For Nada Alhelabi, music is much more than just a job. It is a chance to bring people together and transform lives. The festival organizer and sound therapist is helping amplify music in MENA
Music changed Nada Alhelabi’s life. Now she wants to use the power of music to transform the lives of women and men across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Born in Saudi Arabia, Alhelabi went on to study business in California; it was there that she first experienced the optimism, energy, and inclusivity of some of the world’s most legendary music festivals.
“My love for music is unconditional,” she says. “Those festivals made me realize the positive impact that music can have and the power it has to bring people together.”
When she returned to her home country, Alhelabi initially combined her working life with regular visits to concerts and festivals around the world—until the call of music became too strong to ignore. Leaving behind a successful career in management consultancy, she chose to pursue her passion for music and join one of Saudi Arabia’s fastest-growing music entertainment companies, MDLBEAST.
““Our goal is to amplify the musical talents of Saudi Arabia and MENA and provide them with a platform to shine.”
Nada Alhelabi, Strategy Director, MDLBEAST & Program Director, XP Music Futures
Alhelabi’s dream is to give millions of Arabs and Africans access to music that speaks to them, inspires them, and makes them feel part of a greater community of people all united by their love of music. A certified sound healer, Alhelabi believes that music has the power not only to change lives but also to change the world.
“For many years there has been a thriving underground music community in the region,” she says. “The passion has always been there. Today, we have a great opportunity to continue growing this community and drive cultural and economic change.”
At MDLBEAST, Alhelabi helps organize the annual Soundstorm festival in Riyadh and is the programme director of the trailblazing XP Music Futures conference. Every year at XP, musicians, producers, technologists, and creatives from across the region come together to steer a course to the future of music in MENA.
For Alhelabi, it is the fulfilment of a life-long passion for music, self-expression, and creativity.
“Our vision is to showcase the region’s musicians and take these talents to the world stage,” she says. “For the child in me that wanted to learn piano, it is incredible to help local artists venture into music and achieve their dreams.”
How important is music in the Middle East and North Africa?
People here are passionate about music and their passion is growing, whether they are just listening to music or playing and creating it.
How is technology changing the MENA music business?
The music market is thriving on the back of growing adoption of smartphones and tablets, and increasing government initiatives to promote music and arts.
There are so many new tools and platforms that make music production accessible to artists. We tapped into all of these topics at the XP conference. We had different experiences that included technology, such as spatial audio listening, and workshops that included the latest technologies for music production. Technology is disruptive and we need to roll with it for the benefits of our industry. We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg.
At this time of change, how easy is it for performers to make a living from their music?
Since the streaming generation started, artists have explored new ways to monetize their business, such as issuing Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and using Web3 technologies. Artists are using NFTs to offer exclusive experiences and drops for their fans. Innovation affects every aspect of an artist’s journey, from branding to monetizing their business.
Technology is also helping local performers grow their audiences. Social media and the internet are borderless, allowing artists to build their brands and share their music with the world. Artists now can access their fans and share their music on different platforms. There are almost no barriers to entry anymore.
How is the XP Music conference helping to grow the local music industry?
The music conference was conceived to create opportunities for our most precious resource—our hungry, aspiring, homegrown talent. We have amazing artists and I’d like the world to know about it.
At XP people learn, network, and party all in one place. There are several new party brands and new talents that were developed thanks to XP. We are hoping to have even more of that in the coming years. We want to showcase regional culture and talent, and provide new audiences for our artists —all while building a self-sustaining music economy in the Middle East.
We aim to give our regional talents the opportunity to perform and be recognized by international audiences. Nothing comes easy. With hard work and perseverance, they can do it.
Which artists from the region would you recommend to international music lovers?
I love how we are growing in many styles and genres. All the talents we booked for XP were outstanding. The energy they brought with them is something special. I especially like how genres and languages are morphed together to create ‘glocal’ musical performances. Our musicians are adding oriental sounds to electronic tracks, performing modern hip-hop with traditional Saudi bands, or singing in three languages: Arabic, English, and French.
Music and art are being combined in new and beautiful ways while still being original and authentic
Published as branded content in WIRED magazine
