DUBAI: Whenever Gina Choerunisa shares her covers of Arabic classics with her Indonesian followers, praise usually pours in. But this week, something unexpected happened: One of her clips went viral — not at home, but in Saudi Arabia — suddenly bringing her into online fame.
The video that was widely shared by Saudi netizens and soon made the rounds on various social media platforms across the Arab world was Gina’s interpretation of one of the greatest hits by the celebrated Kuwaiti singer Abdallah Al-Rowaished.
She only found out what was happening when TikTok’s algorithm showed her a post in Arabic, featuring her video and mentioning her name. In the short clip, she holds her 1-year-old son and casually sings to the mirror Al-Rowaished’s “Ana Batbaa Galbi” (I follow my heart).
“We started checking it with my husband and realized that there were so many such posts. So many people were uploading it in Saudi Arabia and Yemen,” Gina told Arab News.
“I was so happy. I was so proud, because I’ve always loved Arabic songs ... When I perform here, in Indonesia, in every event I would include Arabic music.”
The 21-year-old mother and homemaker from Bandung in West Java province, has been active online only since the beginning of this year.
Lately, she has been posting and going live almost every day, supported by her husband who also loves Arabic classics and often accompanies her on the oud — the iconic pear-shaped string instrument central to Middle Eastern music. Both are self-taught performers.
“I love Arabic songs because their lyrics are rich in meaning, although singing in Arabic comes with many challenges, like the complex techniques needed to perform these soulful and tonally varied tunes,” Gina said.
Among her most cherished artists, besides Al-Rowaished, are the late Umm Kulthum — the legendary Egyptian diva celebrated for her powerful voice, emotive performances, and richly poetic compositions — and Abu Bakr Salem, the Yemeni singer considered a pioneer of contemporary Arabic music in the Gulf.
There are also Saudi stars, including Talal Maddah, credited with modernizing the Kingdom’s musical scene, and Mohammed Abdu, the nation’s most beloved and influential singer, often called “The Artist of the Arabs,” whom Gina dreams of meeting someday.
“Mohammed Abdu is my favorite singer,” she said. “If you ask whether I’d like to meet him, of course I would. Hopefully in the future.”
