2018 FIFA World Cup: A tournament anthem for the Saudi national football team

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Now for a world exclusive with a Middle East sensation: Majed Al Esa. He's known throughout the region for music videos that have stirred plenty of controversy back in his home country, Saudi Arabia. He's got a new music video out for the World Cup — and has stepped OUT of the shadows, to speak with our correspondent Guy Henderson.

A World Cup anthem for the Saudi national football team. The latest offering from a man on a mission.

Majed al Esa is a household name across the Middle East. He's never shown his face on camera though.

Now, for the very first time, Al Esa has chosen to emerge from anonymity with a message.

Majed Al Esa "There was some kind of change in the country in the early 1980s. Maybe there was some kind of beauty but it vanished. We should restore this culture, this identity, this art."

That was 8iess Production's founding vision 4 years ago. Al Esa came in with little formal training.

Majed Al Esa "I studied archaeology and tourism at university.But my passion is music. So I tried to bring all these things together. This was the result."

Director of photography learnt much of what he knows on the job. A steep learning curve that's paying off.

GUY HENDERSON SAUDI ARABIA "Arabia's desert sands have long been known for their huge oil reserves. Perhaps less so for their ability to entertain. But 8iess rise has tracked the significant changes taking place across this country right now. We're talking big budgets — 50-man crews — high end equipment."

The company's CEO says not all of this is new.

ABDULLAH ABDULLAH CEO, 8IESS PRODUCTIONS "We have entertainment before, we just have to search for it. We used to import people to do this work but now we can do it ourselves and have proven ourselves."

What was once officially frowned upon, is now receiving support.

ABDULLAH ABDULLAH CEO, 8IESS PRODUCTIONS "The film industry changed and we began to feel the government was focusing on it. They contacted us and said they were excited about our work.”

Even this. "Hwages" has amassed more than 22 million hits on YouTube since its release 18 months ago: well before a lift on the women's driving ban that came in earlier this month.

"The purpose of this video was entertainment but we did get some criticism. We thought the best way to solve the problem of women driving would be to present it in a comic and entertaining way, not in the usual serious way."

Al Esa is modest about the impact he's had saying he was simply reflecting what was already there.

Majed Al Esa "It is not about women, it is about culture. We have this culture and we have to show it. We believe our culture is beautiful and we want the whole world to see it. We do not call our society conservative, it is actually a very normal society. Maybe some see the Saudi people as conservative."

Now he's taking that message to the biggest sporting spectacle on earth. Hoping others might join the party. GH, CGTN, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.