Khaleeji
Region/Countries: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Yemen
Khaleeji spans 1990s–present across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman. It foregrounds lyrical poetry, sawt melodies, polished ballads. Rhythms include samri, khaleej 2/4 and borrow from sout. Ensembles center on oud, violin, synth. Influences include Levantine pop, Egyptian pop. Lyrics are ≈100% Arabic.
Musical features
- lyrical poetry
- sawt melodies
- polished ballads
- khaleeji swing
Rhythms & Forms
- samri
- khaleej 2/4
- sout
Core instruments
Influences
- Levantine pop
- Egyptian pop