During a conference held concurrently with the Balad Beast Festival in Jeddah
Matthew Dicks, Executive Director of Music and Talent at MDLBEAST Records, highlighted the growing influence of Arabic music on the global stage, reaching European countries like Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Speaking at “Balad Beast” music festival that was held recently in Jeddah, Matthew emphasized the unique platform MDLBEAST festivals provide for discovering young talents and fostering the local artistic community. Matthew Dicks stated, “We are proud that 30 of our artists are Saudis. In just two years, we have achieved remarkable milestones, including over 200 million streams on digital platforms, 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, UK and the US at festivals and legendary clubs.”
Expressing his delight in participating in Balad Beast, he said, “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.”
He praised MDLBEAST’s exceptional ability to identify promising voices and talents, creating a global appeal through collaborations with renowned international artists. He highlighted the successes of MDLBEAST Records and its imprints, showcasing the rise of Saudi talents like Cosmicat, Dish Dash, Baloo and Vinyl Mode, who have become shining stars in the Saudi music scene. He further emphasized MDLBEAST Records’ mission to discover local talents, collaborate in the Kingdom with international and regional artists, and provide growth opportunities for emerging talents.
In conclusion, Matthew commended the MDLBEAST Records team, which comprises of predominantly local Saudi team members and a diverse mix of international, regional executives. Their expertise and dedication have contributed to the achievements and world-class level of MDLBEAST Records.
