Editorial
This was Beatport Presents IMS Dubai 2025
Beatport presents IMS Dubai 2025 took place on 13-14 November and delivered on its promise of being more than “just a music event.”
The summit brought together panels, keynotes, technology discussions, and nightlife under one roof, creating a space where culture, innovation, and industry growth intersected. The two-day summit, held on 13 and 14 November at 25hours Hotel One Central, near the iconic Museum of Future, captured the beating heart of the global electronic movement across the MENA region.
IMS Dubai 2025 continued its mission around the summit’s four pillars: Music, Culture, Finance, and Technology. This edition expanded its scope beyond music performances with dedicated sessions on Web3, music-tech startups, investment, and the evolving economics of music in a digital age. The “Finance & Technology” track underlined that IMS is not only about DJs and nightlife, but also about building regional infrastructure and long-term opportunity within the industry.
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The lineup blended global icons with emerging regional talent. Headliners and contributors included HUGEL, Nicole Moudaber, Bedouin, Misty, and regional artists such as DJ Habibeats, AYA, Gawdat and others.
Sessions spanned a variety of themes: from “The Pyramids Playbook: Staging Monumental Electronic Music Experiences,” “Mahraganat: From the Streets to the Mainstream,” to “Is the DJ Booth the New Runway?” exploring the intersections of music, culture, identity, and fashion.
On the business/tech side, the Tech & Finance Room took delegates on a journey through the business of beats with sessions exploring music as an asset, tokenization, virtual concerts, and the role of blockchain in shaping artist–fan relationships.
The conversation between Josh Baker and Pete Tong under Beatport Connect provided insights into contemporary production, while panels on AI in music production, royalties in the Middle East, grassroots festival culture, and diaspora identity offered depth and regional context.
The main keynote and highlight of the event was an interview with French DJ Hugel conducted by IMS Co-founder Pete Tong. A humor filled interview that talked about Hugel’s life before his popularity, his production, teased that he’s been working on an album, the rise of latin and afro house and the role and importance of UAE and MENA region in music industry.
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One of the other well known artist Vanco also gave an interview, about how Ma tnzani, the no. 1 shazamed track in Ibiza came to life and his production processes.
IMS Dubai extended beyond the conference halls, nightlife events spanned from 12 to 16 November across Dubai’s top venues. Highlights included the official pre-party headlined by Nicole Moudaber at Reunion DXB, rooftop and beachfront sets by Bedouin at Be Beach or Jan Blomqvist at Surf club. Adratique present X at heliped was one to remember for the lifetime.
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Dubai is fast becoming more than a party destination, it is positioning itself as a legitimate global hub for electronic music, creative exchange, and industry growth. IMS Dubai is a very easy “way-in” to learn, network and establish yourself in the UAE and MENA region.
