In the capital of Saudi Arabia, Nora screamed out loud, leaning against the microphone. During a recent gig, she performed a set with her bandmates. It would have been impossible to imagine a performance by the all-female psychedelic rock band Seera combining traditional Arabic melodies and the psychedelia of bands like Tame Impala years ago.
Seera is a symbol of how women in Saudi Arabia, a country long associated with strict gender segregation and ultraconservative Islam, are finding their voice and expressing themselves through the arts as the country liberalises certain areas of its society.
“We had no idea how people would respond,” the bassist for the group, Meesh, stated. “We are big supporters of individual expression. We were surprised to see that they welcomed us with open arms.
Seera notes that The Accolade, a 2008-formed female band that performed in secret, predates them as the first band in the kingdom. Since the reforms implemented by King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a significant shift has occurred.
Seera has scheduled their first overseas performance in Dubai and intends to release their debut album later this year. Nora dreams that the band encourages the next generation to be authentic.
