Lebanese pop star Elissa is no stranger to flaunting her dance moves in music videos and on stages around the world. But, that was not the case during her recent performance in Saudi Arabia.
On Friday, Elissa took the stage at The Hilton Jeddah, marking her first-ever concert in the Saudi city. But, it seems as though the pop star knew her boundaries, and this was evident in a question that appeared mid-performance. In one video that surfaced online, the singer can be heard asking one of the concert organizers if she can dance on stage.
"Can I dance a little? No? He told me no," Elissa can be heard saying.
The singer posted several photos and videos to Instagram, documenting her pre-concert vibes. She even posted a short clip of her swaying side to side before taking the stage.
Videos of her performance took over Twitter. In several clips shared on the micro-blogging platform, the singer can be seen dancing in a pretty subtle manner. But, it seems the singer wanted to move her hips a bit more freely when she decided to pose her question mid-performance.
Elissa's performance grabbed the audience's attention, leaving attendees in awe. People in the kingdom even launched an Arabic hashtag titled "Elissa in Jeddah" in celebration of her talent.
"Everything was perfect"
"Queen"
The concert, organized by Rotana, also saw Saudi-Iraqi singer Majid al-Muhandis take the stage.
Saudi Arabia's entertainment sector has seen progress in recent years. In 2017, Yemeni-Emirati singer Balqees Fathi took the stage in Saudi Arabia in the first female-only concert in the kingdom. In 2018, the kingdom hosted a mixed-gendered concert, performed by Egyptian singer Nihad Fathy, making her the first female singer to perform to men and women.
But, despite the fact that concerts have become more commonplace in the kingdom, dancing remains a restriction. In recent years, people have been prosecuted, fined, and jailed in Saudi Arabia for flaunting their dance moves in public.