XChange Xine 2022

TANGIBLE PROGRESS

AS PART OF OUR MISSION OF BUILDING THE MIDDLE EAST’S MUSIC INDUSTRY – WE LAUNCHED XCHANGE: A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS CATALYZING THE GROWTH OF OUR MUSIC INDUSTRY, HOSTED ACROSS 3 CITIES, IN THE LEAD UP TO OUR MUSIC CONFERENCE IN RIYADH THIS NOVEMBER. THESE WORKSHOPS WILL BE LED BY INDUSTRY EXPERTS FACILITATING CONVERSATIONS AROUND OUR PILLARS OF TALENT, SCENE, IMPACT & INNOVATION.

EACH SESSION EXPLORED THE FOLLOWING THEMES:

XCHANGE NITES THESE WORKSHOP EVENINGS CULMINATED WITH A CHANCE TO EXPLORE THE SAUDI MUSIC SCENE – THROUGH PERFORMANCES AND HOSTED NIGHTS. XCHANGE NITES: IS AN EVENT SERIES HOSTED WITH LOCAL MUSIC BRANDS THAT ARE GROWING OUR SCENE.

XCHANGE NITES WITH FULANA & VINYL MODE IN JEDDAH AFTER A SERIES OF FACILITATED CONVERSATIONS ON TALENT MANAGEMENT, WE CELEBRATED THE SCENE WITH A LIVE PERFORMANCE BY FULANA AND DJ SET BY VINYL MODE.

TUNES ON DECK.

WORKSHOP 01 15/06/2022 — JEDDAH, KSA

KEY TAKEAWAYS A

EDUCATION:

MORE, DIVERSE, ACCESSIBLE, AND HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATIONAL OFFERS IN MUSIC BUSINESS COVERING BOTH ARTISTS’ SELF-MANAGEMENT (FOR THE EARLIER STAGES OF AN ARTIST’S CAREER) AND DEDICATED TALENT MANAGEMENT FOR ARTISTS (FOR THE THE LATER STAGES WHERE INCOME IS HIGHER AND THE ARTIST IS ABLE TO EMPLOY A MANAGER).

UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS, ONLINE RESOURCES, MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS, RESIDENCIES, WORKSHOPS, AND MORE.

PRACTICE:

MORE VENUES, SIMPLIFIED PERMITS AND OVERALL GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE GRASSROOTS MUSIC SCENE TO ORGANIZE THEIR OWN EVENTS IN KSA AND PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TALENT TO PERFORM ON STAGE. MUSIC EXPORT FUNDS TO HELP SAUDI ARTISTS PLAY ABROAD WHERE THEY CAN FIND MORE VENUES AND EVENTS ALREADY.

COMMUNITYBUILDING:

THROUGH MORE MUSIC EVENTS IN GENERAL AND THROUGH CURATED NETWORKING EVENTS LIKE XCHANGE IN PARTICULAR. REMOVING BARRIERS TO AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION - E.G. BY LOWERING EVENT PRODUCTION COSTS AND THEREBY ENTRANCE FWEES, AS WELL AS BY ASSURING PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITYWILL GROW THE SCENE.

AWARENESS:

PUBLIC CAMPAIGNS TO BROADEN AWARENESS ABOUT EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY FOR ALL GENDERS. INVESTING IN DIVERSITY THROUGH FEMALE EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS IN THE SECTOR AS WELL AS INTENTIONAL REPRESENTATION, GENRE DIVERSITY, AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN EVENT PROGRAMMING. PROMOTING SAUDI TALENT WITHIN THE KINGDOM AND ABROAD.

CAPACITY AND SKILLS BUILDING THROUGH EDUCATION, MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS AND WORKSHOPS.

PROMOTING LOCAL TALENT IS KEY AND CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH MARKETING CAMPAIGNS DEDICATED TO AMPLIFYING LOCAL TALENT, SHOWCASES AND INVESTING IN MUSIC INFRASTRUCTURE (VENUES) TO CREATE MORE SPACES FOR LOCAL TALENT TO PERFORM.

DIVERSITY IS AN ASSET AND IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD SHOWCASE.

THIS INCLUDES REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN, GENRE DIVERSITY AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY.

ACCESSIBILITY WILL GROW THE SCENE

THIS MEANS OFFERING EVENTS OF LOWER PRICE POINTS AND FREE ACCESS TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION.

COMMUNITY BUILDING IS CRITICAL FOR THE HEALTH OF THE SCENE. WITH COMMUNITY COMES COLLABORATION, SUPPORT FOR WOMEN, SUPPORT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION AND COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN DIFFERENT COMMUNITY GROUPS.

MIXING TOP-DOWN AND BOTTOM-UP STRATEGIES WILL BE THE GOLDEN PATH TO HELP THE MUSIC SCENE HELP ITSELF. WHEN INCENTIVIZING POLICIES FOR THE SECTOR MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOUNG MUSIC ENTREPRENEURS TO START UP NEW VENUES AND EVENTS AT GRASSROOTS LEVEL, THIS WILL REALLY BOOST OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS TO PERFORM, LEARN, AND BUILD THEIR CAREER.

PUTTING THE SAUDI SCENE ON THE MAP

CO-WRITTEN

BY: HAYA SHAATH & HEBA ZEIDAN

The regional music scene stole the spotlight in Riyadh last December – bringing together the global music community in conversations, on dance floors and across warehouses.

Between Soundstorm – a mega electronic music festival with wide music genres, hosting over 700,000 attendees – and The XP Music Conference – focused on building the music industry infrastructure – the air in Riyadh was supercharged with ambition, creativity and thirst for more. Soundstorm was a dream opportunity

for local talent, a peek into another world for international talent, and an inclusive playground for Saudi youth to play. On the heels of these happenings, local and regional promoter brands are hosting their own events as they nurture the scene – while navigating gray areas around event licensing and legality.

The Kingdom is experiencing an entertainment and tourism boom - with high demand

and cultural celebrations. At XP, Princess Haifa bint Mohammed Al Saud, Assistant Minister for Tourism mentioned that the Kingdom is expecting a 600% increase in live music events in 2022 alone – making music events a key player in Saudi’s greater tourism strategy. Policies to govern this fledgling industry are developed by the newly established General Entertainment Authority. The developments in policy include the loosening of event restrictions to the protection of artist rights. In the XP Music Conference, regional industry titans and governmental figures discussed policy development in closed door discussions.

This allowed for an honest and open exchange between industry veterans, artists and policymakers ensuring that all interests were properly represented.

CO-WRITTEN BY: HAYA SHAATH & HEBA ZEIDAN

With new policies still in the works, the Saudi night scene remains in a gray area. There are little policies that specifically govern private sector nightlife and the agents surrounding it. Some progress has been made, such as issuance of party permits by GEA – though many of these cater to larger scale events. With such gaps, young entrepreneurs are finding loopholes to keep the party going. Where clubs cannot exist, Saudi youth bring international party experiences to the Kingdom hosted privately, featuring local and global music talent and immersive experiences. Privacy and exclusivity form the basis of these small music communities – as the existence of nightlife in the Kingdom still lives in the in-between of legitimate and taboo.

The ambitions of these young entrepreneurs are complementary with the Kingdom’s tourism ambitions, attracting a globetrotting music tribe. With the increase of intimate parties, a heavyhitting music festival and an enriching music conference – Saudi is slowly gaining international attention, particularly within the music scene. The boutique rave scene has caught the eye of notable nightlife publishers, such as Meoko and Trommel, with sick lineups and breathtaking locations – going semi-viral as far as the underground goes. Saudi’s international clout within the scene is creating an influx of creative talent that are keen on exploring the diverse talent, experiences and sound that the Kingdom has to offer. We all see an opportunity in what Saudi has to offer, and we have a chance to build it up in the right way, together.

PHOTOS: NOCTUARY, 2022

EVERYONE'S GOT THEIR OWN FLAIR. IF YOU CAN'T PUT YOUR FINGER ON WHAT YOUR STYLE IS - TURN TO OUR REGIONAL STARS FOR GUIDANCE.

HOW WERE YOU BORN?

A WITH A STRING OF PEARLS & SUNGLASSES B WITH A LEAN IN MY STEP C IN A DEWY MEADOW ON PLUTO D ON THE DANCE FLOOR A FAN COMES UP TO YOU AFTER THE SHOW! WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

A WALK AWAY - HOW IMPOLITE! B DAP THEM UP C TELEPATHICALLY GIVE THEM A KISS ON THE FOREHEAD D SIGN THEIR SHIRT BEFORE THEY EVEN ASKS WHAT DO YOU NEED ON STAGE?

A MY EMOTIONAL SUPPORT NAPKIN B JUST A MIC AND A BEAT C DIM LIGHTING AND 500 CANDLES TO CHANNEL THE POWER OF MOTHER GAIA D HAIR. BASS. LIGHTS. FIRE. VIBES. WHAT IS YOUR SECRET WEAPON:

A MY CLOUT B MY SWAG C MY ESOTERIC CONNECTION WITH FAE FOLK D MY STAR-POWER YOU’RE MOST INSPIRED BY?

A THE POWER WITHIN ME B MY HOMELAND C INTUITION AND EMOTION D MY ABS

HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU’VE MADE IT?

A WHEN I’M REMEMBERED FOR GENERATIONS B WHEN I AM UNDERSTOOD C WHEN I CAN MAKE PEOPLE FEEL D WHEN I SEE MY NAME IN LIGHTS

IF YOU MOSTLY CHOSE A, YOU ARE UM KALTHOUM. IF YOU MOSTLY CHOSE B, YOU ARE CHEB JADID. IF MOSTLY CHOSE C, YOU ARE YASMINE HAMDAN. IF YOU MOSTLY CHOSE D, YOU ARE MOHAMMAD RAMADAN

Co-Founder of mental health and wellbeing non-profit Getahead, and Founder & CEO of wellbeing consultancy business Work Inspired. Jenni launched Getahead in 2018 while still

FOR YEARS, MANY PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM BURNOUT WERE MISDIAGNOSED, MISUNDERSTOOD, AND NOT GIVEN THE SUPPORT THEY NEEDED DUE A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING AND EDUCATION AROUND THE CONDITION AND ITS “WHY.” WE HAVE SEEN A POSITIVE SHIFT IN ATTITUDES AND MANAGEMENT RELATING TO BURNOUT SINCE MAY 2019 WHEN THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION RECOGNISED IT AS A MEDICAL CONDITION. THE TERM “BURNOUT” IS DEFINED AS A STATE OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL EXHAUSTION THAT CAN COMPLETELY RID ANY JOY OR PASSION FROM YOUR LIFE , WHETHER THIS IS YOUR CAREER, FRIENDSHIPS, LOVE LIFE, OR FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS.

IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT SOMEONE, DON’T IGNORE YOUR INSTINCTS OR THE EARLY WARNING SIGNS THAT THERE MAY BE SOMETHING DEEPER GOING ON. ASK THEM THESE 3 SIMPLE WORDS ‘ARE YOU OK?’

AWARENESS OF THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT THAT IS AVAILABLE IS SO IMPORTANT, SHARING YOUR KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCES AND PERSONAL STORIES IS SO POWERFUL, IT MAY JUST HELP ANOTHER PERSON OPEN UP AND SAVE A LIFE .

XCHANGE: LEGALIZING THE SAUDI MUSIC SCENE

THIS WORKSHOP WAS HOSTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DIRIYAH BIENNALE FOUNDATION – NURTURING CREATIVE EXPRESSION AND INSTILLING AN APPRECIATION FOR CULTURE, THE ARTS, AND THEIR TRANSFORMATIVE POWER.

WE GATHERED POLICY-MAKERS, PROMOTERS, VENUE OWNERS, MUSICIANS AND ENTREPRENEURS TO HAVE A CANDID CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO EXPAND KSA’S MUSIC SCENE. IN THE SESSION, WE EXPLORED HOW MIGHT WE:

• MAINTAIN THE SCENE'S AUTHENTICITY WHILE EXPANDING AND BUILDING AN ECONOMY AROUND IT THAT CAN PROVIDE GOOD JOBS ESPECIALLY TO YOUTH?

• DEVELOP POLICIES TO HELP EVOLVE THE GROWING UNDERGWROUND MUSIC SCENE?

• EQUIP EMERGING EVENT ORGANIZERS WITH THE RIGHT TOOLS TO HOST SAFE EVENTS?

SETTING THE SCENE

THE CROWD TRICKLED INTO THE SPACE – FASHIONABLY LATE – IN TRUE ARAB FASHION; UNDENIABLY STUCK IN RIYADH'S PRE-WEEKEND TRAFFIC. AS PEOPLE ARRIVED, THEY GREETED EACH OTHER WARMLY – ACQUAINTANCES AND FRIENDS FROM THE BUDDING

SAUDI MUSIC SCENE. AS THEY MUNCHED ON LIGHT BITES, THEY WERE PROMPTED TO ANSWER THE QUESTION ON THE SAUDI MUSIC SCENE – ANSWERS WERE VERY TELLING OF THE GAPS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN GROWING THIS SCENE.

IGNITE TALKS:

PRINCESS FAHDA BANDAR ABDULLAH AL SAUD CO-FOUNDER OF TRAVELING PANTHER AND TTP RETREATS

BANDAR AL TUNSI CO-FOUNDER AND PARTNER OF LYMM

MATHEW DICKS DIRECTOR OF MUSIC AND TALENT AT MDLBEAST RECORDS

THE WORKSHOP KICKED OFF WITH A MODERATED DISCUSSION FROM VARIOUS PEOPLE WITHIN THE SAUDI MUSIC SCENE; OFFERING A SPRINGBOARD FOR THE UPCOMING FACILITATED CONVERSATIONS. WITH A LACK OF NIGHTCLUBS, OR SUITABLE VENUES IN SAUDI, EVENT ORGANIZERS TURN TO PRIVATE LOCATIONS; BE IT FARMHOUSES OR ISOLATED CAMPS IN THE DESERT. DISTANCE CREATES EXCLUSIVITY, SAFETY AND UNRESTRICTED EVENT HOURS - KEY INGREDIENTS FOR AN UNDERGROUND PARTY.

15/09/2022 — RIYADH, KSA

AS IT STANDS, SAUDI'S UNDERGROUND PARTY SCENE IS A GRAY ZONE OF LEGALITY. THE RISK IS HIGH, AND YET PEOPLE FIND CREATIVE SOLUTIONS; BY HOSTING EVENTS IN PRIVATE SPACES TO MANAGE THEIR GUESTLIST. THESE BEGINNINGS ARE SIMILAR TO MANY UNDERGROUND SCENES AROUND THE WORLD.

FOR THE SCENE TO GROW – WE NEED POLICIES IN PLACES TO CONSIDER EVERYONE'S SAFETY, ENSURE ECONOMIC VIABILITY, ENCOURAGE DANCE FLOOR EDUCATION AND GOOD BEHAVIOR, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO GLOBAL RENOWN.

"OUR PROBLEM NOW IS: YOU CAN'T THROW SOMETHING LEGAL UNLESS IT'S COMMERCIAL – BUT THEY AREN'T MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE."

"HOW DO YOU BALANCE CREATING THAT SAFE SPACE WHEN PARTYING? WE WANT TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE AND INCLUDE PEOPLE TO EXPAND THE SCENE, BUT WANT TO MAINTAIN A BALANCE." BANDAR AL TUNSI, LYMM COFOUNDER & PARTNER

UNDERGROUND = ILLEGAL

CURRENT OBSTACLES

• LACK OF EQUIPPED VENUES FOR MUSIC AND DANCING

• LACK OF EDUCATION ON PARTY CULTURE, CODE OF CONDUCT, DANCE FLOOR EDUCATION

• COMPLICATED PERMIT PROCESS – LONG, UNPREDICTABLE, AND NOT CATERED TO SMALL EVENTS

"THERE ARE NONFUNCTIONAL VENUES THAT ARE GATHERING DUST THAT CAN EASILY BE TRANSFORMED INTO PARTY VENUES. WE CAN MAKE USE OF THESE SPACES, AS WE HAVE THEM." BALOO, DJ & CHIEF CREATIVE, MDLBEAST

EDUCATION FOR ALL: SAUDI EVENT PROMOTERS ARE STILL ORGANIZING ON A WHIM – WITH LIMITED EVENT EXPERIENCE – THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE THEM ON HOW TO RUN PROFITABLE AND SAFE EVENTS TOO

PARTY GOERS AND AUDIENCES NEED TO BE EDUCATED – A MAJORITY OF THESE PARTY GOERS COME FOR WRONG REASON – AND THAT ONLY COMES FROM A LIMITED UNDERSTANDING AND EXPOSURE TO DANCE AND MUSIC CULTURE. THESE AUDIENCES CAN BE REACHED THROUGH PATIENCE, TIME AND POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INITIATIVES. THIS TAKES MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE INVESTED IN SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION OF THE YOUTH SOCIETY.

WITH GOVERNMENT SUPPORT – LEGAL OR FINANCIAL – EVENT BRANDS ARE EMPOWERED TO LEGALIZE THEIR EVENTS; WHICH EMPOWERS PROMOTERS TO FOLLOW REGULATIONS, AND GROW THE SCENE, SUSTAINABLY

TOUGH RESTRICTIONS AND MONITORING BY GOVERNING BODIES COULD ALSO PUSH PEOPLE AWAY, DEEPER INTO THE ILLEGAL SCENE – WHICH MEANS A BALANCE BETWEEN ORGANIZERS AND REGULATORS NEEDS TO BE ESTABLISHED

QUALITY ELEVATION

• A BASELINE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR ALL UNDERGROUND EVENTS TO ENSURE SAFETY, SECURITY AND ENJOYMENT OF THE CROWD. THIS ELEVATES THE QUALITY OF THE EXPERIENCES

• REGULATING TICKET PRICES, THAT WILL BE DICTATED BY THE MARKET PRICE. THESE EVENTS

MOHAMAD MOUSSA, MADHAUS

•

•

"THE SCENE IN RIYADH HAS HUGE POTENTIAL TO BECOME A GLOBAL SCENE. IT'S SO RADICAL THAT THIS IS HAPPENING IN RIYADH, AND THAT MAKES IT AN ADVANTAGE RATHER THAN A DISADVANTAGE, AS LONG AS WE GROW IT ORGANICALLY, SLOWLY AND DRIVE THEM TO GO PARTY FOR THE RIGHT REASONS."

•

TRUE TO FORM

THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE SAUDI SCENE IS WHAT MAKES IT UNIQUE – MAINTAINING THAT AMIDST INCOMING REGULATIONS IS UP TO EVENT BRANDS. THIS MEANS BRANDS DO NOT COMPROMISE ON THEIR VALUES; THEY BAND TOGETHER TO UPHOLD THEIR VISION.

• AUTHENTICITY OF A SCENE IS ABOUT BLENDING LOCAL CULTURE WITH MUSIC CULTURE – LOCAL EVENT BRANDS ARE DOING THAT THROUGH THEMED EVENTS AND CHOOSING OFF-THE-GRID LOCATIONS – LIKE MUDHUTS, DESERTS AND CAVES. SUCH SMALL EVENTS HAVE GARNERED INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUENESS OF THE EXPERIENCE, AND THE CURIOSITY TOWARDS THE SAUDI SCENE. MISCONCEIVED NOTIONS BEGIN TO SHIFT PUBLIC PERCEPTION ABOUT SAUDI AS A WHOLE. THIS IS DANCE FLOOR DIPLOMACY.

Situated comfortably in his desk, with equal parts street cred and business acumen, was MoE Bajbaa. In the past two years interviews about Proud Angeles - a Saudi lifestyle brand that touches upon streetwear, music and underground realnesshave been a regular fixture in his schedule.

The Saudi creative industry began its baby steps in the 2010s and has quickly developed into a full sprint. This wave of talent, creativity and ambition has broken thresholds and allowed for casual ingeniousness to toy with boundaries of fashion, music, art and community. The Rockstar release, the launch of Proud Angeles’s first endeavor into eyewear, did just that. Foregoing the typical structure of a release - a creative campaign with editorials here and there - MoE and his team were keen on tapping into the underground electronic scene.

For the Proud team, this wasn’t an opportunistic jump onto a trend, but rather an homage to a community they feel a sense of belonging to. The Rockstar sunglasses’ inception happened

on the dancefloor. MoE is a regular at underground music events and began to notice a sense of security and solitude when wearing shades on the dancefloor. So, it was a natural evolution to develop his own design of sunglasses.

“I used to have these knock-off 20 dollar glasses I would wear when I would go to raves. People would always come up to me telling me they love my glasses, so I was like ‘I have something there’. The amount of compliments… I loved it. So I made it. Lately, I’ve been relearning how to deal with public spaces and energy. I just… Put on the glasses. Feel unbothered. Party like a rockstar. When I put the glasses on, I feel unbothered. It even blocks your peripherals from distraction. Just you and the music, no BS. That's why underground music. It all happened there”

Following the popularity of pop-up raves happening across the Kingdom, the Proud team devised a launch plan that was embedded within the music ecosystem. It started off organically, with MoE gifting the glasses to one of Riyadh's local DJs – Majed – long before the release. From there, the shades took off, purely from word of mouth and underground street cred.

“I had three samples. I gave Majed one… and the way people were reacting.. ‘Where’d you get those? When is it dropping, when is dropping?’ - so we built hype by the time of the release. It was organic, because I gave it to the right person and wore them in the right places. I don’t really wear them anywhere else. I don’t know, just worked.”

It’s easy to assume this was a strategic and cunning plan to tap into a market – but MoE simply doesn’t see it that way. He attributes the success of Proud Angeles to always having a finger on the pulse of Saudi subcultures. The underground electronic scene is not the first - and surely not the lastniche local community that Proud Angeles has tapped into.

MoE was able to forge these opportunities through genuine connections with these communities - finding a place for skaters, hoopers, artists and DJ’s alike.

The fashion drop before the Rock Star shades had an emphasis on the hidden pockets of Saudi’s scene. This drop was done in partnership with local art legend, Rex Chouk - another scene heavy hitter. The promo video of this drop was worked on by local talents - featuring basketball players, trend setters and local skating legends. MoE finds these scenes not in the name of self-promotion, but simply because he finds common interest and goals within these communities.

"I like basketball, I like house music, hip hop, graffiti and skating - even though I don’t skate. Doesn’t matter if I’m part of the community - what we have is mutual ground. People know I’m the Proud Angeles guy and they’re skaters…we find that mutual ground like ‘hey when are we gonna do stuff together’ and not ‘hey when are you gonna wear my stuff?’ I want to actually engage with different scenes with the right way and right tone. You can’t feel entitled to the community. Pay respect to people. You have to engage with the community to know how to treat the community. You don’t tap in by walking in as an entrepreneur. The entrepreneur will come in when the opportunity is there. Approach them as a person. I didn’t walk into the house scene as an entrepreneur."

The Rockstar Glasses release happened over two weeks –with a party both in Jeddah and Riyadh. Interestingly, the glasses weren’t the focal point of the party, but the music was. MoE came to find that most people who were keen on attending the launch, marketed as a fashion event, came for simply the music and energy.

MOE

“We had the stock in February, we could’ve launched then. I was telling Momo [MoE’s right hand man] ‘I don’t just wanna do a pop-up and just have people show up. They’re gonna come, dance, and ignore the sunglasses. It’s not like clothes that I know will sell. I’m taking a financial risk by having parties in Jeddah and Riyadh for the glasses.’

MoE convinced his team to sell tickets. The tickets were sold as two tiers - one for admission alone and the other included entry with a pair of Rockstar glasses. They noticed most of the revenue80% to be specific - was generated from attendance tickets alone rather than glasses bundle. On the other side of the same coin, the attendees that generally come for the party became familiarized with Proud Angeles and their apparel. It’s hard to measure a return on investment if your main goal is cultural capital. The events were jam packed, leading to both excitement and anxiety.

“It wasn’t rocket science - we saw how others were doing it. In Riyadh we were very cautious of finding a licensed venue. In Jeddah - until this moment, I keep thinking ‘bruh the risk was so high.’ ”

Proud Angeles is set to find itself in the intersection of scene, authenticity and entrepreneurship more frequently in the future. Pivoting towards experiences and lifestyle events that connect the dots between communities. For MoE - it’s more than just clothes. It’s a lifestyle.

BY ARABIAN PRINCE

NOT ONLY A GRAMMY-NOMINATED SONGWRITER, RAPPER, PRODUCER, AND DJ, ARABIAN PRINCE IS ALSO A TECHNOLOGIST AND FOUNDER OF INOV8 NEXT OPEN LABS. AT XP, HE SERVES AS A MEMBER OF THE ADVOCATES & ADVISORY (A&A) BOARD TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SHAPING OF OUR INNOVATION PILLAR PROGRAMMING. ARABIAN PRINCE IS FOCUSED ON EMPOWERING YOUTH TO EXPLORE THE FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGY WITH INCUBATOR PROGRAMS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF INVENTORS.

Let's talk about innovation. Not just any innovation - but the innovation of music. Since the transition from the era of vinyls, CD’s and physical sales to the streaming generation: how artists are able to capitalize on their music and brand has shifted. The domination of streaming platforms puts artists in a precarious position, making a fraction from streaming than they would from sales and downloads.

Enter Web3. Web3 – in layman’s terms – is the new chapter of Web history. Web1 was a matter of uploading HTML pages for users to read. Then Web2 came along - giving users the ability to read and interact with one another. Web3 takes it to another level, where users can read, interact with and own content.

Since artists do not make as much revenue from physical sales and downloads as they once did, artists are now exploring innovative ways to replace the income they have lost to streaming. Many artists have turned to NFTs and Web3 for answers.

NFTs, or non fungible tokens, can be thought of as an irrefutable receipt that logs every previous owner. This information is protected through blockchain - making it impossible for it to be altered. This makes the line ownership of things, like songs, transparent and honest. NFTs, blockchain and tokens are new ways that artists can monetize and secure their music through peer to peer sales. This also allows artists to set the value of their own work and to intimately connect with their most dedicated fanbase.

This peer-to-peer connection opens another door to monetization - offering exclusive experiences and exclusive drops to their fanbase that purchase their NFTs. More importantly, it can be used as a means to directly fund your favorite artists. In recent years, fans are able to directly crowdfund projects for artists. This allows artists to create freely for their fanbase, without ties or limitations.

Many artists, from underground to chart-toppers, have begun investing within the Web3 spaces to promote, launch and showcase music. Web3, once a fringe online community of techies, is now a part of the VMA’s, with Snoop Dogg and Eminem performing as their Bored Ape - one of the most popularly known NFT art series - avatars. Ownership, through NFTs, of avatars performing live in the Metaverse is no longer an abstracted futuristic fantasy - but what you see when you turn on your television.

To most people, NFTs are still an ambiguous buzz word, but many are making money and capitalizing on this new innovation as it is now a viable source

THIS PEER-TO-PEER CONNECTION OPENS ANOTHER DOOR TO MONETIZATION

of revenue. Even large music companies and brands are now looking to NFTs to promote themselves and

Companies, like Royalty Exchange, are now making this source of revenue accessible by offering services for artists to NFT their music cheaply. Getting your work as an NFT is only the first steppromoting and selling your work is all on you.

As of now, speculation is the way that NFTs and tokens grow in popularity and value - popularity of the content and its creator plays a big role. Scarcity and exclusivity is also a large contributing factor to how coveted the piece will be. People experienced in Web3 are now savvier than ever, and are shying away from buying hype pieces for a hefty price tag. As an artist, you must be careful of what you put out. Your work must have integrity and value - the public can easily turn their back on what may look like a cash-grab.

One final thought to consider is you still have to create music that appeals to your fanbase as well as an NFT. That goes hand in hand with what your music stands for. I personally look at NFTs as kind of the same as back in the day when people collected posters and vinyl record covers of their favorite artist. This is just the future of it, and it’s worth the investment of time, money and knowledge. Take the initiative to learn and join the future to make a profit.

ARABIAN PRINCE

FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE WORLD OF WEB3 AND ALL ITS MEMES, TECHIE TERMS AND LINGO - WE CREATED A LITTLE CHEAT SHEET DICTIONARY POWERED BY MHOUSE, AN INTERNATIONAL CLUB HOUSE FOR WEB3 INNOVATORS.

AUTOMATED MARKET MAKER

Automated Market Maker – Theorized by @vitalik and pioneered by @ uniswap, AMM were one of the groundbreaking introductions that kicked off DeFisummer and DeFi itself by making DEXs possible. Instead of an order book matching buyers and sellers managed centrally like Binance or Coinbase, AMMs allow crypto assets to be traded in an automated and permissionless way. Liquidity pools are used to ensure there is always a counterparty to the trade.

BLOCKCHAIN

A blockchain is a distributed database or ledger that is shared among the nodes of a computer network. As a database, a blockchain stores information electronically in digital format. Blockchains are best known for their crucial role in cryptocurrency systems, such as Bitcoin, for maintaining a secure and decentralized record of transactions. The innovation with a blockchain is that it guarantees the fidelity and security of a record of data and generates trust without the need for a trusted third party.

CRYPTOCURRENCY

A bankless digital currency that runs on a distributed public ledger and enables anyone anywhere to send and receive payments without reliance on a central authority (such as a bank or government).

A decentralized autonomous organization is exactly what the name says; a group of people who come together without a central leader or company dictating any of the decisions. DAOs offer flatter organizational structures, which are a powerful social force for music communities to mobilize against the backdrop of Web2 musicindustry concerns around financial transparency, equality and data

FAN TOKEN

A fan token is a cryptocurrency created by an individual or group with an audience, often a sports team, that allows its holders participation in the team’s governing activities while gaining discounts and exclusive rewards.

GENERATIVE ART

Generative art is art made using a predetermined system that often includes an element of chance – is usually applied to computer based art (SOURCE: https://www.tate.org.uk/ art/art-terms/g/generative-art)

A way of operating without being governed by a central authority. Instead, the system is spread across multiple points of authority. For example, a peer-to-peer network.

ETH is shorthand for Ether. It is the second largest digital currency by market cap apart from Bitcoin. It’s common for noobs to mix up Ethereum and ETH. Ethereum is the blockchain while ETH is the network’s native token. An even more noob mistake is to confuse it with Ethereum classic, which is the old fork of Ethereum and is not really maintained. ETH is the lifeblood of Ethereum. When you send ETH or use an Ethereum application (dApp), you pay network fees called gas in ETH. The fee incentivizes network miners to process and verify transactions. ETH can be

places so you don’t have to buy 1 whole ETH. For e.g. you can buy as little as 0.000000000000000001

HOT WALLET

A hot wallet is a cryptocurrency wallet that is connected to the internet with the private keys also accessible on the internet. Storing assets in this way can leave them susceptible to a hack. The other option is to have a hardware wallet.

IPFS

AKA the Interplanetary File System is a peer-to-peer (p2p) network that stores files across the globe. Aiming to be the HTTP killer, it’s at the forefront of Web3adoption. IPFS is cheaper to run, more efficient and is less centralised than current protocols.

IMMUTABLE

One of the core principles of blockchain technology. It means that something can’t be changed, modified or altered after creation. When an NFT is on the blockchain, its properties, traits, serial number or collection size can’t be altered. It is verifiable, can be audited and tracked forever.

METAVERSE

The purest demonstration of Web3, the metaverse is a 3D virtual world where you can build, play, explore and experience whatever you like. Sometimes 2d, sometimes implementing VR and AR technologies, it’s the home of avatars, NFTs, crypto tokens and more and more each week. You can buy land, build a house, party or just hang out in the metaverse.

NON-FUNGIBLE TOKEN

A Non Fungible Token is a unique digital asset that exists on a blockchain. On Ethereum, it is created using ERC1155 or ERC721 standard for non-fungible tokens, as opposed to ERC20 standard for fungible tokens. NFTs are used as a form of digital ownership to represent a unique asset. In a simple form, that asset could be on-chain code like @ artblocks art, or a link to a jpeg like @ bayc. In a more complex form, it could be a real world asset like property from @PropyInc or even a @tesla

OPEN SEA

The largest and most decentralised NFT marketplace. Opensea has become ubiquitous with NFT trading as the dominant secondary marketspace in the game. Original collections can also be launched on the platform allowing artists to easily find their community and sales. #brokensea is used when Openseais down… which is not uncommon.

TOKEN

A token is a digital asset that appears on its own blockchain. It can be

bought, sold and traded like fiat currencies, and can represent either digital or physical assets. Token can also be used to interact with a dApp, which makes life for gamers, shoppers and the whole Web3 world more convenient due to their utility. The term coin is usually used to describe an asset on its own native blockchain e.g. BTC is used and Bitcoin and ETH is used on Ethereum. A token on the other hand usually refers to an asset that can reside on another chain e.g. there are thousands of tokens on the Ethereum chain.

UTILLITY

The “raison d’etre” of a coin… what does it do? Typically, this was a term to evade securities laws where it was argued the tokens were not securities or breaking laws because the coin was needed in order to fulfill some function… therefore it had “utility”. Could be considered the predecessor of the “Worthless governance token”.

WALLET

A leather container frequently found in a Boomers pocket full of pieces of plastic that they insist have intrinsic value, as opposed to your non-custodial immutable blockchain money which they say is worthless. Also, more often, refers to a crypto wallet which is where you track your crypto holdings. Crypto wallets should come with private keys or a 12 or 24 word mnemonic seed phrase that only you know. Never give your seed phrase to anybody for goodness sake!

PHOTO ESSAY BY RATS OF BAT’HA

THE UNIQUE TRAITS OF THE UNDERGROUND SAUDI MUSIC SCENE LIES IN ITS PASSIONATE CREATIVES AND INTIMATE SETTINGS. DATING BACK TO ITS ORIGINS IN THE LATE 90S, IN A SOCIETAL CONTEXT THAT VALUES PRIVACY AND A STRONG SENSE OF BELONGING. THE SCENE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CULTIVATING SPACE FOR CREATIVES TO CONNECT, INSPIRE AND TRANSCEND COLLECTIVELY. IN RECENT YEARS, THE SCENE HAS NOT ONLY CELEBRATED ITS LOCAL HEROES, BUT ALSO MADE SPACE FOR INTERNATIONALS TO TAP INTO ITS MAGIC. EFFORTS FROM ARTISTS, BRANDS AND COMMUNITY HAVE PAVED THE WAY FOR NEW ENERGIES TO INDULGE WITH THE SCENE AND TRANSFORM PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS ON BOTH ENDS. I FOUND MYSELF NOT ONLY CURIOUS TO NAVIGATE OUR LOCAL SCENE, IT WAS INEVITABLE TO EXAMINE OTHER POINTS OF REFERENCE FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING. WHAT INFLUENCES SHAPE CITIES’ SOUNDS OVERTIME? HOW DOES THE NATURE OF ITS PEOPLE AND THEIR CONTEXT SHAPE SCENES THEY FORGE? WHAT ACCELERATES TALENT OUTPUT? HOW DO CITIES NURTURE VARIED CROWD QUALITIES? AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT ALLOWS A SENSE OF BELONGING AND CREATIVE CREATIONS IN DANCE SCENES.

COMMON GROUNDS BETWEEN THE DANCEFLOORS OF BARCELONA AND RIYADH WERE UNSURPRISING TO ME. BOTH SCENES UPHOLD INTIMACY AND PLAY ABOVE ALL, EACH OFFERING DIFFERENT DEGREES OF THE SPECTRUM - AND CULTIVATING EQUALLY PROFOUND EXPERIENCES. THIS MIRROR IMAGE OF DANCE CULTURE - BETWEEN SPAIN AND SAUDI AND LIKELY MANY OTHERS - IT REMINDS US OF HOW SIMILAR WE ARE WHEN WE POSTPONE OUR JUDGMENTS. HERE, ON THE DANCEFLOOR, WE CELEBRATE MUSIC, INSTANTANEOUS RHYTHMS, INTIMATE SETTINGS, AND CELEBRATE THE PEOPLE THAT CONTINUOUSLY ELEVATE OUR MUSICAL PALATES, THOSE WHO CO-CREATE AND ALLOW THE NEW TO EMERGE.

PHOTO ESSAY BY RATS OF BAT’HA

PHOTO ESSAY BY RATS OF BAT’HA

THE IDEA OF THIS ZINE CAME ABOUT IN CASUAL CONVERSATION WITH OUR RESIDENT PUNK-ROCKING CREATIVE STRATEGIST, . THE IDEA MUSHROOMED INTO REALITY LED BY HER PARTNER IN RHYME, FELLOW SENIOR CREATIVE STRATEGIST, A HUNT FOR REGIONAL ILLUSTRATORS – THEY MET AND RECEIVED PROPOSALS FROM REGIONAL ROCKSTARS – LANDING AT LAST ON GRAPHIC DESIGNER & ILLUSTRATOR

THE MEAT OF THIS ZINE IS THE WORKSHOP OUTCOMES. THESE WORKSHOPS WERE SPEARHEADED BY XP MUSIC & ACTIVATIONS

& BADER ASSERY TO ORGANIZE, FACILITATE AND SYNTHESIZE FINDINGS. OUR VERY OWN SARA-OF-ALL-TRADES, DABBLED IN POLICY-RECOMMENDATIONS, MODERATING, MANAGING GUEST LISTS, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT CO-PILOTING WITH US WERE OUR PARTNERS AT VIBELAB – NAMELY, THOMAS SCHEELE , MIRIK MILAN

SHOUT OUT TO THE CONTENT TEAM IN ACTION; AND THE SOCIAL TEAM OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU TO THE ADVOCATES WRITTEN CONTRIBUTIONS, AND ESSAY. GRATITUDE TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THE WORKSHOPS, CANDID CONVERSATIONS AND PERFORMANCES.

NOTE-TAKERS:

AYA KHOJA HEBA ZAIDAN LATIFA AL SUDAIRI MUNIRA ALMUAMMAR RAWAN JABER SARA BAZIAN LOCATION PARTNERS:

ART JAMEEL FOUNDATION, JEDDAH, KSA DIRIYAH BIENNALE FOUNDATION, RIYADH, KSA THEATER OF DIGITAL ARTS, TODA, DUBAI, UAE

BANDAR AL TUNSI

BEN CAESAR DARIA PRODAEVICH

PRINCESS FAHDA BANDAR ABDULLAH AL SAUD MATHEW DICKS RAYYAN AL RASHEED WALEED SHAH TANYA AWAD

ALL THIS COMES TOGETHER, WITH THE TRUST IN CREATIVE DIRECTION, FROM CHIEF CREATIVE, THE GUIDANCE OF OUR FIRST LADY BEAST – STRATEGIC DIRECTOR,