Saudi Arabia taps Oscar winner Hans Zimmer to recreate national anthem

The current Saudi nation's anthem "Aash Al-Malik" which means Long Live the King was composed by Egyptian composer Abdul Rahman Al-Khateeb in 1947.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabian (KSA) government enlisted renowned Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer to recreate the nation’s anthem as part of its cultural transformation efforts.

The General Entertainment Authority Turki Alalshikh verified the collaboration with Hans Zimmer through his recent post on X, revealing Zimmer known for iconic film scores like The Lion King, Dune, and The Dark Knight Trilogy has agreed to the “broad outlines” of the project.

“Today I met someone who is one of the greatest musicians of our time. The legend Hans Zimmer. We discussed a lot about many future projects that I hope will see the light of day soon including redistributing the Saudi national anthem with different instruments, as well as making a musical piece called Arabia inspired by my dear country, and also making a very large concert with a new idea for the Riyadh season in the coming years,” Alalshikh wrote on X.

Hyderabad Institute of Excellence

Expanding Saudi Arabia’s cultural footprint

In addition to the anthem project, Zimmer reportedly works on multiple projects including a Saudi-inspired musical titled Arabia and soundtrack development for The historic battle in Islam “Yarmuk” while planning a “very large concert.” These projects complement Saudi Arabia’s nationwide efforts to build a diverse economy in addition to becoming a global cultural centre.

The current Saudi nation’s anthem “Aash Al-Malik” which means Long Live the King was composed by Egyptian composer Abdul Rahman Al-Khateeb in 1947.

Under Zimmer’s direction, the anthem will undergo a modern reinvention which preserves its traditional “Arab fanfare” character from the mid-20th century era.

MS Creative School

A vision for transformation

Under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Saudi Arabia pursues Vision 2030 which drives economic diversification and modernization of the nation while serving as both oil’s leading exporter and Islam’s two most sacred sites Makkah and Madhina holder.

The government has instituted important cultural changes including movie theater operations and women’s driving rights with non-Muslim tourism also approved in order to establish a forward-thinking national identity to international observers.

Cultural advancements implemented by the kingdom include NEOM’s USD 500 billion futuristic city development together with investments in heavyweight boxing matches and concerts featuring prime global musicians.

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