Ten Things We Learned at IMS Dubai

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Ten Things We Learned at IMS Dubai

At last week’s sold out debut IMS Dubai, a major focus was connecting the industry in the region with the rest of the world for a genuine two-way exchange of information. We brought together key players and innovators from the MENA region to explore opportunities, address challenges and showcase the rapid growth of electronic music culture across the region.

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Regional and global industry leaders, artists and innovators joined the conversation, sharing insights to inspire and support this dynamic evolution. The result was a powerful exchange of ideas and knowledge.

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Below are ten key takeaways, straight from the summit floor at IMS Dubai.

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1. Electronic music in the MENA region is not a monoculture

We had the privilege to hear from speakers and communities across the Middle East and North Africa at IMS Dubai, and what soon became clear was the great degree of variation across the different countries in MENA when it comes to electronic music. From the likes of Egypt, Turkey and Lebanon, whose more mature scenes have long been exporting expertise across the region, to places like Morocco, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, where club culture proper is just beginning or evolving, the only rule that applies across the region is that there is growth, and there are opportunities, everywhere.

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2. Dubai is the hub for music in the region‍

For decades, Dubai has deliberately sought to position itself as a hub for this region, and that holds especially true for music and entertainment. Only 5% of the people who live in Dubai were born here, and that doesn’t just mean European expats: from the Maghreb to the Levant, people who work in music, artists and promoters flock here to set up a basecamp or find a place to build. This was reflected in the hugely diverse nationalities and backgrounds of the delegates who attended IMS Dubai, and even among the amazing Dubai-based DJ collectives who soundtracked so many of the events.

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3 .The underground has been here longer than you think

It was fascinating to hear the history of the underground scene here in Dubai, which was sketched out by DJ, Curator and Arts & Culture Consultant Karam Toubba in the ‘Discovering Dubai's Underground Scene & Culture’ session. Initially fuelled by British expats, starting with desert raves in the 90s, morphing into a huge house party scene where info on music and location was shared, orbital rave style, by last minute telephone calls, to the gradual opening of dedicated underground venues (like Boogie Box, VNYL and Surf Shack) and parties like Duck Soup and House Of Queens, Dubai’s club scene rests on a solid underground infrastructure. The people driving the scene elsewhere in the region are well aware of that necessity. MDLBEAST Records Music Business Advisor Moe Hamzeh, for example, emphasised that uplifting the underground was the key to sustainability of the scene in Saudi Arabia, rather than just a couple of massive events - while Soundsisters’ Founder and DJ Maria Malasangre outlined the impact of their DJ workshops for girls and women in Morocco.

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4. There is investment here, if you know how to present

At two powerhouse panels -’Investment in Music. What are the opportunities?’ and ‘Meet the Investors: The Investor Perspective’, a line-up of key industry players provided valuable insight into how projects and brands can tap into the enthusiasm among investors in the region for electronic music. Reed Smith Partner Amir Ahmad urged the importance of preparation: “Investors here are looking for stability, a cash flow projection that’s reliable, a presentation that a project is both viable and monetisable” he said. “The back office, the ‘boring bit’, is really important here from day one.”

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5. Women are shaping the scene in the region

“There’s never been a better time for women in MENA to join the music industry,” said MassiveMusic’s Senior Account Manager Cherine Altobaishi at the MENA Women in Music Presented by Little Pink Book session; “don’t be scared - if you want to do it,” just do it. It was clear from that session and the contributions of artists like Egypt’s Yas Meen Selectress and Saudi Arabia’s Cosmicat, as well as the many female execs, innovators and pioneers featured - and the huge female presence among the delegates - that women are guiding the electronic music industry in the region more and more every day.

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6. The connection with Ibiza is strong and it’s real

Not only has Dubai now joined the White Isle and the likes of Miami, London and Bali as a key stop on the DJ circuit, but many of the big Ibiza brands are here and extremely active. It began with the transformative impact of Ibiza Blu Marlin beach club back in the day, but since then Ushuaïa, Defected, Amnesia and a host of other Ibiza players have joined the party in the Emirate. Though as IMS Co-Founder and BBC Radio 1 Broadcaster Pete Tong said: “If you’d never been to Dubai before and been going to Ibiza for years, and someone told you this was the next Ibiza that wouldn’t make sense. But Dubai will succeed by developing its own personality, by leaning into its strengths.” Meanwhile, Pacha / Five Hospitality CEO Aloki Batra teased the idea that in the next few years, Pacha might soon have something to unveil in the Emirates to complement Five Group’s huge presence in the hotel and hospitality space.

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7. Arab / MENA music is on the rise

The very first keynote of IMS Dubai featured Billboard Arabia’s Managing Editor Maha EINabawi tracing a line from the very early electronic experimentation of Egyptian artists and composers in the 1970s to the way that traditional styles from across the region continue to be fused into pop and electronica. Just as K-Pop has gone from niche interest outside of SE Asia to global juggernaut and reggaeton from latin specialism to Saturday night standby, there’s a definite sense that a time is coming when these sounds join the global pop and dance soundtrack. The session on ‘Taking MENA Artists to the Global Stage’ reminded us not only of the raft of talent coming through, but also the unique challenges - and opportunities - they face

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8. Web3 lives! All we need now is a new name

As Melissa Henderson, Global Marketing Manager from the Moonbeam Foundation pointed out, despite the perception in some quarters that Web3 and Blockchain are a busted flush, the actual technology is more accessible to a less ‘techy’ demographic than ever, and the way it’s thriving in the gaming space already should be a model for its incorporation into music. The opening Web3 panel discussed how the tech can be used to serve the audience rather than just as a vehicle for hype, with some intriguing ideas around adding both value and security to ticket purchases. Rebranded along those lines, those negative tech bro associations should fade into the distance.

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9. There’s an opportunity to build a royalties system here from the ground up

Patched together over decades and notoriously slow to reflect new trends, the royalties system in Europe is often derided by electronic music artists in particular. At the AFEM and SACEM hosted ‘Get Played, Get Paid’ session SACEM’s Executive Director of International Caroline Champarnaud emphasised the importance of ‘collective’ over ‘collection’, and the speakers quickly seized on the opportunity that exists in MENA to build an equitable, modern and efficient system from scratch. And that new system could serve as a new model for the rest of the world. We can only hope that the industry in the region continues that mission - this isn’t something that can be imposed from outside, nor should it be.

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10. Artists can now tour MENA, not just visit

In ‘Navigating the Music Industry in the MENA region’, Live Nation MENA’s President James Craven told us that when he moved to the region in 2008 there were literally no purpose built music venues in the UAE. The logistical challenges of developing greenfield sites to play meant that most artists came to the Middle East / North Africa to do one-off shows - a situation that any DJ, artist, manager or promoter will always try to avoid. But the breakneck pace of development means that a 12 date tour across even just the Gulf region is now a possibility, changing the game for international - and local - acts looking to build an audience. “Every few years here something new happens,” said Craven, “The challenge keeps evolving. That’s why I love working here.”

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Sign up now to the pre-sale list for next year's IMS Dubai, and get first access to discounted delegate badges the second they go on sale.

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