to her fans her upcoming artistic project with Rotana: a complete Syrian album featuring 14 songs, each representing a different province of her homeland, Syria, in a touching tribute to her roots. As an exclusive gift to her Riyadh audience, she performed the song "Dabke Arab," a traditional Homsi folk song.
The evening was not without its heartwarming and emotional moments, as Assala sang "Ya Khali," revealing a touching story of reuniting with her uncle in Riyadh after a 20-year separation. She also performed a selection of her most popular songs, including "Kafoukom," "Hadiqat Thalj," and "Al Hob Al Abadi," concluding the concert with a rousing patriotic anthem titled "Irfa' Rasak Fouq.".
Behind the scenes of success and celebration
Behind the scenes, Assala documented the concert's success with commemorative photos alongside Salem Al-Hindi, CEO of Rotana, expressing her delight that her performance coincided with Al-Hilal Saudi Club's victory in their match, amplifying the celebratory atmosphere. In her statements to the media, she emphasized that the secret to her continued success lies in her unwavering dedication to her art and the emotional and artistic connection her audience has with her, a fact clearly demonstrated by the overwhelming public response that filled the theater.
