Riyadh-based DJ and producer Alaa Jazaeri is gaining recognition in the music industry with his unique musical storytelling. His multicultural background and travels around the world have influenced his perspective, inspiring him to experiment with different genres and fusions of sounds, ultimately delivering an exciting and diverse experience.
Photo Credit: Alaa Jazaeri – Official
As an up-and-coming artist, Jazaeri has shared the stage with top-rated DJs in Riyadh, Amman, Beirut, and Jeddah, performing opening sets, mid-sets, and peak-hour sets at numerous underground events as well as official music festivals in Riyadh. With his captivating musical stories, he offers a culturally-immersive experience that should not be missed.
Jazaeri is also the co-founder of ‘Narratives’, a music platform that incorporates storytelling with popular mixtape podcasts and regular dance and art events held in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. Recently, he collaborated with Niko Gracia and the Argentinian label ‘Dreams’ to release his first EP, ‘Saba Najd’.
EG caught up with Alaa Jazaeri to learn more about his debut EP, ‘Saba Najd’, his latest contribution to the EG Spotlight Series, as well as future projects, and more.
EG: Hi Alaa! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been? Where are you right now?
Alaa Jazaeri: Very well, thank you, currently in Riyadh, my home for the past 3 years, it’s a city that’s set on high energy given the social reforms and art boom that the country is going through last few years, and I’m grateful to be here with so many opportunities to perform and put my story out there.
EG: First of all, thanks for your contribution to our EG Spotlight Series! Tell us, what can your fans expect to find in this installment?
Alaa Jazaeri: This set is different from what I usually do with my own podcast ‘Narratives’ which largely goes within the array of deep organic, tribal, and melodic sounds, I kept the same storytelling & unpredictable approach, but this time it’s faster, with minimal and punchy finish, I expect people to believe that the artist can still be true to his sound and emotional delivery regardless of the genre.
EG: How do you usually go about when curating a mix? What’s that process like for you?
Alaa Jazaeri: First, I need to set a narrative in my head, imagine a dialogue that includes an idea to be discussed or a tension to be resolved, and then a resolution that leads to either a euphoric end or making peace with one’s situation & emotions (inspired from real life), sometimes one track that I randomly listen to inspires the whole journey, and then the implementation takes place and I have to say it’s a lengthy one, I keep experimenting till I feel it’s my own masterpiece.
EG: So, how did you come in contact with electronic dance music? When did you first start to DJ?
Alaa Jazaeri: So I had gone through the trance music phase, like most people in my generation, and occasionally some groovy underground parties in Jeddah-Saudi, and then I had along with my wife to step out of the scene for more than 5 years to raise babies, to go back to dance floors in 2018 where I was profoundly inspired by the development of sounds and the wide variety of vibes. I was particularly inspired by storytelling artists, like the Toronto-based Mustafa Ismaeel who after I listened to him, I had the spark and I knew I’m distant to walk this path.
That was the time when the 2020 lockdown happened and found myself free to explore and then leading the way to where I am now, playing regularly in underground, official events, and festivals.
“This set is different from what I usually do with my own podcast ‘Narratives’which largely goes within the array of deep organic, tribal, and melodic sounds”
EG: Then you decided to start ‘Narratives’, right? Can you tell us more about it?
Alaa Jazaeri: ‘Narratives’ was born when I had no gear yet, and was mixing on my laptop, that was when I recorded Chapter 1, the idea was to start a series of sets where I can apply my music & storytelling philosophy and mainly within deeper and organic sounds, just to give it a theme and vibe consistency.
A couple of chapters later, ‘Narratives’ was seen as one of the most consistent local podcasts with a very good global reach, and when I sensed the brand is resonating widely and deeply here in Saudi, I partnered up with DJ & Events champion Narkbeat, and have curated multiple events in Riyadh and Beirut, and have hosted world-renowned artists like Volen Sentir, Mustafa Ismaeel (Narrative’s international partner), Dave Pad and Dilby.
Subsequently, the brand became a platform for local artists that are on the eclectic & storytelling side, who believe in creating journeys beyond genres and mainstream, and all of this was gratefully recognized when we were invited last year to showcase ‘Narratives’ at the prestigious XP Music Futures Conference organized by MDL Beast.
EG: And recently, you released your first EP, ‘Saba Najd’, in collaboration with Niko Garcia. What was the reception like? Are there new outings in the works?
Alaa Jazaeri: It’s always emotional to have your first release, especially with a well-recognized label like Dreamers.
I was happy with how it was perceived! ‘Saba Najd’ the main track of the EP, was named after an old expression of Najd region that describes the breezy vibe that the sunrise brings, and that was my main inspiration and that made it resonate. And I have to say, I was so lucky to collaborate with Niko on this, he certainly is one of the most talented artists out there in kindhearted and soulful organic house, in my opinion.
EG: What does the current underground landscape look like to you right now? Do you think things are moving “forward”?
Alaa Jazaeri: Certainly, and it’s very promising, the scene here as we know it right now is still new and fresh and there is a big support from official music institutes to artists, infrastructure etc., the quality of events production and music curation is growing rapidly, there is just so much passion in the air.
EG: Now, stepping away from the studio for a bit… Have you found any good books, movies, or albums lately that you’d recommend?
Alaa Jazaeri: Well, I can think of 2 books that actually changed my outlook on life, ‘A New Earth’ by Eckhart Tolle, a must-read spiritual awakening book, and ‘Sapiens – a brief history of Mankind’, which explains our existence and social behavior in a witty and exciting style.
“A couple of chapters later, ‘Narratives’ was seen as one of the most consistent local podcasts with a very good global reach”
EG: What’s next for Alaa Jazaeri? Where can your fans catch you next? What new milestones are you looking forward to in 2023
Alaa Jazaeri: I have 2 exciting singles in the pipeline to be released this year, and I have many gigs signed this Autumn/Winter (our high season), to name a few, Freaks of Nature Festival, Narratives X Rituals and Hazy Festival in October, Nightlight in November, and December.
EG: Thank you for your time, Alaa! We’re excited to see what’s in store for you. Take care!
Alaa Jazaeri: Thank you for having me, and I hope EG listeners enjoy my mix released with you. Peace out.
Alaa Jazaeri ‘Saba Najd’ EP with Niko Garcia is out now. Get your copy here.
Follow Alaa Jazaeri: Soundcloud | Spotify | Instagram
