Representation of Women Identity in Qasidah Irama Melayu (QASIMA) on Youtube

This study examines how women’s identities are constructed in the Qasidah Irama Melayu (Qasima) musical group through their appearances on YouTube. This phenomenon is significant because the representation of women in Indonesia’s religious music scene often sits within a tension between piety, artistic expression, and the demands of digital culture. Using a qualitative approach grounded in discourse analysis and cultural theory, the study draws on Stuart Hall’s ideas on identity representation. The findings show that Qasima presents a dynamic and negotiable form of female identity, blending piety with pop aesthetics and hybrid musical practices. Women in Qasima emerge as performative subjects who navigate the boundaries of religious norms and stage aesthetics while also using digital platforms to build legitimacy and religious authority. YouTube becomes a contested arena of representation, revealing both acceptance and resistance toward women’s participation in religious music. Through its portrayal of bodies, clothing, and performance styles, Qasima shapes a model of “performative piety” that expands contemporary understandings of religious devotion.