Saudi band prods women to take the wheel in new YouTube video

Saudi Gazette

A new music video created by Saudi musicians Hasan Hatrash, Khalid Sharani, Amro Hawari and Amir Abbas, which shows two Saudi men in the backseat of a SUV driven by a Saudi woman driver as they get off to walk into a studio to belt out a song supporting the new law, is taking the Internet by storm. Saudi Gazette spoke to the band based in Jeddah, called “Most of Us’ who said: “The whole point was to celebrate the new legislation and the possibilities it brings not only for women but our society as a whole.”

In the video, two men dressed in traditional Thobe and Shimag get off a SUV driven by a woman driver who appears in flashes throughout the video enjoying the freedom to drive wherever she wants and even wearing a VR headset in one, while the men walk into a studio and plug in their equipment to belt out a ‘Saudi Girls Will Drive’ rock anthem. “No more driver, Uber or taxis to take you any place. Like a true Arabian girl, you were born to shine like a pearl. Now its time to drive, drive me around,” Hasan croons.

When Saudi Gazette asked the band about their inspiration and experience they had with a new subject that involves the historic decision and women empowerment, they said they wanted to be supportive using a tone of purpose rather than rebellion. “We wanted to be responsible with our content and message and inspire women to really shine in an independent rather than a rebellious nature. We were inspired by the national and worldwide attention this decision had garnered, and we felt that it would be nice to support this and have our take on it in a manner that could easily resonate with both local and international audiences. The experience has been fun as is the case with all our videos and performances!”

The band said it all started when Hasan came up with the idea of making a song celebrating the royal decree allowing women to drive in KSA during one of his creative tantrums. Steppenwolf, an American rock band, inspired the music and both Hasan and Amro collectively drafted the lyrics during a creative workshop. “As for the video, we tried to make it as fun as possible exploring the new possibilities this decision brings to women. Unfortunately, we had to perform this song without Amir, our keyboard player, who is currently outside of the Kingdom.”

The video lines up with the view that women aren’t the only winners because Saudi men have supported the view and are celebrating the move. The song also encourages women to get out of the backseat and ‘come on over and take the wheel’ instead. Humor seeps in, as the men in the video sing about wanting to be driven around by women and look forward to the role reversal.

“Definitely a massive step forward, allowing jobs to be created and different industries to expand and flourish, women can now fully participate in and contribute to the Kingdom’s vision and national transformation plans. And maybe, we men get to be driven around for a change,” the band said.