Saudi hijabi releases epic rap video celebrating women driving, goes viral

Saudi social media personality Leesa A has taken the internet by storm with a music video celebrating the end of the kingdom's ban on female drivers.

Titled "Tahsibni Amzah" (Do you think I'm kidding?), the epic video features the abaya-clad singer rapping while she takes the wheel of a car and pokes her head through the sunroof.

The video was released on June 24, the day Saudi Arabia officially lifted the decades-old ban on women driving.

"Don't forget that today is the tenth day (of Shawwal) and this means no need for taxis. I'm not kidding, today I can drive myself," Leesa raps in the music video.

She goes on to say, "The steering wheel in my hands, the pedal under my foot, I won't ask anyone to drive me, I will take care of my own self."

The song also includes some safety tips for female drivers, urging them to stay vigilant and buckle up their seat belts.

The music video has been widely circulated online, amassing over one million views on Instagram and over 840,000 on YouTube.

"Thank you for your support and encouragement, it is my pleasure to be part of your enjoyment and happiness," Leesa, who now has nearly 67,000 followers on the social media platform, said in her Instagram story.

The song comes after the long-standing ban was lifted by a royal decree in September last year.

After a long battle and continuous campaigns by women's rights activists in the kingdom, female members of Saudi society have finally been granted their right to get behind the wheel for the first time since 1957.

Up until June 24, Saudi Arabia was the only country in the world where women could not drive and families had to hire private drivers for female relatives.

The 25-year-old singer/songwriter released a song titled "Drive" to support female motorists in the kingdom.

"The song is inspired by Saudi women now having a bigger voice. It is about realizing how strong we are and never ever losing hope," Tamtam told Gulf News.

Born and raised in Riyadh, Tamtam often addresses the challenges Saudi women face and speaks up about her experiences as a Saudi woman who dares to share her voice with the world.

The Lebanese singer, actress, and director released a music video for her song "Min Elli Byekhtar" (Who will choose?), which she dedicated to Saudi women.

This comes after Tawaji made history last year as the first female musician to ever perform a public concert in Saudi Arabia, according to Newsweek.

To celebrate Saudi female drivers, a group of Arab students at the Berklee College of Music recorded an Arabic-English mashup of The Beatles' song "Drive My Car".

The song features Syrian singer, composer and songwriter Nano Raies, along with Palestinian cellist, composer and arranger Naseem Alatrash.