Backstreet Boys, Cairokee and Afrojack to close Diriyah E-Prix weekend in Saudi Arabia

Tickets, starting at 100 Saudi riyals, are still available for the race and concerts on January 27

Backstreet Boys return to Saudi Arabia, this time to headline the E-prix after-race concert in historical city Diriyah. Photo: CBX

American boy band Backstreet Boys will headline the 2024 Diriyah E-Prix on January 27. The second and final day of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship races will also see Egyptian rock band Cairokee and Dutch DJ Afrojack take to the stage.

The Backstreet Boys are no strangers to the region, and made their Saudi Arabia debut in June 2019, as part of the Jeddah Season cultural festival. Their latest show in the kingdom was last May, preceded by their sold-out debut Abu Dhabi performance.

Likewise, Afrojack played at the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023 in March.

The Dutch DJ – co-producer of Hey Mama with David Guetta – also teamed up with music company MDL Beast to put on an intensive production camp for aspiring electronic musicians in the kingdom.

The five-piece Egyptian pop-rock group Cairokee, meanwhile, are regulars at events across Saudi. Globally, too, they are going from strength to strength since emerging during the 2011 Egyptian revolution with Ya El Medan, a song that became a rallying cry used by protesters in Tahrir Square.

Other revolutionary songs attendees can expect at the Diriyah E-Prix concert include Layla, El Seka Shemal Fe Shemal and Samurai, while headline act Backstreet Boys will belt out smash-hit singles including I Want It That Way, Everybody and Incomplete.

Artists previously confirmed to perform on day one of the race, on January 26, include OneRepublic, Nancy Ajram and Alesso.

“Entertainment is a huge part of our race. Since we started in Diriyah, we have wanted to entertain fans, not only with incredible electric racing, but also a Fan Village where ... they can keep the party going throughout the evening,” said Carlo Boutagy, founder and chief executive of CBX, promoter of the Diriyah E-Prix.

The Allianz Fan Village also has racing simulators, a gaming arena, street food stalls and family-friendly activities.

The Diriyah E-Prix races are part of Saudi Arabia’s investment in sport, which aims to inspire residents and visitors to enjoy active lives as part of the country’s Vision 2030 cultural transformation.

Tickets, starting at 100 Saudi riyals, are still available to watch the races and attend the concerts, and can be bought from webook.com