Saudi Oil was formed in New York in 2025 with an origin story that still sounds like a bit. Frontman Christopher Aljumah, an architect, quietly slipped a clause into a contract while designing Partisan Records’ venue Mews, requiring the label to listen to a six-song EP once the project was completed. The venue opened, the EP got played, and the band effectively formed by accident. Since then, Saudi Oil has been a five-person unit built for disruption. Aljumah and Rayan Mustafa on vocals and guitar, Raphael Fineberg on drums, Derrick Cheung on bass, and Laura Searles-Mohales drifting in and out on synth.
That same mix of intent and chaos runs through everything they do. Their debut single “Cracked Window” landed in fall 2025, followed by a steady run of performances that moved easily between DIY shows, club stages, and fashion-adjacent events, including Ella Emhoff’s birthday party, where their merch sold out as fast as the set. Now, with their second single, “Noisy on Canal,” out in the wild and a New York Fashion Week party on deck with Tiny Gun, LePere, and Nolita Dirtbag, Saudi Oil is pushing forward at full speed, without pretending they have it all figured out.
“Cracked Window” was your first release. What did that song establish for you creatively?
I have no idea. I didn’t know what we were doing then, and I still have no clue.
“Noisy on Canal” is the follow-up. What changed or sharpened between the two singles?
As we’ve played together more and more, we’ve found that at our core, we’re a fundamentally messy band, but in intentional ways. Noisy on Canal really showcases that ethos of the band more than what’s come before. Saudi Oil is very high energy, but not in a straightforward “loud and fast” way. Although we can be loud and fast at times…
Your live shows have a reputation for being chaotic and high-energy. How intentional is that?
We’re pretty chaotic and high-energy, so I guess that translates on stage. I wouldn’t say we put on a specific persona or presence when we perform; what you see is pretty much what you get.
You’ve played everything from DIY shows to a fashion party. Do you approach those spaces differently?
Not at all.
Your visuals and merch choices flirt with shock, satire, and cultural commentary. What role does provocation play in your art?
It’s such a fine line. We enjoy being provocative, but it’s also easy to be cheap about it. I guess we don’t overthink it. The idea popped in my head to sell t-shirts at Ella Emhoff’s birthday, where bin Laden is making out with Tyrese Halliburton and Saudi Oil is in big print using the Ozempic typeface, and then we just did it. And sold out, so hey- we did something right.
A lot of people talk about the visuals and merch as much as the music. How important is that side of the project?
None of it is important.
After this single and the Fashion Week party, what’s the next step for Saudi Oil?
Foot on the gas- lots of new music coming very soon.
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