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Girl Group Rocks Saudi Taboos

The Accolade still underground but gaining popularity as youth push boundaries

By Katherine Thompson, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 24, 2008 12:02 PM CST

(Newser) – The Accolade sounds like a typical female rock band: Its members have teased hair and facial piercings, and their clothing shocks passers-by as they tell a New York Times reporter about their new song with lyrics about a failed relationship. But the Accolade’s home base is conservative Saudi Arabia, and its members have turned taboo-breaking up to 11.

Their native city of Jidda may be slightly less strict than other parts of the country—the girls can get away with wearing their abayas open to reveal jeans and shirts underneath—but their music remains underground. If the Accolade starts playing gigs, it’ll have to be inside private compounds. The religious police, while more lenient than a decade ago, haven’t gone away.

[Images (4)]

[Quotes (1)]

Art for Accolade's single Pinocchio, drawn by bandmember Dina. (The Accolade)

The band's logo, from their MySpace page.

A Saudi woman wears an embroidered abaya in the old city of Jiddah, Saudi Arabia on Dec. 20, 2007. Especially in Jiddah, more women are moving away from traditionally drab, all-black clothing. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Saudi women arrive to the Imam Turki bin Abdullah mosque to offer Eid al-Fitr morning prayers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2008. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

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We’re looking for a drummer. Five guys have offered, but we really want the band to be all female. - Lamia, the lead singer of Accolade

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Girl Group Rocks Saudi Taboos