Cosmicat at World Expo, 2025

Produced by DDX in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, the Saudi Arabia Pavilion’s six-month cultural programme at World Expo 2025 welcomed over three million visitors, offering global audiences an immersive experience of Saudi culture through art, music, and performance. Closing the programme, Cosmicat delivered a striking sonic finale inspired by the rhythms and histories of the Red Sea. 

Cosmicat (Nouf Sufyani) is a DJ, producer and multidisciplinary artist from Jeddah, and a pioneering figure in Saudi Arabia’s contemporary music scene. Part of a new generation reshaping the Kingdom’s creative landscape, her practice spans electronic music, sound design, vocal performance and art direction, and she has played a key role in opening pathways for Saudi female musicians on the global stage.

For her residency, Cosmicat created a one-of-a-kind immersive audiovisual installation titled Red Sea Orchestra, drawing on Saudi Arabia’s sonic heritage. Inspired by the Red Sea as a symbol of historical continuity, the work reflected its past, present and future significance through sound. Traditional musical elements from the Hijaz region were fused with contemporary electronic production, forming a layered and evolving composition.

The interactive installation invited audiences to actively engage with the performance, transforming listening into participation. In addition to the studio-based work, Cosmicat presented two live performances in the Pavilion courtyard, extending the experience into the public realm and reinforcing the communal nature of music.