Al Jazeera World

The all-women Arab bands blazing a trail in Jordan and Egypt

Two all-women bands are empowering themselves across the Arab world, Naya from Jordan and The Lady’s Drum in Egypt.

There have been very few all-women musical groups in the Arab world – until now.

Jordanian band Naya and Egyptian group The Lady’s Drum are among the trailblazers making a name for themselves and performing to big, new audiences.

We go backstage with both groups – sharing the pain of long rehearsals and interminable bus journeys, and the joy and adrenalin of live performances and life away from the stage and spotlight.

We see how the women balance their musical careers with the pressures of motherhood – and how the men in their lives encourage them to break down traditional barriers to female musical empowerment in the Middle East.