Whichever festival or party Nooriyah plays in, make sure to go! Because you’re certainly in for a lot of fun. Her upbeat, celebratory DJ sets, where she skillfully mixes traditional Arabic music with Afrobeats, amapiano, house, and more, make any crowd go wild. That’s precisely what we lived at Soundstorm festival, where she did a b2b set with DJ Habibeats.
You’ve probably seen her viral Boiler Room set, where she invited her father to do the opening bit. With that, Nooriyah showed how much love and respect she has for her family and heritage. It was actually her dad’s eclectic music taste, as well as her upbringing in different countries around the world (including Saudi Arabia and Japan), that built her passion for music and its diversity — as she says in this interview, “it influenced me to look at music as a blank canvas.”
Her commitment to having fun behind the decks and making sure that the audience is just as exhilarated as her make her a perfect DJ. But for Nooriyah, music goes beyond having fun. It is also about connection, identity, and education. That’s why she founded the Middle of Nowhere platform, where she highlights talent from the SWANA region (South-West Asian and North African). Through that, she’s been acting a lot as a curator of lineups in different parties and festivals that aimed to promote a more diverse type of music.
After her b2b set at Riyadh’s Soundstorm, we sat down with Nooriyah to talk about New Year’s resolutions, listening to your body, the exciting future ahead for the music industry in Saudi Arabia, and setting boundaries.
Hey Nooriyah, it’s a pleasure to speak with you. First of all, how are you feeling today after the set?
I’m feeling so good! I think this was my third time playing in the Middle East, and I feel like every year I have a different relationship with the crowd, which keeps growing. So I'm really happy to be here.
You’ve done a b2b with DJ Habibeats. How do you prepare for a collaborative set versus a solo performance?
This time we went for a challenge because we didn’t prepare at all. We just asked each other, how do you wanna start? What kind of BPM, where do you wanna start in terms of energy? That's it, that's all we spoke about. So we felt each other’s vibe. It was like a salsa dance — someone did something, which was leading the way, and then the other followed through.
You said it’s your third time playing in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has been opening up in recent years. You being of Saudi origin, but growing up in Japan and now based in the UK, you have a unique point of view — in between insider and outsider. How do you see the direction of the music industry going?
It's been a joy watching it grow and grow, and I just wanted to pinpoint that there's also a lot of homegrown talent to be highlighted here as well. Alongside all their incredible acts, like Akon, for example, there are also a lot of incredible homegrown producers, rappers, and singers, so I’m excited to see them shine. Year after year, someone has their star being pulled in the sky, so it’s been a joy to watch.
“Unfortunately, promoters don't like to take a gamble on something they're not familiar with. I really accept that that’s how the industry works, so I just have to prove them wrong.”
Your parents are Saudi and you grew up a little bit here, but also in Japan. What was your upbringing like in terms of music? What do you remember listening to?
My dad used to drive me around in Saudi and he would listen to everything under the sun, from Louis Armstrong to Fairuz. He was so eclectic with what he would listen to, and it influenced me to look at music as a blank canvas. I enjoy everything, and growing up in a lot of different places, your ears get conditioned to enjoy certain things that maybe a lot of people, if you didn't grow up listening to, would find a bit odd. But to me, I just very much deeply love music. I think growing up in those places made me do that, and it's reflected in the sets that I play.
Going through your YouTube channel, I found the Ode to series dedicated to Arab and Latin music. It shows how rich your taste is. How did that series start? And are you planning on releasing something else?
I think I should because a lot of people ask me. But the Ode to series came up because I love archiving music, and that’s my way of sort of making a story about a specific theme. I love digging music in that way. For example, in the Ode to: Latin music, someone from Latin America asked me in a party, how do you know this song? My grandma plays it! I love moments like that where you connect through music, and I hope to do more of that.
This idea of connection is also an important pillar of the party you founded, Middle of Nowhere, which aims to highlight and support artists from the SWANA region. How did this come to be, and how has it evolved since you began till now?
At the time I created it, I was so bored by the curations that were happening in the scene. I wanted something that incorporated Arabic music, but not just on its own because it's so infectious. As a DJ, my pen drive has everything — Afrobeats, amapiano, etc. But I needed my peers (other DJs) to see how infectious Arabic music is and that you can play it alongside any genre. That’s why I created it. It became a platform where I curate a lot of stages and parties, so it’s more of a curatorial perspective. Last year, for example, I had a female rap cypher where the artists were rapping all in Arabic and Darija (Moroccan Arabic). So it’s about creating moments like that to highlight different talent.
Before we started the interview, you commented that you had an offer to play at a New Year’s Eve party but were hesitant because you’ve been touring a lot lately and are tired. And now it’s winter, I can’t imagine the summer season, which is even busier. How do you stay grounded? Or, what do you do to chill and survive that hectic schedule?
Honestly, it’s my mom. I always send her selfies of myself looking really bad, and she just answers by saying very kind things, like ‘you’re my moon’ — Arabic is like poetry sometimes. It makes me feel so touched.
Speaking of family, bringing your dad to open your Boiler Room set speaks volumes about your respect for your heritage. What are you most grateful for about your family and upbringing?
My dad always loved music as a hobby, so it's a big honour for me to be able to make a living out of it — out of something that my dad loves so much. I wanted to honour him in that way by bringing him with me. I don’t know if you’ve seen the footage, but he really took in that moment. I think those early influences, I actually didn't realise how much they touched me until I grew older. So I'm really grateful for them.
Oh, I have definitely seen the footage — it was wholesome. And also, super viral. In a moment where everybody aspires to achieve that moment, how do you navigate that aspect of staying true to yourself but also standing out from the rest?
It's a balance. Every time I go anywhere they ask about my dad, and I'm like, he's a retired man who's currently planting trees at home! He's enjoying himself. So I have to protect him and put boundaries. The audience wants him back, but I'm very protective of him.
In an interview with Mixmag, you said: “I found it rare that non-SWANA DJs would carry SWANA music and often, it’s not due to a dislike to it, but rather an unfamiliarity with it.” So, what actions do you think the music industry and the agents in the Western world could take to make these sounds more familiar? Because it shouldn’t be solely the artists’ responsibility.
That's such a direct question. I think, unfortunately, promoters don't like to take a gamble on something they're not familiar with. They like to take someone in when they have proven themselves that they can sell butts in seats, so I just have to embrace that that's what it is. I really accept that that’s how the industry works, so I just have to prove them wrong. That’s it.
That's cool! You actually are proving them wrong. On another note, DJing look super fun but it’s also very hard. What do you like the most and what do you hate the most about it?
What I love the most is how you can connect with people — there's nothing like it. When a footballer scores a goal, I imagine that feeling to be so exhilarating. Whenever you have an audience in the palm of your hand and you're dancing together, it’s so unique. Sometimes I have so much adrenaline that I can’t sleep. What I hate, I think would be the lack of sleep. And the travelling. And maybe when people request songs and don't trust me with taking them into a journey.
Speaking of songs, is there a banger that you know will lift up any crowd?
Recently it has been this edit by the Nooran sisters. They're from Punjab, they’re phenomenal. I posted something that I played three days ago, and it went very, very viral. So that's what came to my mind.
Also, do you feel you have to connect differently with different audiences? For example, I saw you at Flow Festival two summers ago, and the Finnish audience differs a lot from the one I’ve encountered at Soundstorm.
You have to know the balance between educating and playing something that the audience will connect with, so you need to have a good ratio depending on who you're playing for, for sure. It's hard to crack. Sometimes it takes maybe half an hour to know, especially if the people take some time to warm up.
We’re finishing the year. Are you a New Year’s resolutions type of person? Do you make lists of what you want to accomplish?
OMG, how did you know? I create one list of what I wanna do in the year, and at the end, I check how much I did. And every year, I would add to the list of things that I actually did, so it makes me feel good.
What’s 2024 been like?
Oh, I smashed it out of the park! I’m really proud of this year. I think I work too much, though. For next year, I’d love to prioritise my self-care.