Rotana Tarabzouni

Rotana Tarabzouni (born 1988/1989) is a Saudi singer, songwriter, and comedian based in Los Angeles.[1] In 2015, she was named as one of the BBC 100 Women.[2]

Early life and education

Tarabzouni was born and raised in a fairly liberal family in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.[3][4] She enjoyed music and singing from a young age.[4] Although she had restricted access to Western music, her family did listen to a radio station that played American music, as well as artists like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and Nina Simone.[3][5] She visited the United States during the summers, and bought CDs during the trips.[5] Tarabzouni initially studied at a Saudi university, and studied abroad in Boston.[5] She later enrolled at the University of Southern California for her master's degree.[5]

Career

After graduating from college, Tarabzouni began working for Saudi Aramco.[6] Although she did well at her job, she founded it unfulfilling and decided to quit and pursue music as a career. She subsequently moved to Los Angeles in January 2013 in the hopes of having better access to music venues and record labels.[6][7] In 2016, Tarabzouni returned to the Middle East to play at NYU Abu Dhabi.[6] In 2020, Tarabzouni performed a one-woman show entitled Alien of Extraordinary Ability (AOEA). The show used both music and spoken word and followed Tarabzouni's journey of moving to the United States to pursue her career. Its run was short lived due to restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]In 2021, Tarabzouni released a sex education comedy web series called F*D & Blessed.[1] She specifically attempted to address topics frequently overlooked or not spoken about in Muslim and Middle Eastern communities. One episode of the show featured comedian and actress Dina Shihabi.[1]

Controversies

Tarabzouni has faced criticism throughout her career for her political views,[2] her choices of dress, and simply her decision to sing in public.[6] In 2013, Tarabzouni filmed a music video with a cover of Lorde's "Team" to bring attention to the Women's Driving Campaign, which aimed to overturn the Saudi government's ban on women drivers; she received death threats in response.[3][7] Tarabzouni has been criticized for how she has combined her musical performances with religion; during one Arizona performance, for example, she ended her set with a Qur'an recitation, which drew criticism online from those who saw the act as blasphemous.[8]

Discography

Albums
  • Alien of Extraordinary Ability (2021)[9]
  • Opening (2023)

Singles
  • "Daddy" (2017)[7]
  • "The Cure" (2017)[7]
  • "Sin Again" (2020)
  • "Stuck in America" (2020)
  • "Necessary Death" (2021)
  • "Twelve" (2021)[9]
  • "Atubu" (2023)

References
  1. "Rotana Tarabzouni Talks Her Comedy Special, 'F*d & Blessed'". Muslim Girl. 2021-07-02. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  2. "Singing back at the trolls". BBC News. November 27, 2015. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  3. Hamilton, Valerie (August 28, 2015). "Saudi singer: People say, 'I hope you die, I hope you burn in hell, you're a slut.'". The World from PRX. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  4. Tobbi, Cleo. "The Saudi Who Dared to Sing". www.narratively.com. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  5. Gordon, Grace (February 24, 2016). "Meet Rotana Tarabzouni: The Saudi Singer Talks Music and Keeping It Real". Savoir Flair. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  6. Reinl, James (October 20, 2015). "Being a Saudi pop wannabe in LA ain't easy". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  7. Pelayo, Terry (2017-05-24). "7 questions with Rotana Tarabzouni". Rawckus Magazine. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  8. "Saudi singer criticised for 'disrespectful' Quran dance performance". The New Arab. 2019-05-18. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  9. "US-based Saudi Singer Rotana Tarabzouni Meets Younger Self in 'Twelve'". www.scenenoise.com. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
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