Hunna, a groundbreaking initiative launched by MDLBEAST Foundation, held its final Listening Circle of the year on Wednesday, October 30, at the Saudi Music Hub in Jeddah, in partnership with the Music Commission. This closing session underscored Hunna’s commitment to spotlighting the importance of equity in our music industry. Led by women, Hunna aims to build a supportive, collaborative community in the music industry through platforms that celebrate and amplify women’s voices.
The session featured a dynamic mix of activities to foster growth, connection, and artistic exchange. The event began with an insightful industry panel discussion between Fulana, Cosmicat, Asayel, Rawan Alfassi (A&R Manager at MDLBEAST Records), and Nadia Khan (founder of Ctrl Music), followed by an A&R listening and feedback session which gave artists an opportunity to share their music and receive feedback from the panel, and a live performance by Asayel.
The event concluded with a listening circle attended by pioneers and emerging talents—both men and women—from Jeddah’s music scene, creating an interactive environment to discuss ways of preserving the ethos of the underground music culture. Local entrepreneurs and artists shared experiences, exchanged ideas, and engaged in constructive discussions focused on strengthening Jeddah’s independent music scene. Attendees highlighted Hunna’s role in fostering community connections and encouraging collaboration. The dialogue underscored the strong local support for women in music, revealing a shared commitment among participants to elevate and support female talent within the community.
Through this final event, Hunna reaffirmed its mission to champion women in music by creating spaces that celebrate and support female talent and emphasized the importance of recognizing the intersectionality of identities and experiences within the music scene, nurturing a vibrant, inclusive community that drives the region’s creative movement.
The session featured prominent speakers, including Nadine Lingawi, session moderator (artist, Fulana), Asayel (artist), Cosmicat (artist), Nadia Khan, and Rawan Alfassi. The session hosts were Tanya Awad, Hunna Lead and Music & Experience Lead, MDLBEAST Foundation, and Lina El Sahli, Product Manager at MDLBEAST Records.
