Gone are the days of silently watching Ramadan series and keeping your opinions to yourself while enduring the torture of the soundtrack. A new crop of exciting and fresh producers and filmmakers have brought fresh blood to the industry, reuniting generations in front of the TV once again. In the past, we would obsess over the theme song or refer to a specific series by its intro. But now, things have changed, elevating our experience of watching Arab series to a whole new level. We cheer for our favorite tracks to be featured in a series or, sometimes, Google the lyrics of a song we’ve heard on TV and managed to memorize. If you had told me a few years ago that I would be listening to DAM or Youssra Hawari while watching Al Rawabi School for Girls or coming across Do’souka tracks in Finding Ola, I would have been very skeptical.
Streaming services and apps have changed the practices of Arab drama production by amplifying the presence of young producers, directors, and screenwriters. In Jinn, the first Netflix original Arabic drama, underground bands and artists like Mashrou’ Leila, El Morabba3, and Bu Kulthom were featured in a show for the first time. Netflix, together with Shahid, has ushered in an era of catering to millennial audiences by giving young talents the opportunity to convey their messages and tell their stories.
This Ramadan, the revered filmmaking duo Mariem Naoum and Karim El Shenawy are back with El Harsha El Sabaa. More than just an atypical story with unconventional characters, Shahid’s 15-episode series is bringing stories that resemble our life experiences as millennials to our homes while introducing our favorite bands and artists to our moms.
In a long Facebook post, El Shenawy expressed his gratitude to Egyptian rock band Massar Egbari, who after teaming up with the filmmaker in his Ramadan 2021 series Khali Bellek Men Zizi, allowed him to explore collaborations with other artists, notably beloved producer EL Waili, who worked on four songs for the latest series, including the official release of Samar Tarik’s latest hit, LW, which appears in the ninth episode. This first release came after some tweaks were made to the original version to make it in tune with the events of the series.
A fan of EL Waili, the director revealed he wanted the Egyptian artist to add his “fresh and colorful touch” to the series. At the same time, El Shenaway expressed his deep desire to showcase the richness and diversity of musical projects emerging from the Arab world.
Below, discover some of our favorite bangers that make up the flawless soundtrack of El Harsha El Sabaa, featuring artists like Rand, ŸUMA, and more.
Massar Egbari – Kelma (Intro of El Harsha El Sabaa)
Samar Tarik & EL Waili – LW
RAND – Haki Ma Naal
Donia Waelll x EL Waili – El 3asal
EL Waili X ZIADZAZA – Leh Betdaey2
ŸUMA – Sucre
Donia Waelll & EL Waili – El Qahera
Donia Waelll & EL Waili – Bekya
