XP Music Futures, the leading music conference in the Middle East, is set to return this December. This year, the innovative event is opening an array of initiatives and activations, together aimed at nurturing regional talent, promoting inclusion, and ultimately elevating the music scene in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Known for shining a light not only on the current state of the music industry, but its future as well, XP Music Futures is a must-visit for anybody looking to take their career, network, or industry knowledge to the next level.
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This year, XP’s initiatives represent an entire ecosystem designed to foster and educate the next generation of talent in the scene:
XPERFORM: In partnership with YouTube and sponsored by the FORMULA 1 STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX, we’re on a mission to uncover the region’s emerging talent through a singing contest that puts star quality, charisma and vocals to the test.
XCHANGE: XChange is a series of touring workshops across the MENA region done in effort to integrate, and better understand, the regional music ecosystem. In 2023, XChange visited Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Amman, and Riyadh with tailor-made workshops to identify key themes, pain points and strengths in the music industry for the conference program while promoting community building within the region. The outcome of these workshops are recorded in the annual Xine – a magazine made as an homage to the region’s ecosystem.
HUNNA: Hunna is a one-on-one mentorship program designed to connect established women in the music industry to budding female artists to promote equity in the regional music industry. Alongside the on-going mentorships, Hunna hosts listening circles, gathering women across the regions to share, connect and be heard.
HEARFUL: Raising awareness about tinnitus and ear health, HEARFUL educates people about prevention methods by simulating the sound of tinnitus.
Sound Futures: The musical version of Shark Tank that you’ve been waiting for, Sound Futures invites aspiring musicians and innovators to pitch their original music and groundbreaking ideas to successful music industry investors, with the goal of securing funding and mentorship for their careers. Sound Futures is proudly partnered with Sea Ventures.
XP AIR: XP Music Future’s very own on-site streaming container will host interviews, sets, and feature brand takeovers from the day and nite program’s artists and industry leaders.
Artist Management Bootcamp: Launching in 2023, the Artist Management Bootcamp aims to empower aspiring artist managers in the region through an intensive manager bootcamp program, followed by mentorship from a globally renowned manager for the top six candidates.
Storm Shaker: DJs have the opportunity to submit their sets for a chance to perform at the Soundstorm festival by MDLBEAST through the Storm Shaker competition. Partners for Storm Shaker include DJ Corner, Berklee Abu Dhabi, SPAARKD Powered by PANGAIA, and Deepgrooves.
In addition, XP Music Futures continues to proudly collaborate with partners who share its vision for the future of music, including talent incubator and multi-media production company Merwas, Berklee College of Music, and SOWT, the leading independent podcast company in the MENA region. The aforementioned partners will be hosting audio mixing and production workshops at the conference. 2023 will also welcome partners like sonic titan Dolby, as well as MassiveMusic, who will be holding a session on hwo to best value your content, IFPI, and Warner Music, who will be covering distribution rights. On the conference, Warner Music commented, “Warner Music eagerly anticipates XP Music Futures, where we’ll share invaluable insights and connect with industry leaders, showcasing our commitment to pioneering the future of music – a future that holds immense potential and growth opportunities for Warner Music.”
As XP has announced the first round of speakers and talent at the beginning of the month, they now continue to pull back the curtain, revealing the second batch of speakers at this year’s conference. This year, attendees will be able to see and pick the minds of Multi-platinum, Grammy nominated producer and composer Khaled Rohaim, Vice President of Marketing and Brand Strategy at Audiomack, Charlotte Bwana, West coast hip-hop talent and The Whooligan, Chief Strategy Officer at Factory People, Wassim Bou Malham, and Saudi Arabia’s first superstar DJ, Cosmicat. Also joining the event this year is DJ Michelle, Bayan Abuzinadah, German DJing superstar Topic, Will Stephenson of Paradise Worldwide, Yuri Dokter of DJ Monitor, and José Woldring, CEO of The Media Nanny.
This year, XP Music Futures strives to be more than a music conference; but a catalyst for change, a bridge to diverse voices, and a platform for musical excellence. With the beautiful Riyadh as the backdrop, XP Music Futures is set to ignite the global conversation surrounding the future of the industry from December 7 to 9.