The MDLBEAST Foundation has announced its ambitious plans for 2025, reinforcing its role as a key driver of the music industry in the MENA region. Building on four successful editions of its flagship conference, XP Music Futures, the Foundation continues to pioneer transformation, collaboration, and innovation, with a strong focus on humanity, sustainability, and conscious music. Over the course of 3 days at XP Music Futures 2024, the event welcomed 5,130 attendees, hosted 23 partners, featured 121 day sessions, showcased 100 acts during the night program, and brought together 380 industry-leading speakers.
As part of this vision, the Foundation hosted an exclusive gala at Attaché, delivering an unforgettable evening of entertainment and celebration. The event welcomed over 180 distinguished guests, including industry leaders, celebrities, and influential figures from the music world, setting the stage for a year of groundbreaking initiatives.
Nada Alhelabi, General Manager of the MDLBEAST Foundation, stated:
“We are committed to advancing the music industry through innovative research, sustainable practices, and meaningful collaborations. Our XP initiatives in 2025 are designed to create shared value for all members of the music community. This year, we are proud to complement these efforts with initiatives such as our HUNNA mentorship program, the XPERFORM talent competition, and the XCHANGE workshop series. Each of these reflects our mission to support emerging talent and foster a vibrant, sustainable music ecosystem.”
Empowering the Ecosystem: MDLBEAST Foundation Key Highlights in 2024 and 2025 Plans
In 2024, the MDLBEAST Foundation made significant strides in empowering the MENA music ecosystem. Key highlights include:
XP Music Futures: Hosted the fourth edition of the premier music conference in the region, bringing together industry experts, artists, producers, labels, and music enthusiasts. The XP Music Futures conference will return for its fifth edition in 2025, continuing as the region’s leading three-day music conference. This flagship event remains central to the mission of scaling the music industry across MENA.
Hearful: This hearing health awareness initiative conducted over 140 hearing tests in 2024, diagnosing 13 individuals with hearing difficulties and emphasizing the importance of hearing health awareness. The initiative, which focuses on tinnitus awareness and prevention, will continue in 2025 in collaboration with Arabtone, expanding efforts to offer hearing tests and provide earplugs at XP and Soundstorm events.
XCHANGE: A dynamic series of workshops touring the Middle East, hosting sessions in Kuwait City, Tunis, and Muscat throughout 2024, engaging over 200 music professionals and fostering regional collaboration. The 2025 tour began on February 6 in Manama, Bahrain, and will continue in Doha, Marrakech, and Riyadh. Each city will host a HUNNA gathering, bringing together women in the industry for collective forums. The workshop in Manama, titled “Musician & Multi-Disciplinary Creative Artist Performing,” featured a distinguished lineup of panelists, including Ali Zayani, Co-founder of Soundscapes; Mashael Fairooz, Founding Partner of JEO Capital Management; Lance Tobin, Vice President of Booking at Al Dana Amphitheatre; and Wrista, Recording Artist & Founder of L.O.A.D.B Productions.
Sound Futures: This initiative connects eligible music startups with investors to drive innovation. In 2024, six startups pitched to investors at XP, and a new call for applications will open in March 2025, expanding business opportunities within the industry.
PWR CHORD: Launched in 2024 at XP Music Futures, this initiative showcased 10 talented guitarists performing before a panel of six renowned judges, including world-famous guitarists. The winner received a signed guitar from Megadeth’s lead guitarist, marking a significant milestone in their career.
XPERFORM: Provided a platform for emerging talent, with Lamia Khattab winning in 2024 after standing out among more than 1,000 applicants from 36 nationalities. The winner earned a performance at Soundstorm 2024 and a 2025 collaboration with MDLBEAST Records. The competition will return in 2025 to continue discovering and elevating fresh voices.
Storm Shaker: The search for the next breakthrough DJ returns in 2025, culminating in a final competition at XP in December. The winner will debut at Soundstorm and embark on an international tour as the grand prize. Last year’s winner, Saadoon, is set to perform at O-Beach Dubai, EXIT Festival, MOGA, and BSMNT The Club, following performances at Soundstorm.
Artist Management Bootcamp: This program graduated 35 participants in 2024, equipping them with comprehensive artist management knowledge. Top graduates secured internships at Sony Music, Warner Music, and MDLBEAST Records. The program is set for further expansion in 2025 to continue nurturing the next generation of industry leaders.
As part of its mission to scale and empower the regional music ecosystem, XP has outlined a series of impactful initiatives for 2025. These include the continuation of Hearful to promote hearing health, the launch of XCHANGE workshops in new destinations such as Manama, Doha, and Marrakech, and the expansion of Sound Futures to connect music startups with investors. Other initiatives include XPERFORM for discovering new voices, Storm Shaker’s DJ competition, and the Artist Management Bootcamp to develop future industry leaders.
Nada Alhelabi added:
“Through these initiatives, MDLBEAST Foundation is not only shaping the future of music in Saudi Arabia and the region but also contributing to the development of a global music industry that is innovative, inclusive, and resilient.”
“We extend our gratitude to our community and partners who share our mission to elevate the music industry in the region. As we embark on our 2025 journey, we invite new partners to join us in scaling and fortifying the music ecosystem through XP initiatives,”
New Initiative: Nite Ventures
In 2025, the MDLBEAST Foundation is launching Nite Ventures, an initiative dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs, event promoters, and venue owners to create and launch new nightlife events, shaping Riyadh’s growing entertainment scene. This initiative will support emerging nightlife concepts and event creators, contributing to the expansion of the city’s entertainment landscape.
MDLBEAST Foundation Throughout the Years
About XP Music Futures Conference
XP Music Futures is an annual three-day music conference held in Riyadh, designed to establish the foundation for a thriving music industry through its four key pillars: talent, scene, impact, and innovation. Created to accelerate the growth of MENA’s music industry, XP Music Futures drives progress by implementing a variety of initiatives and programs that build a strong, interconnected music ecosystem within the region.
About the MDLBEAST Foundation
The MDLBEAST Foundation is dedicated to fostering a human-centric, innovative, and sustainable music ecosystem that prioritizes well-being, diversity, and education through impactful initiatives and strategic collaborations.
