It’s our mission to help the world better understand the value of vibrant life at night.
XP Music Futures
Location:
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
MDL BEAST
Client:
Consultancy, Research, Advocacy
Services:
2022 - ongoing
Year:
Links:
Music Brings Us Together!
XP Music Futures is an annual three-day event in KSA, organised by MDLBEAST, that aims to broaden opportunities and inspire music professionals from diverse backgrounds while promoting equitable policies in the SWANA region. The second edition, held in Riyadh from November 28-30, 2022, attracted over 2,500 attendees from 30 countries.
We are renowned for our work in protecting and growing creative communities and nighttime culture.
Therefore MDLBEAST contacted us to develop the concept and program for the XP Music Futures Day conference. This collaboration led to the event's success in 2021 and 2022 and the creation of the comprehensive XP Outcomes Report in 2022.
Building a music industry from scratch in Saudi
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In line with the Kingdom’s ‘2030’ Vision, XP Music Futures is part of a more significant effort to transform the music and cultural sector in Saudi Arabia.
Previously, public music gatherings were prohibited, and gender segregation was strictly enforced in public spaces. Despite these restrictions, an underground music scene persisted.
However, Saudi Arabia now actively invests in supporting and expanding the local music industry.
The XP Music Futures conference program brought together an international creative community of artists, entrepreneurs, music industry professionals, and policymakers.
Over the course of three days, the program outlined a roadmap for the future of music industry in SWANA.
It facilitated discussions and strategies for stimulating the regional creative economy, mapping infrastructures from the underground, enhancing local initiatives, and driving innovation in the region.
In 2022, VibeLab programmed 228 speakers and organised 76 conference sessions—XP Nite platformed 157 local and regional acts, with 273 individual artists performing over three nights.
The Ministry of Culture Music Commission, JAX District, Saudi Music Hub, and partners from the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, the Ministry of Sports, and the Ministry of Media all support the three-day conference in Riyadh.
Report
VibeLab, responsible for the research, writing, and design, drew upon transcripts, interviews, and data from the 80 XP Day program sessions and 164 XP Nite performances. The report features insights from global music industry leaders, SWANA artists, and grassroots pioneers, including Ghazi Shami, Mathew Knowles, Nooriyah, and Natasha Stambuli. It also includes captivating portraits, Polaroids of guest speakers, and photography of artists' performances and street style.
Felukah:
“I want to change the image that people have about the Arab, Egyptian woman—to show that she is capable and she is strong.”
Hardwell:
“If you asked me five years ago, I never thought I would be sitting here in Riyadh talking about dance music—the most international language and music on earth.”
XP Live on tape
Our consultancy services include organizing conferences, concept development, curating panels programming, booking artists and speakers, managing international travel + visas, inviting the press, report writing, research and documentation.
“XP Music Futures 2022 was one of the most diverse music conferences in the world!” - Mirik Milan
What did we do?
Strategy and Programming the first XP Music futures conference with MDLBEAST in Saudi in 2021
Curation and booking the speakers for the second XP Music Futures conferences with MDLBEAST in Saudi 2022
Researched, wrote, designed, and covered the XP Music Futures Report editorial.
