Swedish podcast company Acast has partnered with Pineapple Productions and Raha Moharrak, the youngest Arab and first Saudi woman to climb Mount Everest, for its latest podcast “Quality of Life.”
As the first season draws to a close, the show has amassed listeners in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, Iraq, Oman, and Tunisia.
The podcast consists of episodes in both English and Arabic and shines a light on women in sport, particularly in the Middle East.
On the name, “Quality of Life,” Moharrak told Arab News: “It’s reflective of Vision 2030 and the changes that are happening in Saudi Arabia for all people, but particularly for women and for women in sport, and the episodes really reflect how the guests achieve quality of life; what they do day-to-day, how they look after themselves and do all the things they do.”
The first season features 20 episodes — half in Arabic and half in English — of varying lengths. The 10 full-length episodes are between 30 and 60 minutes long, while the 10 mini episodes last between five and 15 minutes.
The show features a diverse guest list including a female astronaut, the highest-paid female American footballer, the vice chair of the Saudi rowing association, and a Middle Eastern Instagram fitness coach, Moharrak said.
It also includes the first female Saudi CrossFit trainer, first female Saudi Olympic rower, and first female Saudi boxing coach.
“Firsts are happening, which is proof that opportunities are now here,” she added.
Moharrak has been widely celebrated for her achievements since she climbed Mount Everest in 2013. Now, with the podcast, she aims to “bring light to some of the incredible women in sport, in Saudi, the Middle East more generally, and internationally.”
She chose to do so through podcasting because she believed it was the “natural platform for long-form audio storytelling in 2023” and “allows for authentic, real, and incredible insights into the lives of people we may not otherwise know about in-depth.”
The format has been gaining popularity with podcast streaming increasing by more than 190 percent year-on-year from 2022 to 2023 on Spotify alone.
Acast’s managing director, Megan Davies, told Arab News: “Podcasting is the art of storytelling — a space where our collective human experiences gain a powerful voice.”
Her passion for podcasting “stems from the belief that extraordinary stories must always be told,” she said.
She added: “In this instance, the strength of women’s voices in ‘Quality of Life’ not only enrich and diversify our media landscape but also challenge historical limitations. Together, we’re reshaping the narrative of what’s achievable.”
‘Quality of Life’ is available on all major podcast platforms.
