Redefining Electronic Music at IMS Dubai: Cosmicat

by Sophie She

Redefining Electronic Music at IMS Dubai: Cosmicat – Saudi Arabia’s Rising Star

20 Jan 2025

Welcome behind the scenes. This is an exclusive interview with Cosmicat, a DJ and producer who has been reshaping the music landscape in Saudi Arabia and beyond. Known for her dynamic sets and genre-blending productions, Cosmicat’s journey from dentistry (oh wow) to the DJ decks is as inspiring as it is unique.

I caught Cosmicat at the very first International Music Summit (IMS) in Dubai, the premier platform for thought leadership in electronic music. As a speaker and performer, Cosmicat not only showcased her artistry but also shared her perspective on the evolving sounds of her region. From her beginnings as a cat-loving space enthusiast to performing at iconic festivals like Tomorrowland, she continues to chart a stellar path in the world of electronic music.

— To start with, please tell me, why “cosmicat”?

— I am a cat lady. I really love cats. I feel like I am a cat — I am very introverted, very independent, I like seafood [laughs]. And I love learning about space and astronomy. So, I just put that together — Cosmic-Cat.

— I know you have two cute cats, what are their names?

— Luz is my older one, she is eight. When I adopted her, they used to call her Loza, but I did not like that very much, so I shorted it to Luz. And the younger one is Pookie, she is seven. There was this cat that I follow religiously on the internet, and her name is the Pooky the Munchkin. And I really wanted to have a Pookie so bad, so my Pookie looks very much like the original one.

Instagram: @cosmicatx

— According to our sources, you also started out as a dentist. I am very curious what went bad on the doctor’s road? How did you end up in the music industry after being a dentist?

— I went to dental college and got my degree, got a job. But I always loved music. I was a ‘music collector’ ever since I was a child. I was obsessed with every single genre of music you can think of. But back in the day in Saudi Arabia, pursuing music as a career was not an option. There was a lot of stigma around the role of women. So, I was just focusing on a career that is practical and ensures a good future for myself. I enjoyed dentistry at the time, it was cool.

— Do you remember the point at which you decided to go full-time music?

— It was around 2018–2019, I was already DJing and I was working full-time in the clinic. It was hectic, but nobody was hurt. I was skipping work, honestly, way too much, because I was getting booked for gigs. And then this massive opportunity for came up and it required a lot of travel. My dental job was six days a week. Thus, I had to choose. The opportunity that found me was about being a host on NBC1 for a TV show. And I chose TV over clinic. I decided to close my eyes and just trust the universe, trust my destiny. If anything goes wrong — I will always have my degree, I can always bounce back and just find a 9-to-5 job again. But thankfully, I have not looked back ever since. For eight years.

— Do you remember your first, very first gig?

— I was terrified. It was late 2017 or early 2018. The gig was a part of a cultural exchange event between Saudi and Germany. We had techno artists coming from Germany and I was more into techno at that time. They booked me and there was like 500 people. It was a huge shift from zero people and two cats in my bedroom to 500 people staring at me. Man, I was sweating. I could not lift my head up for two seconds, because I was so nervous. But I did okay.

— You have mentioned being influenced by genres like deep house and techno. How do your cultural roots influence your musical style and production?

— When it comes to personal taste, I like everything. I really listen to everything. I listen to local Khaliji music, classical, all types of electronic music, all colors of hip-hop and R&B, plus everything in between. But when it comes to my music production, I am trying to implement as much Arabic drums and vocals as I can. Maybe even create a sub-genre by accident. There is a lot in common between dance music and my local music as Arab, Khaliji music from the GCC region.

Instagram: @cosmicatx

— What was your memorable gig as well? The best you have had?

— Certainly, it would be playing at Tomorrowland at the core stage. I think that was back in 2022. And Tomorrowland overall was one of the festivals that I was dying to attend. The first time for me to play there was pretty crazy. The energy was absolutely amazing. Super colourful, daytime festival integrated with nature. Fun fact. Did you know that the core stage actually is a big balloon that they deflate and take places?

— This is so bizarre.

— Obviously, it had a wooden structure. But it is still crazy.

— What is your story in your backyard?

— I am storing a stage for Tomorrowland. Why not? [laughs]

— One of IMS’s topics is “DEFINING A SOUND: THE SOUND OF A REGION.” From your perspective, what is the sound of Saudi Arabia?

— I think we are still shaping a major sound for the entire country. There are different genres that are being favourited in different cities in Saudi. For example, Jeddah is very heavily dominated by minimal house, a lot of hip-hop, and just colours of disco and deep house. It is very groovy. It goes very well with the beach and the vibes there. But Riyadh is a big city, it never sleeps, it is kind of like NYC, people are constantly wired on coffee. So you find heavier sounds of techno and melodic techno.

The overall sound is groovy. And again, to the cultural aspect, there are a lot of different types of drums. They love something that makes you move from the waist down. It just really relates to the kind of music that we grew up listening to.

— I know that you are the radio host of Ula FM. Do you have an anchor phrase?

— Yes! It is — Welcome to the act of Cosmicat. Feel the cosmic energy.

Ula FM right now is the biggest radio in Saudi, it is playing, in 16 different cities. You can tune in pretty much anywhere. You can find it online or on Saudi Airlines, on the plane entertainment system. We play different sounds of every genre you can think of. It is not only dance music, it changes the vibe at different times of the day. I am not being biased because I work there, I really do enjoy it and I have it playing in my car the entire time.

by Sophie She