The Saudi music and culture scene will take another quantum leap forward in 2022 with the confirmation that MDLBEAST’s XP Music Conference (28-30 Nov) and stellar festival, SOUNDSTORM (1-3 Dec), will return in December to once again deliver the LOUDEST WEEK in Riyadh.
Everyone from music industry professionals, creatives seeking inspiration and professionalization, to music-tech start-ups and government entities will come together for workshops, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and nightlife activations to build on the successes of the inaugural year of XP in 2021. Once again, the conference will be the warmup for the biggest music festival ever seen in the Middle East, SOUNDSTORM, delivering three days for festival goers to immerse themselves in the beats of global, regional, and local superstars.
The LOUDEST WEEK in Riyadh embodies MDLBEAST’s commitment to growing talent, building the regional scene, and advancing the creative economy for Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East.
Nada Alhelabi, Strategy Director at MDLBEAST, explained how their music conference is at the core of their ambitions, “XP is one of the main pillars of MDLBEAST as it aims at empowering the local scene, develop talents in music, art, & culture and technology. Through XP we are able to promote the region and accelerate positive change in diversity and gender equality through advocacy groups, research and knowledge-led insights. We can take things to the next level through the second edition of the XP Music Conference.”
Turning up the volume on the LOUDEST WEEK and following XP, SOUNDSTORM has redefined regional entertainment with record-breaking 2019 and 2021 editions which have not only entertained local fans with global stars but also provided a platform for local talent to feel the rush of performing on the biggest stages.
Ramadan Alharatani, CEO, MDLBEAST, commented: “We are all about empowering talent, giving them opportunities, building the scene, and putting on legendary events – to be confirming a third year of bringing this to life with the third year of SOUNDSTORM is very special. Every year we look to make the festival bigger and better so we’re already planning, talking to artists, looking at new and exciting activations and we can’t wait to welcome Saudi and the world to the big stage later this year.”
The most recent edition of SOUNDSTORM saw performances from international DJs and global stars including David Guetta, Steve Aoki, Afrojack, Jason Derulo, and Future. 730K attendees that enjoyed music from 184 different artists performed on 8 stages. MDLBEAST’s XP Music Conference was held for the first time in 2021 with 150 local/regional/international industry experts discussing Talent, Scene, Policy, and Impact with regional audiences, supporting the growth of the music community. Global artists such as Afrojack and Steve Aoki led the discussion around the path to success, guiding principles for young talent, and what it means to support aspiring DJs, producers, and creators. XP welcomed almost five thousand attendees on three days and hosted up to 52 sessions in its inaugural year.
