MDLBEAST Records celebrates 200m streams and nurturing local talent

MDLBEAST Records celebrates 200m streams and nurturing local talent
Zeina performs at Boulevard Riyadh City. (X / @MDLBEAST)
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Updated 07 February 2024
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MDLBEAST Records celebrates 200m streams and nurturing local talent

MDLBEAST Records celebrates 200m streams and nurturing local talent
  • Label has collaborated with 110 artists, including more than 30 talented Saudi musicians, showcasing the growing influence of Arabic music on the global stage
  • MDLBEAST Records’ Matthew Dicks: Our mission is to discover and nurture local talents, foster collaborations with international and regional artists, and provide opportunities for emerging talents

JEDDAH: MDLBEAST Records is celebrating its artists after their songs were streamed 200 million times on digital platforms in just two years.

The label has collaborated with 110 artists, including more than 30 talented Saudi musicians, showcasing the growing influence of Arabic music on the global stage.

Matthew Dicks, executive director of music and talent at MDLBEAST Records, praised the work of Saudi musicians during a conference held alongside the Balad Beast music festival in Jeddah.

“We are proud that 30 of our artists are Saudis. In just two years, we have achieved this milestone, in addition to the collaborations with 37 international artists, including Arab diaspora and 43 regional artists from the Middle East and North Africa, and the release of 159 singles, four albums and nine EPs.

“Also, through our talent development and management, we are already exporting our talents and music worldwide, where they have performed in 2023 across Europe, the UK and the US at festivals and legendary clubs,” he added.

Speaking on the MDLBEAST Records team, Dicks said: “Our team is composed predominantly of talented Saudi members, along with a diverse mix of international and regional executives. Their expertise and commitment have been instrumental in the label’s achievements and its establishment as a world-class music entity.”

Dicks praised Jeddah’s hosting of Balad Beast: “It has been an incredible opportunity to connect with the remarkable community of artists and music enthusiasts in the Kingdom. The support for various music genres, from hip-hop to house and R&B, is impressive, and continues to evolve within a dynamic and creative music scene.”

Saudi artists such as Cosmicat, Dish Dash, Baloo and Vinyl Mode have emerged as rising stars within the local music scene.

“Our mission at MDLBEAST Records is to discover and nurture local talents, foster collaborations with international and regional artists, and provide opportunities for emerging talents,” Dicks said.


Azimuth Festival begins in AlUla

Azimuth Festival begins in AlUla
Updated 21 September 2024
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Azimuth Festival begins in AlUla

Azimuth Festival begins in AlUla

ALULA: The Azimuth Festival began in AlUla on Sept. 19, attracting a lively crowd that danced to the beats of techno and EDM, courtesy of a lineup featuring world-renowned DJs and artists from across the globe.

The first day featured a stellar lineup, including Ben Bohmer, YokoO, Ghostly Kisses, The Blaze, Monolink, Eli & Fur, Amine K, and many Saudi DJ’s performing on the Hive stage.

Ahead of his performance, German DJ Ben Bohmer shared his excitement with Arab News: “I’m here in the stunning AlUla in Saudi Arabia. It’s my first time both visiting and performing in this country. I’m thrilled to be here, and I hope everyone is having an amazing time.”

The first day featured a stellar lineup, including Ben Bohmer, YokoO, Ghostly Kisses, The Blaze, Monolink, Eli & Fur, Amine K, and many Saudi DJ’s performing on the Hive stage. (Supplied)

Running from dusk until dawn, the festival embraces the theme “Until the Sun Comes Up,” with performances extending until 7 a.m.

The festival featured two stages: The main stage and the Hive stage, where local artists took the spotlight.

DJ Cosmicat, returning for her third consecutive year, shared her excitement about closing out the Hive Stage on the first night: “Tonight, I’ll be the final act on the DJ stage from 5:20 a.m. until 7 a.m. The vibe is incredible, and the music is calm, perfectly suited to AlUla’s desert atmosphere. 

Set against the stunning backdrop of the AlUla desert, the venue provided the perfect space for music-lovers of all ages and nationalities to gather, dance and enjoy the experience. (Supplied)

“It allows everyone to take in the beauty of this place and connect with one another. Each year, I see the festival evolving, with new faces and exciting developments,” she said. “I’m so proud of everything happening here. The audience at Azimuth has a distinct taste in music, and I am thrilled because the music I love aligns with this year’s lineup, featuring artists like Eli & Fur, Ben Bohmer and James Blake, all of whom have influenced my sound.”

The fourth Azimuth Festival has celebrated individuality, with attendees showcasing distinctive outfits that reflected their personalities and musical preferences. Set against the stunning backdrop of the AlUla desert, the venue provided the perfect space for music-lovers of all ages and nationalities to gather, dance and enjoy the experience.

The festivities on Thursday began with a captivating 80-minute set by internationally acclaimed DJ YokoO, who displayed his two decades of expertise in house music.

 The fourth Azimuth Festival has celebrated individuality, with attendees showcasing distinctive outfits that reflected their personalities and musical preferences. (Supplied)

Ghostly Kisses then took the stage, mesmerizing the audience with an enchanting performance, followed by The Blaze, who kept the energy alive.

Under the stars, Ben Bohmer delivered a stellar set, setting the tone for the night. Monolink followed with an engaging performance, leading into a dynamic set by Eli & Fur.

Amine K closed out the first night, perfectly capturing the festival’s “Until the Sun Comes Up” theme.

Both Thursday and Friday nights also featured the Hive Stage, which spotlighted a diverse lineup of local, regional, underground and emerging artists.


Russ, Jason Derulo, more added to MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2024 lineup  

Russ, Jason Derulo, more added to MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2024 lineup  
Updated 20 September 2024
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Russ, Jason Derulo, more added to MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2024 lineup  

Russ, Jason Derulo, more added to MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2024 lineup  

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s MDLBEAST announced on Thursday the star-studded lineup of artists and DJs from around the world for its 2024 Soundstorm music festival, scheduled to take place from Dec. 12 to 14.

The lineup for the festival’s fifth edition includes US rap stars Tyler, the Creator, Jason Derulo and G-Eazy. Rising hip-hop artist Russ and Nigerian singer Tems, known for her R&B and Afrobeat hits, are also set to perform.

House music fans can look forward to sets from Black Coffee, Afrojack, DJ Snake and trance legend Armin van Buuren. The festival will also feature techno and house acts like Adam Beyer, Bedouin and Ricardo Villalobos, while David Guetta, James Hype and Morten promise electrifying performances.

The electronic lineup also features renowned acts like Meduza, Kölsch, Sonny Fodera, and Folamour, alongside emerging talents Miss Monique, Tita Lau, and Megatronic, offering a diverse range of styles.

The festival will also host previously announced stars, including Eminem, Muse, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Adriatique, Boris Brejcha, Marco Carola, Richie Hawtin, Brina Knaus, Chelina Manuhutu, Fleur Shore, Baloo, Anmarz, Dorar and Vinyl Mode.

As the region’s biggest music festival, Soundstorm delivers a vibrant mix of music styles and genres from around the world.

Ramadan Al-Haratani, CEO of MDLBEAST, said in a statement: “Soundstorm, the region’s biggest music festival, has successfully made a remarkable impact on the regional and global music scene, making it an eagerly anticipated annual festival for music fans worldwide.

“This has contributed to enhancing the Kingdom’s position in the music entertainment sector.”


REVIEW: Netflix’s ‘Officer Black Belt’ is a confusing genre mash-up

REVIEW: Netflix’s ‘Officer Black Belt’ is a confusing genre mash-up
Updated 20 September 2024
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REVIEW: Netflix’s ‘Officer Black Belt’ is a confusing genre mash-up

REVIEW: Netflix’s ‘Officer Black Belt’ is a confusing genre mash-up
  • South Korean film is billed as an action-comedy, but the laughs rapidly fade

DUBAI: South Korean director Jason Kim’s latest project, “Officer Black Belt,” is marketed as an action-comedy. And for the first 40 minutes or so, you can see why: it sets out as a so-so take on the “odd couple/buddy cop” trope. But then comes a shift.

The story: likeable-but-aimless Lee Jung-do (Kim Woo-bin) spends most of his time hanging with his gamer friends and working as a delivery driver for his dad’s restaurant. One night, he happens across a probation officer who’s being badly beaten by one of the violent ex-cons whose ankle bracelets he monitors. Jung-do, it turns out, is a master martial artist. He rushes to help the probation officer, likely saving his life.

Probation department manager Kim Sun-min (Kim Sung-kyun) offers Jung-do a temporary job while the officer he saved recovers. He accepts, and the two quickly become friends — despite a considerable age gap and what at first seems like a major difference in lifestyle choices. There are some vaguely humorous scenes as the two get to know one another and as Jung-do gets to grips with his new role — and with several parolees.

The general goofiness of these early scenes takes a turn when a notorious child abuser is released from prison and becomes the responsibility of the already over-worked probation department. The fight scenes are no longer comic-book-style entertainment, but grimly lethal, and the storyline gets especially dark when a young girl is abducted with the intent of forcing her to ‘star’ in a video for a dark web pornographer.

It's impossible to overstate just how jarring this narrative and stylistic shift is; but it’s a bit like watching an episode of “Friends” and having Phoebe turn up at the coffee shop bloodied and traumatized having been brutally assaulted. It’s not just a shock, but a shock that feels entirely out of place contextually.

Whether that’s intentional, as an attempt to subvert audience expectations, or simply sloppy storytelling is hard to say — and the result is ultimately the same: confusion. Which is only compounded when the director delivers a ludicrously saccharine, plot-hole-riddled ending.

Woo-bin, who shows himself to be a charismatic and capable lead, deserves better.


Coldplay to bring their world tour to the UAE

Coldplay to bring their world tour to the UAE
Updated 19 September 2024
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Coldplay to bring their world tour to the UAE

Coldplay to bring their world tour to the UAE
  • Coldplay will be joined by special guest Chilean Palestinian singer Elyanna

DUBAI: Grammy Award-winning band Coldplay is set to bring their Music Of The Spheres World Tour to the UAE in 2025, with a performance at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City Stadium on Jan. 11.

This will be their only concert in the Middle East for the tour, as confirmed by promoters Live Nation Middle East.

Coldplay, who last performed in Abu Dhabi in 2016, will be joined by special guest Chilean Palestinian singer Elyanna, who has appeared with the band at several of their concerts.

Ticket presale will begin on Sept. 25, at 11 a.m. (Saudi time) on the band’s website and the Live Nation pre-sale will begin Sept. 26, at 11 a.m. (Saudi time). The general on-sale will begin on Sept. 27, at 11 a.m. (Saudi time). 

Since kicking off in March 2022, the Music Of The Spheres World Tour has sold over 10 million tickets across Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, making it the most highly attended tour by a group of all time. 

Adding to its extensive two and a half year outing, along with Abu Dhabi, the tour is also traveling to Mumbai, Seoul and Hong Kong between January and April of 2025.


Review: ‘I Am Georgina,’ Season 3 — reality TV, Saudi style

Review: ‘I Am Georgina,’ Season 3 — reality TV, Saudi style
Updated 18 September 2024
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Review: ‘I Am Georgina,’ Season 3 — reality TV, Saudi style

Review: ‘I Am Georgina,’ Season 3 — reality TV, Saudi style

DUBAI: Netflix’s “Soy Georgina” (“I Am Georgina”) is back, and this time it explores Argentine model Georgina Rodriguez’s life after her move to Saudi Arabia with partner Cristiano Ronaldo in 2023.

The reality show dominated the Netflix Top 10 in 46 countries after the release of season two. One episode was set entirely in Dubai and showed the Burj Khalifa lit up for Rodriguez’s 28th birthday.

The model-meets-Middle Eastern-luxury formula seems to be one the producers were keen to continue, with fans taken on a whirlwind tour of the Kingdom in season three as Rodriguez and her family explore life in the country.

However, the high-end hotels and stunning seascapes are interspersed with moments of real introspection and fragility, which takes this program from stereotypical reality TV territory to something altogether more inviting and — dare I say it? — heartwarming.

We follow Rodriguez as she embarks on a number of firsts. These include the opening of her first beach house, Villa Perla, to starring in an international campaign for a famous clothing brand and making her debut at Paris Fashion Week by walking for Swiss fashion label Vetements.

One of the most touching aspects of the show is Rodriguez’s relationship with her children — the couple have five, the eldest of whom was born to another mother. The opening scenes of the season show Rodriguez’s worrying about, and praising, her kids and it offers a new side to the woman we are more used to seeing on fashion billboards.

Similarly, the — albeit sparse — scenes of a football legend pottering around with his young family offers insight into Ronaldo as a father, for which the series is all the better.

There are, thankfully, no engineered high-drama interactions and although it does sometimes feel like a carefully staged advertorial, there are candid caught-on-camera moments where the star seems tense and nervous at public events.

She is also not one to shy away from talking about her humble roots and being honest about the sometimes taxing reality of her life in the spotlight and what it takes to be a poster girl for all things glamor.