By blending the aesthetics of authentic Gulf music with the complexity of classical orchestral scores, Saudi musician Marwan Fagi is creating something completely original – a new Saudi melody.
Marwan Fagi has been singing since he was three years old. Born and raised in a conservative Saudi household, he recalls being fascinated by everything from the mosque’s call to prayer to the grandeur of Western classical masters Mozart and Beethoven. But it wasn’t until his parents saw his unwavering commitment to music that they realised this wasn’t just a passing childhood phase, it was a calling.
“I listen to all kinds of music, but I lean towards the classics,” Fagi tells Esquire Saudi. The first voices to captivate him were the legendary Saudi singer Talal Maddah and Lebanon’s Fairouz – artists whose emotional depth ignited a real passion for performance. “I remember I would visit Virgin Megastore in the early 2000s, and spend hours searching for international sounds, anything that gave me a new way to experience music – jazz, blues, classical, anything that fed my curiosity.”
Fagi’s life changed when he met Ghazi Ali, the legendary late Saudi composer known for his collaborations across Egypt, Lebanon and the Gulf. Ali became his mentor, guiding him through classical Arabic and contemporary music, teaching him not just musical knowledge but discipline. “He was my godfather in music,” Fagi says.
Before becoming the orchestral artist, he is today, Fagi entered the spotlight under the name Marwan Tarek during Arab Idol in 2012. His charm and classical vocal tone earned him a growing fanbase, and his debut single Leh Al Gheeba followed soon after. But rather than capitalise on instant fame, Fagi chose a slower, more deliberate route.
He re-emerged on The Voice (Season 4) five years later – this time under his real name. Chosen by Lebanese pop icon Elissa, Fagi began to fully see himself not just as a singer, but as an artist. His performances hinted at a developing language of his own – one that would soon crystallise in his compositions.
That language first revealed itself in his 2019 song Sad W Hasaif, where modern arrangements met classical Gulf vocals. Then came Weytool El Kalam in 2021 – a breakthrough moment. Recorded in Budapest with 82 musicians, the piece is widely regarded as the first Saudi philharmonic song. It was built on the Maqam Bayati – a rich and complex Arabic music scale – and wrapped in Western orchestral richness. This song didn’t just fuse genres, it dissolved borders.
Fagi followed up with Ya Laylat Al Wasl, based on a poem by Arabic poet Ibn Al-Mu’tazz. While nodding to the legacy of Iraqi singer Kazem Al Saher, the track marked a shift towards something quieter, more introspective.
With each release, Fagi sharpened his message: Saudi music doesn’t have to be confined. It can breathe in different languages, scales and forms – and still hold onto its soul.
In 2021, he opened the Abu Dhabi Festival’s Ramadan series backed by the Lebanese Philharmonic and conducted by operatic icon Hiba Al-Kawas. The performance was a culmination of everything Fagi had worked towards – a fusion of Saudi lyricism, orchestral drama and poetic nuance.
The production spanned cities: strings recorded at Beirut’s National Museum, vocals laid down at Jeddah’s Tayebat Museum. A symbolic bridge between past and future, East and West. “Music isn’t just for entertainment,” he says. “It’s for connection. My dream is to be that bridge.”
By the end of 2024, Fagi’s debut album Taraneem Almatar (Hymns of the Rain) arrived – an eight-track odyssey recorded across Budapest, Riyadh, Beirut and Cairo, involving more than 150 musicians and technicians. Each piece carries its own emotional weight, fusing the moodiness of Romanticism with the nostalgia of Gulf balladry.
Despite its orchestral scale, the album feels deeply personal. “It’s not about proving anything,” Fagi says. “It’s about showing our culture in a different light – without losing it.”
Released independently, the album also highlights the lack of support for musical experimentation in Saudi Arabia. “There’s very little production support for this kind of work,” he admits. “But I believe if you build something true, the audience will find it.”
Now, he’s in talks for a major project: Bayn Al Maqamein (Between the Scales), a musical project exploring dualities – old and new, Eastern and Western, traditional and experimental. “It’s not just music – it’s an experience. Concerts, musicals, visuals. I want to invite people into this world.”
When asked about untraditional collaborations, he names Lebanese singer and actor Mike Massy, whose theatrical flair and classical sensibilities mirror Fagi’s ambitions. “Our worlds aren’t that far apart. There’s a shared language in our music. We just need to find it.”
In a time dominated by pop, rap and EDM, Fagi’s work is a quiet, intentional counterpoint. “Trends come and go,” he adds. “But real music and real feelings stay.”
Fagi is not chasing fame, he’s chasing quality. “My ambition is to keep presenting the Saudi song in an international context. I want people to understand it. I want to prove that musical evolution is happening here. It’s no longer one line, one style – there’s space for individuality and creativity.”
Marwan Fagi’s debut album, Taraneem Almatar, is now streaming on all platforms.