In the Yamaha music school, in the center of the capital, Yasmine takes part every Saturday in a half-hour group lesson with a young Egyptian teacher, under a sign bearing the inscription "Music for all".

Ahmed Abdallah watches over his daughter with nostalgia.

"I see myself in her, doing what I didn't have access to in my childhood," the 42-year-old father told AFP.

According to him, Saudi Arabia is "now investing in the future generation" with "more opportunities".

“The interest in music is growing,” he notes.

Long accused of spreading an obscurantist Islam, the rich Gulf monarchy follows a rigorous application of Sharia, Islamic law, severely abusing the taste of the arts.

But in recent years, the young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, de facto ruler of the Gulf kingdom, has sought to put an end to this austere image, giving pride of place to major sporting and cultural events.

From YouTube to school

Admittedly, Saudi Arabia has long been home to sometimes famous singers and songwriters, but major concerts were rare.

Wajdan Hajji, an employee in a company that sells medical equipment, learns to play the guitar in a music school in the Saudi capital, June 11, 2022 Fayez Nureldine AFP

Now Arab and international stars perform there, from Canadian Justin Bieber to K-pop giants BTS and French DJ David Guetta.

These artists are regularly criticized for serving the soup to Saudi power, accused by NGOs of serious human rights violations.

But these concerts remain acclaimed by a whole generation in need of entertainment.

And everyday life has also become more melodious: restaurants and cafes, once steeped in silence, play music and organize small concerts.

Five music schools have recently opened in the capital Riyadh and in Jeddah, the kingdom's second largest city on the Red Sea.

Their clientele: children but also adults.

This is the case of Wajdan Hajji, a 28-year-old music enthusiast, who has just finished her course.

"I have changed, I have become calmer," the employee of a medical supply company told AFP.

A DJ in a music production studio in Jeddah, May 26, 2022 Fayez Nureldine AFP

The one who was trying to learn the guitar through videos on YouTube now pays the equivalent of around 250 euros per month for her lessons with a Ukrainian teacher.

"If I made a mistake, there was no one to correct me," recalls the young woman.

"I didn't know anything, but now I've learned the basics."

Growing market

In 2020, the kingdom created the Music Authority, under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture, which grants licenses to specialized schools and must support young talents.

And a plan to teach music in public schools has recently been launched, with the private sector also beginning to show interest.

At Ryad's "Maison de la Musique", a group of five children carefully follow the instructions of their Lebanese teacher, moving to the rhythm of the musical notes.

The school with rooms adorned with posters of Jamaican reggae legend Bob Marley or the great Lebanese diva Fairouz, opened in 2019 and has 300 students of all ages, according to its director Cesar Mora.

Young people dance in a music production studio in Jeddah on May 26, 2022 Fayez Nureldine AFP

"So far, the services we offer have been well accepted," the Venezuelan resident told AFP, adding that the opening of a second school is in preparation.

"The music-loving community and the market are growing."

"Saudi Arabia has changed a lot," he told AFP, smiling, as his daughters looked on.

"Maybe we'll form a band one day. Why not?"

© 2022 AFP