Controversy Erupts Over Stage Display Resembling Kaaba in Riyadh Season Show
The performance was part of the Riyadh Season, an annual entertainment festival featuring global stars and high-profile events. This year’s lineup included performances by Jennifer Lopez, Camila Cabello, and Celine Dion. Jennifer Lopez also headlined an Elie Saab fashion show during the festival.
Riyadh: A recent performance in Saudi Arabia has sparked widespread online outrage after a stage designed to resemble the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site, was used as part of the event. Many critics have labeled the depiction disrespectful and questioned whether such acts align with the country’s reform agenda under Vision 2030.
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Social Media Condemnation
On social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the account Turkish Century criticized the event, stating, “The depravity of Saudi elites and their vile attacks on Islam have reached a new level. Images of half-naked singers projected on a Kaaba-like stage—is this what they call reforms?”
Other users expressed similar sentiments, calling the act “shameful” and “outrageous.” One user commented, “Shame on you Arabs! You’ve crossed every limit. At the opening of the Riyadh Season, a sacred Kaaba-like stage was created for mere entertainment, with women dancing around it. This is unacceptable.”
Event Highlights
The performance was part of the Riyadh Season, an annual entertainment festival featuring global stars and high-profile events. This year’s lineup included performances by Jennifer Lopez, Camila Cabello, and Celine Dion. Jennifer Lopez also headlined an Elie Saab fashion show during the festival.
Vision 2030 Reforms Under Scrutiny
The incident has reignited debates over Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative, a national plan to diversify the economy and liberalize society. While the reforms have attracted global attention, critics argue that they are eroding the country’s Islamic values.
Reports earlier this year suggested that Saudi Arabia was planning to open its first alcohol store in Riyadh—a move that has been met with both surprise and opposition. Alcohol consumption, sale, and purchase remain strictly prohibited under Islamic law in the Kingdom, with severe punishments including fines, lashes, deportation, and imprisonment.
Calls for Respecting Islamic Values
This latest controversy has raised questions about balancing modernization and preserving cultural and religious values in Saudi Arabia. Critics have urged the government to ensure that such reforms do not alienate its Islamic identity while pursuing broader economic and social changes.
This incident highlights the ongoing cultural tensions as Saudi Arabia navigates its ambitious Vision 2030 roadmap amidst growing scrutiny over its handling of traditional and religious sensitivities.
