MDLBEAST building a creative tribe through music, says chief creative officer

Special  MDLBEAST building a creative tribe through music, says chief creative officer
Short Url
Updated 23 May 2024
Follow

MDLBEAST building a creative tribe through music, says chief creative officer

 MDLBEAST building a creative tribe through music, says chief creative officer
  • Ahmad AlAmmary talks about MDLBEAST vision, his own musical background for 6th season of ‘The Mayman Show’

Riyadh: MDLBEAST is building a tribe for the region’s music lovers through its initiatives such as the Soundstorm festival, the platform’s Chief Creative Officer Ahmad AlAmmary, also known as DJ Baloo, said. The Saudi veteran DJ and producer with over 20 years of experience under his belt sat down with Arab News’ “The Mayman Show” for the launch of its sixth season, talking about MDLBEAST’s ambitions and his own background.

His role taps into his ability to find solutions on many levels, he shared.

 

0 seconds of 1 minute, 11 secondsVolume 90%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
01:11
01:11
 

 

“It’s been my role since the onset of this whole project. My background sits between design thinking, brand development, and brand strategy, and music,” the CCO said, adding that the role feels like a perfect fit for him.

“Creatively, you know, every day is its own day. There’s no system for creativity. Its context is whatever comes your way, whatever problem you’re solving — that’s where your creativity sits,” he said.

AlAmmary said it was MDLBEAST’s goal to become involved in all facets of the creative music industry since its launch in 2019.

 

0 seconds of 48 secondsVolume 90%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:48
00:48
 

 

“From the onset, the big splash was Soundstorm, but we had every intention of launching our record labels, our music conferences, and XP Music Future,” he said.

The platform launched around the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which provided an opportunity for it to focus on entertaining.

“So, whether or not you (could) go to an event, we were still around there to … provide the music and to provide the entertainment,” AlAmmary said.

After pandemic restrictions eased, it allowed him and the team to stay on the path they paved. MDLBEAST started with flagship live events and some record labels.

 

0 seconds of 1 minute, 27 secondsVolume 90%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
01:27
01:27
 

 

“We had … launched MDLBEAST Records, Qabo, Wattar, Maestro-Lab and, most recently, Mahoul Records. Each of these labels, for example, serves … a niche. Above and beyond, our conference is a really unique experience that gathers people from around the region. We have a day and night experience. During the day, it’s all about learning and networking, connecting, and collaborating. And at night, that turns into a regional music showcase,” AlAmmary said.

MDLBEAST highlights up-and-coming brands that are leading the underground scene of Saudi music across a variety of genres, the CCO said.

“It’s just been, you know, a lot of fun … but also a lot of … work. We’re turning around projects left and right,” he said, adding that the platform is now “diving into venues” with the launch of Beast House, for example, “Riyadh’s first music and creative members club,” according to the MDLBEAST website.

 

0 seconds of 1 minute, 32 secondsVolume 90%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
01:32
01:32
 

 

“We developed these smaller pop-up events, with more intimate settings,” AlAmmary said, explaining that the events take place in spaces that have been abandoned, giving MDLBEAST space to flex its creative muscles.

“We can take over and create an experience that is very unique,” he said. “We saw that with Tahlia in Jeddah and Irqah in Riyadh, the abandoned hospital … We’re looking at all of these different spaces and projects as … fun experiences that we can create for our people and platforms for musicians to shine.”

Speaking about his own background, AlAmmary says he owes his creative attributes to his very musical family.

 

0 seconds of 50 secondsVolume 90%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:50
00:50
 

 

“My eldest brother, Khalid, actually, he was kind of like the cultural center of our family. Everything from film to music, design, art, you know, we always had a deep interest in the arts because of his influence. Especially with me and house music — that’s where I learned it. I learned it from Khalid,” he said.

The DJ and producer developed an interest in music at an early age.

“By the time I was 17, I already had a collection of music,” he said. “Years later, you know, I started to get things like a residency in Bahrain … I would just travel to Beirut and the gigs would appear.”

 


Trump thanks Saudi crown prince for Ukraine peace talks in Riyadh

Trump thanks Saudi crown prince for Ukraine peace talks in Riyadh
Updated 15 min 53 sec ago
Follow

Trump thanks Saudi crown prince for Ukraine peace talks in Riyadh

Trump thanks Saudi crown prince for Ukraine peace talks in Riyadh

RIYADH: US President Donald Trump said Saudi Arabia did a “great job” in hosting talks aimed at moving toward a resolution of the Russian-Ukraine war, and thanked Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for facilitating the discussions in Riyadh.
Trump said on Wednesday that the conflict, which began three years ago this month, would have never started had he been president.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “talked the US into spending $350 billion to go into a war that that could not be won, that never had to start and never would have started if I was president,” said Trump, adding that Ukraine would never settle the war without US involvement.
Senior US and Russian officials attended a meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday to start working toward ending the war in Ukraine. The meeting was also attended by senior Saudis, but no Ukrainians.
Trump said that Zelenskyy could have attended the discussions in the Saudi capital had he wanted to.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the two sides agreed broadly to pursue three goals: to restore staffing at their respective embassies in Washington and Moscow, to create a high-level team to support Ukraine peace talks, and to explore closer relations and economic cooperation.
Trump, talking at the FII PRIORITY Miami event, which runs between Feb. 19-21, said he hopes that a ceasefire arrives soon.
The president’s speech was wide-ranging, touching on efforts to cut government waste, boosting energy production, and his foreign policy objectives.
Dignitaries included Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the Saudi Public Investment Fund; Elon Musk, the head of a new US federal entity — called DOGE — meant to cut government waste; and Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the US.


Digital Cooperation Organization signs multiple memorandums of understanding as fourth general assembly ends

Digital Cooperation Organization signs multiple memorandums of understanding as fourth general assembly ends
Updated 20 February 2025
Follow

Digital Cooperation Organization signs multiple memorandums of understanding as fourth general assembly ends

Digital Cooperation Organization signs multiple memorandums of understanding as fourth general assembly ends
  • Secretary-general says event marked 4 years of progress

AMMAN: The Digital Cooperation Organization signed numerous memorandums of understanding during its fourth general assembly in Amman, which concluded on Wednesday.

The memorandums were signed between the DCO and the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Foundation, Hewlett-Packard, the Agency for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Sultanate of Oman and 500 Global.

A statement of intent was also signed between the DCO and the UN Office for South-South Cooperation.

The signings came after a delegation from the DCO visited Jordan’s Prime Minister Jaafar Abdel Fattah Hassan.

Sami Smeirat, the Jordanian minister of digital economy and entrepreneurship, and the chairman of the DCO Council, said that Jordan’s presidency of the organization in 2024 had demonstrated the country’s ability to lead global efforts toward building an inclusive digital economy.

He said: “Throughout this year we have launched ambitious initiatives, strengthened public-private partnerships, and laid solid foundations to empower youth and women in the technology sector.”

Smeirat spoke of the 2025 presidency, which was handed to Kuwait.

He said: “We hand over the presidency to our brothers in the State of Kuwait. We reaffirm Jordan’s commitment to remaining an active partner in achieving the organization’s goals. We look forward to continuing our joint efforts to realize our shared vision: a digital world marked by prosperity and fairness for all.”

Deemah Al-Yahya, the secretary-general of the DCO, said that the general assembly marked four years of progress for the organization.

The secretary-general highlighted DCO’s upcoming ambitions, adding: “While we have achieved much over the past four years, there is still important work ahead to drive digital economic growth for all.”

Wednesday’s event featured panels and discussions with leading experts from across the world.

The DCO was founded in November 2020 and currently has 16 nations as members, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh and Oman. It also has 39 observer and partner organizations.


Piece of Kaaba’s Kiswah gifted to Uzbekistan’s Center of Islamic Civilization

Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent. (SPA)
Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent. (SPA)
Updated 19 February 2025
Follow

Piece of Kaaba’s Kiswah gifted to Uzbekistan’s Center of Islamic Civilization

Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent. (SPA)
  • Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah is currently on a visit to the Central Asian country
  • He handed over the piece of cloth to Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev

RIYADH: A piece of the holy Kaaba’s Kiswa was gifted by the Kingdom to the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan, Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, currently on a visit to the Central Asian country, handed over the piece of cloth to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the directive of King Salman.

Mirziyoyev commended the Kingdom’s efforts to develop Hajj and Umrah experiences and facilitate the journeys of Uzbek pilgrims to the Kingdom, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said.


Saudi visitors forecast to spend £940m in UK during 2025

Saudi visitors forecast to spend £940m in UK during 2025
Updated 19 February 2025
Follow

Saudi visitors forecast to spend £940m in UK during 2025

Saudi visitors forecast to spend £940m in UK during 2025
  • Visa-free travel scheme, improved flight links boost numbers of Saudis traveling to Britain
  • VisitBritain figures show rise in GCC tourists to UK likely to continue

LONDON: Increasing numbers of Saudi visitors are expected to spend an extra £200 million in the UK this year, thanks to improved visa-free travel and more flight routes.

Tourism authority VisitBritain has forecast 320,000 visits from Saudi Arabia in 2025 — a 12 percent increase on the 286,000 visits in 2023.

Saudi Arabia became one of seven Middle Eastern countries to be included in the UK’s electronic travel authorization scheme when the Kingdom was added in February 2024. 

Under the scheme, visitors to the UK can purchase a two-year permit allowing multiple journeys to the country. This replaces a more expensive, six-month electronic visa waiver.

The scheme is one of the reasons visitor numbers to the UK from Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries are set to increase again above pre-pandemic levels.

Meanwhile, spending by tourists is growing at an even faster rate, according to the VisitBritain figures compiled with Oxford Economics and published on Tuesday.

Saudi tourists are expected to spend £942 million in 2025 — 34 percent more than in 2023.

“Saudi Arabia is a very important inbound visitor market for the UK, and it is fantastic to see the continued growth forecast,” a VisitBritain spokesperson told Arab News.

“With the growing airline connectivity to the UK through regional gateways alongside the electronic travel authorization scheme, travel to the UK is now easier and more accessible for Saudi nationals.”

For the GCC countries overall, there are expected to be 1.4 million visits to the UK this year, up 8 percent on the 2024 estimate.

GCC visitors are set to spend £3.5 billion on their trips, another substantial increase on previous years.

The expected growth in travel numbers comes as two airlines prepare to launch new routes between the UK and Saudi Arabia next month.

UK airline Virgin Atlantic will run daily flights between Riyadh and Heathrow, while budget carrier Wizz Air will connect Jeddah and Gatwick.

As the UK seeks to boost tourism from the Gulf to help its economy, Saudi Arabia has in recent years opened up to global tourism, welcoming visitors to important historical areas such as AlUla.

VisitBritain and the Saudi Tourism Authority signed an agreement in May setting out areas to develop and expand tourism.

VisitBritain recently rolled out a new campaign in Saudi Arabia called “Starring GREAT Britain” that uses famous locations from films and TV to attract visitors.

Overall, tourism to the UK is forecast to increase this year on 2024 levels with a record 43.4 million visits from all countries, spending £33.7 billion.


Saudi Arabia to launch iftar program in 61 countries

Saudi Arabia to launch iftar program in 61 countries
Updated 19 February 2025
Follow

Saudi Arabia to launch iftar program in 61 countries

Saudi Arabia to launch iftar program in 61 countries

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia will launch an iftar program in 61 countries during the holy month of Ramadan, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, through religious attaches at the Kingdom’s embassies abroad, is implementing the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Iftar (breaking of the fast) this year.

The program aims to provide iftar to more than 1 million people, the SPA reported.

Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Asheikh expressed gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their continued support of global aid and their efforts to serve Islam and Muslims, especially during Ramadan.

He added that the ministry, in coordination with religious attaches and cultural centers, has disbursed the necessary funds for the Ramadan iftar program.