Music City coming soon to the UAE

In the music sector, it’s hard to ignore the growing prominence of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is multiplying initiatives in the field to strengthen its influence, while diversifying its economy.

The most recent of these is the construction of a socalled Music City in Dubai.

This major architectural project will bring together numerous recording studios and music schools.

This creative facility will also be home to a new record label, launched jointly by Universal Music Group and an Emirati entity known as Dubai Global Music City (DGMC).

The new label will be dedicated to “support[ing] local and regional artists across every aspect of their career, including recording, touring, branding and merchandising”, according to the project’s news release.

With this Music City, the UAE is aiming to become a true creative hub for local and international artists and songwriters.

Rasha Khalifa Al Mubarak, president of DGMC, believes that this infrastructure will also enable the country to develop its music-based economy.

Indeed, the UAE has the potential to become one of the world’s major music markets.

The UAE’s inhabitants devote 28.7 hours a week to listening to music, according to the latest figures from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) – more than the IFPI’s global average of 20.7 hours.

Although Emiratis seem very fond of music, three quarters of those surveyed by IFPI report using illicit or unlicensed methods to listen to music.

Despite this, Universal’s race to tap into the musical potential of the UAE is well underway with the acquisition of Chabaka Music, an Emirati company specialising in music marketing and distribution. –