Talal Albahiti In Conversation With FAULT Magazine
Words: Chaunielle Brown
We delve into the visionary mind of Talal Albahiti, the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Talent Booking & Events at MDLBEAST. As a key figure in the growth of the organization, Talal has played a pivotal role in shaping MDLBEAST’s trajectory within the region and with a successful AZIMUTH 2023 Festival behind him, let’s meet the man behind the music.
When did you conceive this idea? During your earlier years as a DJ in the US, which distinct moments marked the inspiration for producing and introducing the AZIMUTH Festival and starting MDLBEAST?
The concept ideas for both AZIMUTH and MDLBEAST originated from my formative years as a DJ in the U.S. and later in Saudi. Working with friends at that time, I conceived the idea of establishing a local entertainment company to provide young people with an outlet to express their passions for music, art, and culture. This initiative aimed to make them feel part of a larger global community. Over the years, witnessing the power of music festivals and the energy they cultivate inspired me to build Soundstorm. I realized the potential to create more than just a musical experience in Saudi; there was an opportunity to foster a community of artists driving change and creating something special.
What does MDLBEAST stand for? And where did the name come from?
MDLBEAST is pronounced as “middle beast.” MDLBEAST believes in the transcendent power of music, uniting people on the global dancefloor, transcending borders.
What is your first music memory?
Post-show, looking back, was Azimuth everything you dreamt of and imagined? Were your expectations met? What would you have changed? Any disappointments?
Azimuth was a huge success and delivered on all levels. We want to make sure that next year it’s even bigger and better. My expectations were to try something new, and we accomplished it, with great music, with regional superstar Daneel, international star RY X, and, of course, the amazing Thievery Corporation that just blew us away. These were just a few of the folks from this year, and we hope to do more next year.
What is next on the MDLBEAST agenda?
Soundstorm 2023 is happening this December 14-16 with an incredible line-up of international artists, including Pharrell Williams, H.E.R, J Balvin, David Guetta, Wizkid, Martin Garrix, and Calvin Harris, with more to come. It will be bigger and better than ever this year. We are also working on creating artist spaces across Riyadh with the restoration of a cement factory in the city’s diplomatic quarter that will host artists and their audiences, as well as a couple of rooftops we are activating around the city. Our artists from our record label, MDLBEAST Records, are hitting international stages for the upcoming festival season, and our annual music conference, XP Music Futures (this December 7-9) will feature notable leaders in the music industry from all around the world.
May we expect to see MDLBEAST expand across other regions, continents and countries?
Currently, we are working throughout the MENA region with partners in UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait on venues beyond Saudi. We have also brought a smaller division of our XP Music Futures conference to Abu Dhabi, Cairo, and Amman, and our artists have performed on some of the biggest international stages, including Tomorrowland and Ultra. We are moving forward on a new series of local performance spaces and experiences called “MDLBEAST Roadshow” that will provide platforms for local and regional talent, which is very important for us at MDLBEAST, as we want to keep nurturing Saudi talent.
Why is this festival important? And what do we need to take away from it?
Soundstorm holds so much importance to us because it is so much more than just a music festival – it’s a chance to unite all people out on the dance floor.
When did you realize Saudi Arabia needed this musical outlet?
There has always been a great love of music in Saudi, so we made MDLBEAST into the entertainment company created by locals for locals. We’ve gotten so lucky to grow exponentially into a platform for international superstars and host an audience filled with people from all around the world, but at our core we are a company dedicated to showcasing established and emerging local, regional, and global talent.
Where do you envision the future of music festivals for Saudi Arabia? Fast forward to 2033?
The music industry in Saudi is just getting started. We have an entire generation of young people who are going to grow up experiencing live music for the first time in a local setting and with international superstars. We have seen an immense growth in young people taking up musical instruments and an increased interest in careers in the arts in various forms – artists, managers, producers, agents, etc. By building an artist-centric music industry from the ground up, we are giving young people the platform to truly use their imagination to create and innovate.
What is your FAULT?
My fault is my love of live music, of making people feel part of a greater community of artists. Getting to bring people together who are defining a new generation of music – one creates a shared experience of cultural change and togetherness – that’s exciting to me.