Wednesday, March 30
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Auditorium (Building 20)
The Office of the Arts is delighted to present a groundbreaking Ensembles Concert, featuring for the first time, a guest artist Saudi singer-songwriter Tamtam, alongside its orchestra.
A rising star, based between Los Angeles and Riyadh, Tamtam, received the National Cultural Award in Saudi Arabia for her achievements in music. Singing in both Arabic and English, personal and global perspectives permeate her expressive soundscapes, which gives her work its unique tension.
A musician, singer and composer, Tamtam will perform several of her critically-acclaimed songs. She will also premiere, exclusively on the KAUST stage, an unreleased track from her new EP “Ismak”, due to be released in May of this year.
At the start of the evening, the Office of the Arts’ orchestra will offer a variety of music, ranging from a classic repertoire – including pieces by Johannes Brahms and Georges Bizet – to iconic mambo and salsa tunes.
The concert will culminate with Ismak, an original song from Tamtam’s album, performed in unison with the orchestra.
Please see the programme here.
About Tamtam
Saudi singer and songwriter Tamtam is based between Los Angeles and Riyadh.
Her sound is not one to put in a box, but one can hear Alternative R&B and Pop influences. Her single ‘We’ve Got Wings”, released in late 2015, helped promote a Saudi Breast Cancer awareness organization founded by Princess Reema Bint Bandar. “Gender Game” is a song about her journey as a Saudi woman pursuing a music career. In 2017, she released “Identify Myself” with lyrics of encouragement towards identifying ourselves as human beings first.
Her defiant single “Rise” released in 2018 reached over 1 million YouTube views. In 2019, she released her EP “Rough Around the Edges”, and performed her song “One Earth” at the Global Goals World Cup in NYC. She has released two collaborative singles in 2020, “Heartsick” co-produced with Saud, which is about how connected all human beings are; and “Romantic Encounter” an alternative bilingual track with Saudi band Arabian Alien. Last year, she was featured on acclaimed French producer Dioscures’ new album “Ciela”, with a song called “Back To….’’.
Tamtam received the National cultural Award in Saudi Arabia for her achievements in music, and has been featured on numerous magazine covers including: Marie Claire Arabia (Jan 2021), Elle Arabia (Mar 2021) and Vogue Arabia (Jun 2021) along with the legendary Saudi musician Abadi Al-Johar.
2022 saw the release of Tamtam’s new single and music video “Ismak”, where she embraces her identity as a bridge between the Middle East and the West more than ever before. Her EP by the same name will be released in May of this year.
About the Office of the Arts
Under the umbrella of The Office of the Provost, the Office of the Arts consists of a visual and performing arts team with a mission to promote art, science and culture in KAUST, the Kingdom, and in the wider global context.
For further information, contact officeofthearts@kaust.edu.sa and/or follow @KAUST_Arts on social media.
Children are welcome to attend with their parents. Should they become restless however, we ask that you please escort them away from earshot.