Nooriyah
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Nooriyah | |
|---|---|
| Born | Nooriyah Qais Saudi Arabia |
| Genres | Electronic; club; global bass |
| Occupations | DJ; producer; curator; radio presenter; writer |
| Years active | 2010s–present |
| Website | nooriyah |
Nooriyah (also credited as Nooriyah Qais) is a Saudi-born, UK-based DJ, producer, curator and radio presenter. She is known for incorporating music from the South-West Asian and North African (SWANA) region into electronic and club music contexts.[1]
She is the founder of the London-based music platform and event series Middle of Nowhere, which focuses on SWANA artists and sounds and has been featured by Boiler Room and Resident Advisor.[2][3]
Nooriyah was born in Saudi Arabia and later lived in Japan before settling in the United Kingdom.[1][4][5]
She later completed a master’s degree in public health at Imperial College London, with research addressing child nutrition in conflict zones.[6]
Career
Radio and audio production
Nooriyah first developed her public profile through radio before focusing more fully on DJing and live performance.[1] She is listed as a presenter by Rinse FM.[7]
In 2022, she was credited as the producer of the BBC Radio 4 documentary A Little Flat: The Music Our Ears Overlook.[8]
DJing and performances
Nooriyah’s DJ sets have been described as drawing on SWANA rhythms alongside UK club music lineages and contemporary electronic styles.[9][10][11]
In December 2022, Boiler Room streamed Boiler Room London: Middle of Nowhere, which included a recorded DJ set by Nooriyah.[2][12]
She has appeared at festivals and events including Glastonbury Festival, where the 2023 programme listed “Nooriyah Presents Middle of Nowhere”.[13]
In 2025, Nooriyah was included in press coverage of the Do LaB stage line-ups at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.[14]
Resident Advisor has published a podcast mix credited to Nooriyah and maintains an artist profile for her.[15]
Middle of Nowhere
Middle of Nowhere was founded by Nooriyah as a platform and event series centred on SWANA artists and sounds, highlighting regional musical forms within club culture.[3][2]
