The first weekend of December marked a cultural crescendo in Riyadh as XP Music Futures returned for its fifth edition — a three-day conference celebrating creative voices and shining a firm spotlight on the Kingdom’s evolving music and entertainment ecosystem. Powered by the MDLBEAST Foundation, the event offered a packed daytime schedule of workshops, panels, and discussions steered by some of the most influential figures and organisations in the regional and global music world.

This year’s expanded night programme extended the momentum, showcasing an eclectic lineup curated by regional labels and collectives including GoodFellas, Beatroot Records, Peachez, Wall of Sound, Dance Battle, Museland, Cloud 9 x Input/Output, Dhamma Collective, One Day at a Time, and Sama Abdulhadi & Friends.

But if you think music was the only star of the show, you are gravely mistaken. Visual arts had their own moment — and this is where "Through Her Eyes" steps onto the stage.

Curated by Under the Abaya — the pioneering project that began as a street-style chronicle of Saudi women and evolved into a cultural movement of global resonance — “Through Her Eyes” arrived at XP as a natural extension of the platform’s mission. Under the Abaya has always insisted that visibility is agency, and that Saudi women deserve to be seen as they truly are: multifaceted, ambitious, layered, and refreshingly uninterested in being reduced to a convenient stereotype.

Against the dynamic energy of XP Music Futures, the exhibition made its debut as a living, breathing dialogue. It placed Saudi women behind and in front of the lens, inviting them to build a collective portrait rooted in authenticity, trust, and shared perspective.

Because, as any editor worth their ink will tell you, the world still has a habit of misplacing women’s stories — and projects that allow women to articulate their own narratives aren't just welcome, they are essential.

Quite prominently, actually. The entire exhibition was shot on the iPhone 17 Pro, a tool the creators embraced not as a novelty but as a quiet revolution. Its 48MP camera and ProRAW features enabled photographers to capture subtle details, fleeting glances, and unguarded emotion — the sort of moments the kind of moments that slip away the minute a big camera appears.

Photographer Abeer Ahmad emphasised this immediacy, explaining, “The iPhone gives me greater freedom to approach women naturally and without pretense. The advanced camera lets me capture small details — honest, unrepeatable moments that don't wait for complicated setups.”

Music producer and DJ HiFi echoed the sentiment, crediting the device for its intuitive fluidity: “Shooting with the iPhone 17 Pro gives me a freedom that feels instinctive. Its portability makes it easy for me to move with my subject, follow their energy, and stay fully present. It allows me to tell my story with less technical distance and more emotional sincerity.”

Something unexpectedly profound. According to curator and Under the Abaya founder Marriam Mossalli, the creative process revealed more than stylish portraits — it unearthed connection. “One of the most surprising aspects was witnessing the bonds formed between the women,” she reflected. “Photographing one another created a sense of trust and vulnerability, allowing them to open up and share their true selves.”

The project reaffirmed a truth deeply rooted in Saudi culture: women’s identities aren't solitary constructs but communal ones, strengthened through cooperation and shared experience.

Mossalli also underscored the critical role of accessible technology: “Using the iPhone is a testament to the democratising power of technology. Accessible tools like smartphones are empowering Saudi creatives to tell their stories and reach global audiences without traditional gatekeepers.”

And that is no small shift. It is reshaping how women express themselves, showcase their talents, and pave the way for the next generation of creators.