ALULA — As AlUla is attracting more and more attention and tourist visits from inside and outside Saudi Arabia, one of the latest international artists who had the opportunity to perform in northwestern Saudi Arabia where a lot of changes have taken place is Naïka. She is an international singer/songwriter and viral internet sensation. Naïka belongs to mixed ethnicity — she is of European, African and Caribbean descent. The 24-year-old artist took the stage at AlUla's award-winning Maraya on 24 February 2022, wowing the crowd with songs in English, French and Creole. She even surprised the audience with a song in Arabic. Naïka said that she performed all of her original music. "I also learned the chorus of an Arabic song that I really like and sang it acapella, which was a bit challenging but it was really fun." Speaking to Saudi Gazette on what made her come to Saudi Arabia, Naïka said: "When I was invited to come perform in Saudi, I was so surprised and excited. It's a country I really did not know much about and it has been such a beautiful experience learning about the country, its culture and beautiful people. It definitely added to my excitement when I saw legends such as Andrea Bocelli and Lionel Richie had shared the same stage." Naïka described the beauty of AlUla as "grandiose" and "nothing short of astonishing". "This is my first time visiting Saudi. I had researched AlUla before coming, and its beauty was so grandiose that I felt overwhelmed when looking at it through my screen. Seeing its beauty in real life was nothing short of astonishing," she said. Commenting on how she felt about Saudi Arabia, Naïka said that "every single person I have met in Saudi has been absolutely wonderful. I will carry the Saudi people in my heart when I go back home. The hospitality touched me greatly and I am so grateful for them welcoming me so warmly and with open arms in their country." About her mission as an artist, she said: "I think my mission as an artist is to bring people together, no matter where you are from or what you look like. I think human connection is so beautiful and important." "I am just being myself; I know that some people will accept me and others won't and that is ok. I am grateful for the people who do accept me, and I love meeting new people," she added. Naïka also welcomed any collaboration with Arab artists, saying, "I think it would be fun to collaborate with an Arab artist. I love the flexibility that Arabic singers have with their voice, it's very beautiful." — SG
