XP Music Futures, one of the most noted and anticipated events by MDLBEAST, a music entertainment company based in Saudi Arabia, has formed a partnership with YouTube to support the country’s music industry and up-and-coming artists in the Middle East. YouTube, the globally renowned video sharing and social media platform, will be sponsoring the XPERFORM initiative, which aims to uncover and develop emerging musical talent in the region.
In addition, YouTube will hold a boot camp to guide artists in enhancing their reach and engagement through different formats on the platform. This move will give emerging artists from Saudi Arabia a chance to showcase their vocal talents using long-form, shorts, and live streams on the widely popular website.
The initiative is a music competition for vocalists and was launched by XP Music Futures, a three-day annual conference held in Riyadh last December. The contest will provide applicants with the opportunity to share their vocal abilities and possibly build their music careers with MDLBEAST Records, the record label arm of the company that creates and distributes music by local, regional, and international artists.
Nada Alhelabi, the Director of XP Music Futures, stated that the organization was excited to collaborate with YouTube on XPERFORM this year to explore and cultivate the next generation of musical talent in the Middle East. “This initiative aligns with our mission to create opportunities for artists and showcase the vibrant music scene in the region,” she added.
Notably, Saudi singer Asayel was discovered through XPERFORM in 2022 and has signed with MDLBEAST Records. YouTube also disclosed that in January, artists active on Shorts saw over 50% of their new channel subscribers coming directly from their posts.
Liliana Abudalo, the MENA head of YouTube Music, expressed her enthusiasm about the partnership and stated that YouTube is where creators make the most profound connections with their audience on a large scale, which is why the platform offers a profound opportunity for artists to build long-lasting and meaningful relationships with their fans.
Applications for XPERFORM are open until 20th May 2023, and the top 25 candidates will be invited for a live audition on 25th June 2023 at the Music Hub, a music educational center that is part of the Music Commission in Riyadh. The boot camp will also coach the artists on how to optimize their channels to increase their reach on YouTube and prepare for the next stage of the competition. The ten finalists will then proceed to a popularity contest on YouTube Shorts, where the audience will vote for their favorite contestant, leading to the selection of the top five contestants who will perform at XP Music Futures.
