Sawsan Al Bahiti

Sawsan Al Bahiti, born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, developed an early interest in music, listening to a diverse range of genres from classical Arabic to Western rock. She began playing guitar around age six, influenced by her older siblings. Growing up, exposure to live music was limited, yet her passion for singing persisted. In 2007, she moved to the UAE to pursue a Mass Communications – Advertising degree at the American University of Sharjah. During her university years, she participated in open mic competitions, singing artists like Shakira and Beyoncé, and soon discovered her vocal aptitude, often choosing higher-pitched songs. This led her to pursue choral singing as an elective, where her potential was recognized by her choir conductor and a vocal coach, leading to continuous vocal training.

Sawsan’s training included performing in English, French, German, and Italian, mastering the primary languages of opera. After two years of intensive musical activity, she returned to Saudi Arabia in 2011 and worked in marketing, during which her musical pursuits became infrequent. The announcement of Saudi Vision 2030 and the creation of the General Authority for Entertainment and the Ministry of Culture in 2018 marked a turning point. Recognizing the emerging opportunities in the arts, Sawsan decided to dedicate herself to music. She enrolled in a hybrid remote and in-person course with New York Vocal Coaching, subsequently establishing her own vocal coaching practice, The Soulful Voice, to train aspiring and established singers in Saudi Arabia.

In 2019, Sawsan publicly launched her career as an opera artist, introducing opera to Saudi Arabia and earning the title of Saudi Arabia’s first opera singer. Her expertise led to her becoming a consultant for the Music Commission, where she later joined full-time for over two years. A significant achievement during this period was leading the establishment of the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir. Her professional debut in 2019 included performing the Saudi national anthem operatically in Riyadh, invited by the Minister of Culture, at an event featuring the Italian symphony orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala Academy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she connected remotely with international opera experts, conductors, and singers, performing for global audiences and integrating Arabic classical songs into an operatic style. Her career highlights include performing with Andrea Bocelli and Serena Gamberoni in AlUla, and with the Paris Opera. She was also cast in “Zarqa Al Yamama,” Saudi Arabia’s first grand opera, in April 2024. Currently, Sawsan is continuing her opera training in Italy on a scholarship from the Saudi Music Commission, focusing on developing new operatic styles and fusions.