Music is probably, together with cinema, one of the industries that has changed the most in recent years — streaming platforms, a seemingly oversaturated market, bigger and more technologically-driven live shows, the growth of festivals, etc. In this fast-paced world, you either adapt or you die. That’s why initiatives like XP Music Futures shed some light in this complex environment, helping artists and industry professionals to navigate the struggles but also the opportunities that new technologies offer.
From December 5 to 7, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will host the fourth edition of the conference festival. This year’s theme is Flourish, since MDLBeast, the organisation behind the massive event, has been promoting and fostering local talent in the MENA region for several years and is now focusing on “scaling up the reach and impact of XP by more exposure and becoming much louder. Collaborate with educational entities to grow our impact on the youth, work with partners on Xperiences and demo lab, plus focus on the maturity of our six initiatives,” they explain.
For three days, the program will include workshops, panel discussions, networking opportunities, fishbowls, keynotes, and fireside chats with industry experts and leaders. The four key pillars of these activities are the foundation of the music industry: Talent, Scene, Impact, and Innovation. And in the evenings, there will also be parties, performances, and showcases from international and local talent.
Following the Flourish motto, there will be many activities aimed at personal and professional growth. For example, December 5 kicks off with an interactive session titled Empowering the Next Generation – Nurturing Youth Leadership, with speakers like Wafa Alobaidat (CEO of the EdTech company Playbook) and Hesham Almeneif (the Founder & Chairman of Saudi Youth Opportunities Non-profit Company, which supports Saudi youth in achieving academic and professional success).
There are also many talks and workshops focused on career growth: Building Artist Brands & Being Ahead in the Music Buisness Game; Moja 2.0: Music Commission and Anghami’s Partnership in Search for Saudi Talents; Foundation of Starting Your Own Label; Building a Sustainable Artist Career in Music; Music Supervision: How to Land Your Music in Ads, Games, TV & Movies; Toolroom Academy Presents: How to Get Bookings; Mastering the Artist-Agent Dynamic: Insights with Aziz Maraka & Jimi Elgohary; or Lyric Alchemy: Crafting Captivating and Impactful Arabic Lyrics — just to name a few.
We can also find other talks tackling issues that impact the music industry, from AI (Man vs. Machine: Balancing Creativity and AI in Music) to distribution (Navigating the New Wave: Challenges and Innovations in Music Distribution), to new technologies in concerts (Out of This World: The New Wave of Experiential Live Shows) and festivals (Festival Giants Go Head to Head).
And there are many others that speak of the impact that music has in other aspects of life like the arts, fashion, video games, the economy, or wellbeing: Fueling the Economy through Arts, Culture and Creativity; Harnessing the Transformative Power of Music: the Role of Music within Community Health and Wellbeing; How Electronic Music Shapes Communites, Culture & Economies; Destination Beats: Explore the Influence of Music Around the World; Rocking the Runway: The Power of Music in Fashion; or Press Start to Play: The Impact of Sound in Gaming Experiences.
Besides these, with speakers who’re experts in the matter, we’ll also have the chance to listen to trailblazing figures within the music industry. For example, Director X, who’s made some of your favourite artists’ music videos including Drake’s Hotline Bling, Rihanna’s Pon de Replay and Work, Rosalía and The Weeknd’s La Fama, Nicki Minaj’s Your Love, or Kendrick Lamar’s King Kunta.
Also speaking will be Cordell Broadus (the son of Snoop Dogg), who’ll go through his life from being a professional footballer to a successful businessman (he’s recently launched Death Row Games to give minority creators and artists a platform). Another inspiring speaker is Tunisian-American singer-songwriter Emel Mathlouthi, whose protest song Kelmti Horra (‘my word is free’) became an anthem for the Tunisian Revolution and the Arab Spring a few years ago.
The three-day festival has an incredibly broad program where you can lean beat-making, create your own zine, learn about the life and work of brilliant artists, and discover new talent fostered by cultural, artistic, and educational institutions. If you’re an artist, you can find advice from industry professionals to grow your career and opportunities, and if you’re an insider, you can meet people and foster new connections. With such a complete offer, we’re eager to see the outcome of these three days.
