‘The MENA region will become a pioneer in the music industry.’

Growth in the MENA region has been a major highlight for the global music industry in recent years.

Based on global recorded music body IFPIrecorded a 35% increase in music market revenue in the Middle East and North Africa in 2021, making the region the fastest growing music region in the world.

Furthermore, some 95.3% The music revenue recorded in the broader region in 2021 is from music streaming.

Within the MENA region, Saudi Arabia stands out for its vibrant domestic music market, boasting an estimated population size 35.95 million won and a internet penetration rate of a huge number 98% of the total population size.

The country is also home to the famous Arabic music company Rotana, arguably the largest record label in the Middle East, and recently struck licensing deals with TikTok And Spotify.

Saudi Arabia’s mature digital footprint and recorded music development trajectory could make the country the ideal venue for the MENA-focused music industry conference, to be held in the form of the XP Music Futures event, the second edition held in November 2022.

“Saudi Arabia is currently going through an amazing transformation,” says Nada Alhelabi, Director of Strategy at MDLBEAST & Director of the Future of Music XP Program.

Alhelabi further explained that Saudi Arabia’s music business previously operated under the radar of the global music industry, but Saudi-based music and entertainment company MDLBEAST wanted to Change that by making XP and other corporate-run events key to global music. event calendar.

Alhelabi explains: “In the past, our music community could only thrive in the ground, but now we are hosting major regional and international artists and festivals with thousands of attendees. attend.

“XP Music Futures is our attempt to bring together music industry profiles to connect and collaborate.”

“Saudi Arabia is currently going through an incredible transformation.”

Nada Alhelabi, Music Future MDLBEAST & XP

MDLBEAST, the company behind XP, was originally launched in 2019 as a music festival called ‘MDLBEAST Soundstorm’, which it claims on its website as a “cultural catalyst for the world” Arab children”.

Since then, the company has expanded to include a record label, as well as the XP Music Futures conference, which officially launches in 2021.

Meanwhile, MDLBEAST’s SoundStorm Music Festival, held in the capital Riyadh, will be noticed by superstars like Bruno Mars, DJ Khaled and Post Malone in 2022.

Looking to the future, Alhelabi explained that MDLBEAST aspires to be known, not only as an entertainment company, “but also to develop the region’s music economy and define the musical and next entertainment”.

Alhelabi explains: “We want it to inspire future generations to consider a career in the industry and to promote music as a means of job creation and innovation, making it a sustainable industry from which they can grow and build a highly profitable work experience.”

Here, Nada Alhelabi, Chief Strategy Officer at MDLBEAST & Director of the XP Music Futures Program, gives us insight into the company’s roots, plans for the future, and challenges and opportunities for the music business in Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region…

Tell us about your feedback from the global music business to the XP Music Futures initiative over the past two releases?

The feedback has been extremely positive. From the first year and now into the second year, all the speakers, artists and guests have expressed their desire to participate again. Everyone sees the potential in our youth and the endless possibilities in our country. We are a blank canvas and the great thing is that you can create and innovate a new industry and not catch up on what we missed. We focus on driving action by developing and implementing initiatives to support talent and context, such as Xperform (for talent discovery across MENA), Xchange (associations). regional workshops to connect communities and solve problems) and other organizations . We’re also focused on partnering with important music industries, and we’ve been successful this year by doing so.

The 2022 edition features various famous speakers including David Guetta, DJ Khaled, Hardwell, Amy Thomsonand Mathew Knowles. Tell us about how important it is to attract such prominent figures in the music industry as speakers?

Every year, the feedback from international artists is fruitful and we see more and more artists from abroad wanting to collaborate and speak at XP, which we want to hear. Through XP, we are able to promote the region and promote positive change in diversity and gender equality through knowledge-based advocacy, research and understanding groups. The fact that so many international artists and talents are wanting to join only strengthens our vision in growing the music industry and economy.

What are the highlights from the 2022 edition?

We’ve had loads of successes and great highlights this year. From XP’s initial planning stages with the team to see the second edition of the event featuring the greatest minds from the international and regional music industry come to life is the most rewarding experience. We had over 200 speakers, 80+ sessions, 9 networking sessions, 9 initiatives, 120+ musical performances and 9 partner activations with endless immersive experiences.

What are some of the key themes explored in the group discussions and keynotes?

We invited leaders and innovators from around the world. This event is designed for music gurus and musical curiosity to connect and engage in conversations, workshops and experiences on how to develop a thriving music scene. In a session called Professional experience: Elyanna – Palestinian singer Elyanna spoke candidly about her professional journey to interacting with the audience in a more intimate way as the session took the form of a one-on-one conversation in Arabic, reinforcing authenticity and unfiltered exchange of knowledge discussion between speaker and audience. Mathew Knowles, architect of Destiny’s Child, and his daughters Beyoncé and Solange Knowles in his early solo career did a session titled Fundamentals of the music industry in the digital age, where he gives advice to regional talent on how to breathe life into their music and entertainment careers, while making sure to build a solid foundation for long-term success. Amy Thomson, former globally recognized manager of the Swiss House Mafia, also hosted a session titled Fair Pay & Fair Play: Understanding Music Royaltiesin which she educates emerging musicians about their rights to streaming royalties.

How has the event evolved since its initial launch in 2021?

What makes this year different, we’ve expanded our Day and Evening programs and included new session formats: networking, demo sessions, Arabic sessions, and more interactive experiences more, allowing unfiltered discussion between the presenter and the audience. We want to constantly grow and develop our services to amplify the musical culture in the region.

What can we expect from the 2023 event, in terms of size, lineup, format, etc?

This year we are focusing on growth and partnerships. Our goal is to constantly grow. We have a great opportunity to continue to grow our community and turn it into something that drives cultural and economic change. We are working towards bringing Xchange (our mobile workshop to new cities), building new initiatives related to talent management and women’s empowerment.

According to IFPI, recorded music market revenue in the MENA region has grown by 35% in 2021 – the fastest growing region in the world. What are your predictions for the region in the coming years?

We hope that after these great achievements, the Arab public at large will feel even more confident in placing their trust in us to control the continued development of the music scene in the region. We hope that they believe in the goal of MDLBEAST and that they help us move towards it.

Together with the youth, we plan to continue building the music scene. I predict that this region will become a pioneer in the music industry, by exporting talent, expanding live events, innovating in teaching and becoming one of the most popular areas in the world. top music.

What are the biggest challenges facing the music industry in Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region today?

Industry representation can be a challenge. I see the need for equal opportunity and that is our priority. The music industry is undergoing unprecedented change in the Middle East and globally – women need to be a part of it. Around the world, female producers, artists and creators are underrepresented, and the number of women in executive roles in the industry is also negligible.

While there is certainly more awareness of this now and a focus on ensuring fair representation of men and women by different players in the industry, we need continued efforts. facilitate, encourage and advance the agenda. Our strategic priority is to develop the industry in the region in a balanced and equitable manner. During this year’s XP, women in music were one of our key themes in which our expert speakers discussed the advantages of representing women and having an industry diverse music industry.

While there’s still a lot of work to be done, there’s never been a better time for us to grow our music infrastructure with a solid focus on female growth in the industry.

What are your ambitions for XP Music Conference in the coming years?

We aim to amplify the musical culture in the region. There’s always been a buzzing creative scene in Saudi Arabia, so for many people the passion for music is always present. Our vision at MDLBEAST is to grow the music industry and economy both within the UK and outside the region. I envision XP as the next talent discovery platform, connecting the world of music, driving regulation, building context, and innovating every aspect of the music ecosystem. I’m so excited about what’s to come!

Global Music Business