Saudi Arabia’s National Day is being celebrated by some of the Arab world's biggest pop stars.
In honour of the 91st anniversary of the kingdom's founding on September 23, Saudi stars Mohammed Abdullah and Majid Al Mohandis have released tracks celebrating their homeland.
They are joined by fellow Gulf artists including Kuwait’s Nawal El Kuwaitia and Bahraini crooner Rashed Al Majed.
Here are some of the heartfelt messages behind these odes to Saudi Arabia.
1. ‘Dimat Dakhran’ by Majid Al Mohandis
The Saudi singer addresses the kingdom's leadership and resilience with this up-tempo track.
"Determined, capable and successful. A verb that translates ambitions and paths,” Al Mohandis says.
“You point the goal, how and where. By God, we are not known for breaking."
2. 'Abnaa Al Watan' released by record label Rotana
This choral piece highlights how Saudi Arabian society is built on faith and kinship.
The lyrics have a conversational quality and take on the prospective of a Saudi youth asking elders about the country's history.
"Talk to us about Najd [a region] and the Sarat Mountains," the choir sings.
"Tell us about the straggles of our grandfathers who cleared our borders from sea to sea."
3. 'Foug Al Omam' by Rabeh Saqer
The much-loved Saudi crooner dedicates the track to Saudi Arabia's King Salman.
Over languid Gulf rhythms, Saqer praises the royal’s steady hand and vision.
"He is the protector of the homeland," the lyrics state.
"He leads our country, the world bears witness to him, with our souls and children."
4. ‘Bayariq Aalia’ by Nawal El Kuwaitia
The veteran Kuwaiti singer pays tribute to the kingdom’s landscape, "from the north to south" and the strength of its leadership.
Over strident percussion and swooning strings, El Kuwaitia declares "Saudi Arabia is up for the occasion".
5. 'Ya Watan'a' by Rashed Al Majed
The romantic crooner turns his affection to the country, which throughout his 20-year career afforded him a dedicated fan-base.
The song title means "Oh homeland" and Al Majed praises the new generation of Saudis in the track.
"We are proud of you and you are proud of youth," he says. "We are soldiers and guards in front of your gate."
The song, featuring a call-and-response vocal style, ends with Majed wishing greater success and continued stability for Saudi Arabia.
The video’s end credits also reveal the track was composed by Ahmed Al Hermi, the Bahraini singer-songwriter renowned for his collaborations with Saudi artists Saqer and Al Mohandis.
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Young women have more “financial grit”, but fall behind on investing
In an October survey of young adults aged 16 to 25, Charles Schwab found young women are more driven to reach financial independence than young men (67 per cent versus. 58 per cent). They are more likely to take on extra work to make ends meet and see more value than men in creating a plan to achieve their financial goals. Yet, despite all these good ‘first’ measures, they are investing and saving less than young men – falling early into the financial gender gap.
While the women surveyed report spending 36 per cent less than men, they have far less savings than men ($1,267 versus $2,000) – a nearly 60 per cent difference.
In addition, twice as many young men as women say they would invest spare cash, and almost twice as many young men as women report having investment accounts (though most young adults do not invest at all).
“Despite their good intentions, young women start to fall behind their male counterparts in savings and investing early on in life,” said Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, senior vice president, Charles Schwab. “They start off showing a strong financial planning mindset, but there is still room for further education when it comes to managing their day-to-day finances.”
Ms Schwab-Pomerantz says parents should be conveying the same messages to boys and girls about money, but should tailor those conversations based on the individual and gender.
"Our study shows that while boys are spending more than girls, they also are saving more. Have open and honest conversations with your daughters about the wage and savings gap," she said. "Teach kids about the importance of investing – especially girls, who as we see in this study, aren’t investing as much. Part of being financially prepared is learning to make the most of your money, and that means investing early and consistently."
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Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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