Arab Idol Season 4 Finalist signs with Sony Music Entertainment Middle East 

Debut single drops later this month

Hotly anticipated debut album coming in March

 

(Dubai – February 8, 2018) – Sony Music Entertainment Middle East today has announced the signing of Ammar Al Azaki. The signing took place at the Dubai office and was attended by Ammar Al Azaki, his manager the distinguished poet Soultan Majli, Mike Fairburn the General Manager and entire team from Sony Music Entertainment Middle East.

Ammar is an accomplished 29-year-old singer with a youthful, contemporary spin on Khaleeji music who captivated the hearts and minds of the region during his time on Arab Idol Season 4 where he made the famous ‘final 2’.

With a strong stage presence, flawless vocals and magnetic charm, Ammar is destined to be one of the GCC’s biggest and most sought-after artists.

Sony Music Middle Entertainment Middle East beat a host of other labels to his signature, and will be representing and promoting Ammar in the Middle East and worldwide.

Speaking on the Ammar signing, Mike Fairburn, General Manager of Sony Music Middle East commented: “We are humbled and honored that Ammar has decided to join the Sony family. Working with him and his team has been a blessing. The album is a brilliant body of work and we are so excited to introduce his new music to the region and world.”

Commenting on the signing with the record label, Ammar said “I am extremely delighted to sign with a company with such great history and fantastic international repertoire and domestic artists, I’ve worked so hard on myself, my music and now I am ready to share my talent with the rest of the world. I know that Sony is the right outlet to take me to regional heights and we hope together internationally also.”

 With his debut single planned end of February and an album to follow in March, it plans to be a prolific year for the rising superstar.

 

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47SOUL  ANNOUNCE RELEASE OF FIRST FULL-LENGTH STUDIO ALBUM: BALFRON PROMISE

Balfron Promise dropped February via Cooking Vinyl, promoted across the region by Sony Music Entertainment Middle East

Balfron Promise dropped February via Cooking Vinyl

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47SOUL – the Arab electronic hip-hop supergroup, with members from Palestine and Jordan– released their full-length debut BALFRON PROMISE on 2 February 2018.

For the last two years the band have been living in London, and were temporarily residing in Balfron Tower-the setting of music videos by the likes of Oasis, The Verve and Wiley. Balfron Tower landlords opened several of its unused flats to artists on a temporary basis while evicting its long-standing tenants, having been bought by luxury property developer Londonewcastle.

While inevitable, the experience of watching their neighbours being removed from somewhere they thought of as home by bigger, more powerful, wealthier forces was only too familiar to the artists from Palestine and Jordan, a sentiment that has fuelled the explosive album.

The title BALFRON PROMISE is an intentional nod to the Balfour Declaration – the centenary of which has just passed. The songs expose the similarities between parts of the world we think of as distant, war-torn lands, and the culture and class wars happening on our own doorstep. It explores the idea that perhaps gentrification and occupation aren not as different as we think.

47SOUL have become renowned for inventing their own genre Shamstep (also the name of their debut EP), which fuses hip-hop and pop lyrics in English and Arabic. The electronic creation, featuring elements of Arab roots music have been kicked up a gear on Balfron Promise, with cinematic soundscapes and menacing rock undertones creating an extra atmospheric edge.

The quartet have gained a cult following from gigs around the world, including at the likes of Glastonbury and WOMAD in the UK.Their distinctive hooks and powerful political lyrics resonate with their fans with the YouTube music video for their debut single Intro to Shamstep currently sitting on 5.4 million views.

They also have a formidable reputation as a live act built on their energetic and intoxicatingly otherworldly live shows. This is demonstrated by their most recent sold-out live teaser performance of their new album at London’s Village Underground.

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Beyond their musical influence, 47SOUL are renowned as a voice on social issues – the band’s very name is an allusion to the occupation of Palestine. Their lyrics often tell stories of oppression and the efforts of normal people to combat it, not only in the Middle East but around the world.

Balfron Promise will be released via Cooking Vinyl whose founder Martin Goldschmidt is also a co-founder of the Palestine Music Expo, which aims to revolutionise the music scene in 47SOUL’s homeland. Sony Music Entertainment Middle East are promoting and marketing the album across the region, and who’s General Manager Mike Fairburn said ‘Martin is a real visionary, and we are delighted to be working so closely with Cooking Vinyl on this outstanding regional band and album. It continues our commitment to supporting Arabic talent near and wide, and helping music fans across the region experience quality artists and their music’

MORE ABOUT THE ALBUM:
Musically and lyrically, BALFRON PROMISE is a product of 47SOUL’s three year residency in London, a profoundly unique experience for the four members and their work. The album and themes are inspired both by modern-day London and the 100 year-old politics still influencing 47SOUL’s story to this day. Socially topical and lyrically astute, BALFRON PROMISE holds one promise, that their future will be written by no one but themselves.

ABOUT 47SOUL:
47SOUL is an Electro Arabic Dabke (Shamstep) band formed in Amman Jordan in 2013. The members are rooted in Bilad Al-Sham, spanning the divides from Amman to the Galilee to Ramallah and the rest of the Palestinian Diaspora. This new sound of 47SOUL has rapidly amassed fans in the Arab World, Europe, and around the globe by blasting the electric Arabic Dabke sound through alternative and street music scenes. On top of the beats that have been pumping in the Arab World for centuries, 47SOUL hypes it up with analog synthesizers, hypnotic guitar lines, group vocals, and melodic verses from the bands’ singers. Every show ends in relentless dance and trance from all audiences involved. Their lyrics, mixing Arabic and English, call to celebrate and advance the struggle for freedom and equality, inside Bilad Al Sham and throughout the world.

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HONG KONG – Media OutReach – 31 January 2018 – Sony Music Entertainment and Tencent Music Entertainment Group today announced in Hong Kong the launch of electronic dance music label, Liquid State.

Liquid State is the new home for electronic and EDM artists from the Asia region and internationally. The label will be discovering, showcasing and developing the abundant existing local talent to create original content, whilst providing unrivalled support for international artists in the region.

Liquid State will be the premier dance and electronic community and lifestyle brand across the region, also incorporating live touring, club events and special exclusive experiences.

Liquid State will further enhance the incredible growth of dance music in the Asia region, which has seen EDM festivals skyrocket to a record number and the evolution of a vibrant local club scene.

Liquid State will feature original content through the leading global record label expertise of Sony Music with Tencent Music Entertainment’s powerhouse marketing and digital services including QQ Music, Kugou Music and Kuwo Music. In addition, Tencent media channels such as WeChat, QQ, Tencent Video and QZone will also support Liquid State and its artists.

Global superstar and multiplatinum-selling Sony Music artist, Alan Walker, will be an integral part of Liquid State, with the talented 20 year old Norwegian set to release a string of exclusive collaborations on the label in 2018. In 2017, Walker took the number one position on the QQ Music charts with a record number of over six billion audio streams and featured as the highest climber on the Top 100 DJ Mag poll. He first entered the global music scene with his breakthrough single ‘Faded’ in December 2015, which has now sold more than 9.4 million units worldwide in addition to being streamed more than 1.6 billion times on digital platforms. He is the first in a wave of international DJs and collaborators to be a part of the Liquid State movement.

Furthermore, three of Asia’s most popular superstars have signed on as ambassadors for Liquid State across the region, with Chinese pop superstar Chris Lee as ambassador for Chinese mainland, internationally acclaimed singer and actor Nicholas Tse as ambassador for Hong Kong and Taiwan, and multi-talented phenomenon from BIGBANG, Seungri as ambassador for South Korea. Tencent Music Entertainment has enjoyed long-standing relationships and successes with the three ambassadors. Previously, Chris Lee’s digital album ‘Liu Xing’ and Nicholas Tse’s digital single ‘Yi Xiang Tian Kai’ were released on Tencent Music Entertainment music platforms and both artists are part of the Tencent Music Entertainment Music+ Project. With Liquid State, the three ambassadors will be involved in exciting music collaborations across the dance genre.

Alan Walker comments, “Asia has always been such a special place for me so I’m thrilled to be here today to help Sony Music and Tencent with the launch of Liquid State. They have each played such a huge role in my career so far, and now that they are joining forces, I’m convinced that Liquid State will grow to play a significant role in breaking new artists from Asia on a global scale, as well as enabling international artists to unleash the huge potential that lies within the Asian market.”

In addition to Walker, Liquid State’s initial roster sees more incredible talent from across the electronic music spectrum, with Grammy-nominated global star ZHU, and multi-award winning Dubai based duo Hollaphonic, both set to release music through the label in the coming months. China’s DJ Lizzy and Korean duo Junkilla are the first artists from the Asia region to be signed to Liquid State.

Denis Handlin AO, Chairman & CEO, Australia & New Zealand and President Asia, Sony Music Entertainment, comments, “I am delighted to announce the launch of Liquid State with Tencent Music Entertainment Group. These are exciting times for the music industry and Liquid State has been created to support and enhance the discovery and development of electronic and EDM talent across the Asia region. Together we will make Liquid State the destination for a wide range of highly talented new and established global and local artists. I would also like to thank Tencent  for sharing the passion and vision to provide music fans in China and around the world with exciting new music, unique experiences and incredible artists through Liquid State.”

Cussion Pang, CEO of Tencent Music Entertainment Group comments, “With the formation of Liquid State, our goal is to create an unmatched culture exchange between the East and the West through the power of electronic dance music. It is a music genre like no other, and together with Sony Music Entertainment, we aim to build a win-win solution for all of our stakeholders and believe that the collaboration will give birth to some truly memorable moments in both the music and culture sectors for years to come.”

About Tencent Music Entertainment Group

With three major music service providers including QQ Music, Kugou and Kuwo, TME is a leading online music service company in China, providing services such as digital music players, mobile online karaoke, live music shows, copyright delegation, advertisements, and other music derivative businesses. It is committed to providing music services optimised for China market needs, including bringing music listeners high quality digital music services serving multiple use cases, helping music producers drive authorized content development, and contributing towards the advancement of China’s overall digital music industry.

About Sony Music Entertainment

Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a current roster that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalogue that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. It is home to premier record labels representing music from every genre, including Arista Nashville, Beach Street Records, Black Butter Records, BPG Music, Bystorm Entertainment, Century Media, Columbia Nashville, Columbia Records, Day 1, Descendant Records, Disruptor Records, Epic Records, Essential Records, Essential Worship, Flying Buddha, Fo Yo Soul Recordings, House of Iona Records, Insanity Records, Kemosabe Records, Latium Entertainment, Legacy Recordings, Louder Than Life, Masterworks, Masterworks Broadway, OKeh, Polo Ground Music, Portrait, RCA Inspiration, RCA Nashville, RCA Records, Relentless Records, Reunion Records, Sony Classical, Sony Music Latin, Star Time International, Syco Music, Vested in Culture and Volcano. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation.

www.liquidstate.co    |    #liquidlaunch2018

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QQ: www.t.qq.com/liquidstate

 

Morocco’s “Wild Heart” joins Sony Music Entertainment Middle East

Label beats a host of others to sign one of regions sharpest young singer songwriters

Debut single and music video coming soo

Sony Music Entertainment Middle East today announced the signing of talented songwriter and fierce Urban Pop songstress MANAL. Hailing from Marrakech, Morocco, Manal is a 24-year-old hybrid of the urban Arabic music space and the protégé of Cilvaringz, producer and member of the American rap legends Wu-Tang Clan. Using art and music as modes of authentic self-expression, Manal is set to be one of the artists to look out for in 2018.

Sony Music signed Manal ahead of a host of other regional labels, and will exclusively represent and promote the artist over a multi-year recording contract. The signing was driven by the label’s management and booking team in Beirut – set up in early 2017 to extend label operations from the head office in Dubai – and represents a further step forward in developing the careers of talent across the MENA Region.

Speaking on the Manal signing, Mike Fairburn, General Manager of Sony Music Entertainment Middle East commented: ‘We are delighted Manal has joined the Sony Music family where the artistic expression and creativity of our artists remains our number one priority. She is the real deal, with a clear vision and great team around her. Look out. Our Moroccan ‘Wild Heart’ is coming soon”.

 

He continued ‘We made a decision to expand our team to Beirut last year, to make sure our artists could draw on and benefit from specialist music executives in all areas. This has been a great success and the team’s continued dedication and relentless commitment to young talent in the region has now brought Manal to the Sony Music family.’

With her debut single planned for release early 2018 and follow up material already recorded and shot, it plans to be a great year for the young talent. Speaking of her delight at signing with Sony Music Entertainment Middle East, Manal said “I definitely feel at home with Sony Music. They have shown much care for the direction of my music and career. There’s nothing more comforting for an artist to know that his or her team, from the label to management, producers and songwriters, got their back”.

Last year alone, Sony Music’s local roster of artists including Nathalie Saba, The5, Omar Kamal and Laith Abou Jouda have headlined major festivals in Lebanon, UAE, Bahrain, Egypt and Jordan, appeared on a host of TV and Radio shows, picked up major deals with brands, and amassed millions of adoring fans across regional streaming platforms and media sites. These stellar young Arabic stars were joined on the roster by exciting western talent, including Trinidad & Tobago star Kalpee, Dubai-based US singer songwriter Stephon Lamar, and the UAE’s #1 electronic duo Hollaphonic, who’s debut EP with the label – Spaceship – was launched as part of their performance supporting PINK at F1 Abu Dhabi in November 2017.

Manal debut music video is scheduled for release in February. Stay tuned to Sony Music and Manal social pages for news.

Follow MANAL:

Instagram: @manalbenchlikha

Facebook: @Manaltheartist

Twitter: @ManalBk_BK

YouTube: @Manalmusic

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RedFest returns for its 5th Edition with a very exciting lineup. The concert will run for two days, February 8th and 9th. Here’s are our Sony Music artists that you should expect to party with in 2018

Get your tickets now: http://www.redfestdxb.com/tickets/

 

 

 

 

 

 

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CONGRATULATIONS TO…

 Amy Shark who has taken home multiple awards at this year’s 2017 ARIA Awards, including Best Pop Release and Breakthrough Artist, for her Night Thinker EP!

Watch Amy’s incredible performance of “Adore” HERE from last night’s ARIA Awards.

Amy has been on an upward trajectory since “Adore” was placed #2 on triple j’s Hottest 100, peaking at #3 on the ARIA chart, #1 on the Australian iTunes Chart, #4 on the Australian Shazam Chart and #5 on the Australian Spotify Chart.

The track has officially surpassed over 40 million combined streams worldwide with triple platinum accreditation in Australia.

Most recently, Amy was announced as Apple Music’s Up Next Artist, the first ever Australian to receive the feature! As part of the Up Nextprogram, Amy performed “Adore” on The Late Late Show with James Corden propelling the NIGHT THINKER EP to peak at #4 on the U.S. Alternative iTunes chart and top 10 on iTunes in 15 countries globally including: Germany, Spain, Norway, Austria, Italy and Mexico.

In the US, there has been a +187% increase in sales for the Night Thinker EP and +122% for “Adore”!

“Adore” is also in the top spot on the Alternative New Artist chart,  #8 on the Heatseekers chart and climbed to #41 on the overall Alternative Albums chart, a first appearance for Amy.

Amy is back in Australia after a whirlwind European tour and two huge supports in North America with Vance Joy & Bleachers respectively, Amy will also support SIA on her Australian tour dates at the end of this week.

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The critically-acclaimed EDM DJ and producer is coming Dubai for the first time this November…

Norwegian DJ and producer Kygo is coming to Dubai for a one-off gig on Thursday November 30.

This will be the first performance in Dubai for Kygo, who has collaborated with megastars Selena Gomez, Ellie Goulding and Julia Michaels.

His first gig on his two-date trip to the Middle East will be at Dubai’s Burj Park. He’ll also be playing a date the following night, on December 1, in Beirut at B.I.E.L.

 

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Sony Music Entertainment Reunion Happening in Cairo

Catch The5, Nathalie Saba and Carizma on Nov.24 2017 in Cairo at Greek Campus. See you there!

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ALOFT HOTELS SPOTLIGHTS EMERGING MUSIC TALENT IN THE UAE WITH ‘PROJECT: ALOFT STAR’

Dubai, UAE – September 24, 2017: Designed for the next generation of traveler, Marriott International’s Aloft® Hotels is now accepting submissions for Project: Aloft Star in the United Arab Emirates, which will be amplified by Sony Music Entertainment Middle East. Providing an annual platform to discover music talent, the competition will identify and support aspiring music acts in the UAE, providing the winner with a single deal at the major label.

Since 2008, Aloft has been putting the spotlight on rising stars, offering an ongoing music concert series at every one of the brand’s 126 hotels. Project: Aloft Star promotes the brand’s commitment to supporting self-expression by identifying the hottest emerging music talent from around the globe, offering them a chance to kick start their careers and take center stage at one of the most innovative hotel brands.

The highly-anticipated competition has gained recognition globally from musicians and fans for showcasing original music from aspiring acts.

“Aloft Hotels is designed for global travelers who share our passion for music and the discovery of new sounds from around the world, and Project: Aloft Star captures that,” said Bridget Higgins, Senior Global Brand Director, Aloft Hotels. “This global program, in its 8th year, is ever-expanding as we continue to commit to the search for the hottest sounds from around the globe as our Aloft portfolio grows. We want all music-lovers to be involved by helping us select the winner and voting for their favorite musician on our site, www.aloftstaruae.com and by chatting with us across social media platforms.”

From 1 October to 14 October 2017, aspiring musicians in the UAE are invited to submit original songs to www.aloftstaruae.com, for a chance to win a once in a lifetime opportunity to become the next Project: Aloft Star and kick start their music career with a distribution deal from Sony Music Entertainment. Working with the best talent in the region, the new Project: Aloft Star will be mentored by the industry’s finest producers, stylists, lyricists and choreographers to record their very own hit music video that will be released through Sony Music’s vast distribution network. Partnering with music and entertainment powerhouses Sony Music and Virgin Radio 104.4, Project: Aloft Star will create region-wide awareness and buzz for the latest instalment of the exciting competition.

Sony Music Entertainment Middle East is a global recorded music company with a roster of current artists that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. Based in Dubai with offices in Beirut, Lebanon, the Middle East company has been instrumental in developing local and regional talent, and continues to invest in aspiring young musicians, producers and DJ’s. Speaking of the announcement, Mike Fairburn, General Manager said:

“At Sony Music Entertainment Middle East, we are committed to regional artists having built careers for talent including The5, Nathalie Saba, Omar Kamal and Laith Abu Joda in the past few years. We are excited by this initiative and share Aloft’s common vision of supporting aspiring artists through the passion point of music.”

Fairburn added, “The UAE music scene is diverse and constantly evolving, and our expertise lies in working with the newest acts, and helping them express and develop their passion whilst connecting them with new fans and opportunities across the Middle East region. We are looking forward to our first collaboration with Aloft Hotels, to discover and shape the music stars of tomorrow.”

In its 8th year, Project: Aloft Star reaches fans across the globe, by unearthing undiscovered talent in Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas. Performances will also be taking place globally, continuing the brand’s commitment to music and to providing its guests with unprecedented and intimate entertainment experiences.

“We are excited to promote and support talent here in the UAE through Project: Aloft Star,” said Sandra Schulze-Potgieter, Vice President, Premium and Select Brands, Middle East & Africa, Marriott international. “Music discovery is important to the Aloft brand and is a passion point for many of our guests. The brand offers a unique opportunity to bring musicians and fans together in a laid-back setting to enjoy music and we look forward to amplifying our music programming here in the UAE.”

Aloft Hotels is a trailblazer in the live-music scene worldwide. The brand has always been committed to cutting-edge music programming, leading the way as an industry innovator by supporting live acts in its hotels through its Live at Aloft Hotels music program held at its hotels across the globe. Currently running live acts in its Abu Dhabi and Al Ain hotels, Aloft will turn up its programming in the UAE with new hotel openings In Dubai South, Palm Jumeirah, Me’aisem and City Centre Deira in the next year.

Submission details –

The competition covers the United Arab Emirates.

Bands, artists and songwriters are invited to submit their original compositions [1] – through YouTube at www.aloftstaruae.com, between 1 October to 14 October 2017.

Public voting for People’s Choice Finalist

Four finalists will be shortlisted – three will be selected by judges, and the fourth will be a People’s Choice finalist. From 15 October to 29 October, the public can vote for their favorite artist from curated entries on www.aloftstaruae.com. One voter per cluster will also stand a chance to win a distribution deal from Sony Music. Mentored by the industry’s finest producers, stylists, lyricists and choreographers, the winner will record their very own hit music video that will be released through Sony Music’s vast distribution network.

The finals will take place live at the Aloft Abu Dhabi on 10th November 2017.

About Aloft Hotels 

With more than 125 hotels now open in nearly 20 countries and territories around the world, Aloft Hotels, part of Marriott International, Inc., delivers a fresh approach to the traditional staid hotel landscape. For the ‘always on’ next generation of traveler, the Aloft brand offers a tech-forward, vibrant experience and a modern style that is different by design. Aloft is proud to participate in the industry’s award-winning loyalty program, Starwood Preferred Guest®. Members can now link accounts with Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® at members.marriott.com for instant elite status matching and unlimited points transfer. For more information, please visit www.alofthotels.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Marriott International

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 6,200 properties in 30 leading hotel brands spanning 125 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company also operates award-winning loyalty programs: Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram.

About Sony Music Entertainment

Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a roster of current artists that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America.

 

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Three piece – Nour, Rana and Shireen release first single with Sony Music Entertainment Middle East

 Watch “Haga Gheir” Now! 

Brought together through their passion and talent for music, Carizma have released their explosive debut single and music video “Haga Gheir”. The teen girl power group consists of three young singers and songwriters, 21 year-old Rana Ahmed (Egypt), 20 year-old Nour Aridi (Lebanon) and 15-year old  Shireen Abu Saad (Lebanon).

The group was formed following a regional search for talent – Clean & Clear’s #Sing4the5 competition. Since then they have formed an inseparable bond following a summer of writing, recording and filming in Beirut.

Carizma represent a growing generation of young women keen to express themselves creatively and celebrate sisterhood through music.

The smash hit “Haga Gheir” was written and composed by Salim Assaf, recorded, produced and filmed in Beirut by the Sony Music team. The song followed lengthy writing sessions, where each girl brought their own personal passions and experiences to play. The song lyrics give off sentiments of peace, love, unity and empowerment. The Lebanese and Egyptian dialect fusion and oriental twist make “Haga Gheir” a fun track that you can blast almost everywhere.

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