Jeddah’s Al-Balad district will once again play host to the Balad Beast music festival, featuring a lineup of international and regional performers. The festival will take place on Jan. 30 – 31, 2025.
Grammy-winning rapper 21 Savage, Atlanta rap star Gunna, JID, and 2020 Mercury Album of The Year winner Michael Kiwanuka are among the headliners for the first day of the festival. Regional artists such as Disco Misr from Egypt and Saudi Arabia-based talents DISH DASH, Gazi, Saoud and Varoo will also perform.
Day two will feature hip-hop icon Wiz Khalifa, producer Metro Boomin, musical duo Hats & Klaps, and Canadian pop singer Ghostly Kisses. All-female Saudi rock band Seera will also take the stage.
In addition to the music, the festival will also feature immersive art installations by contemporary artists and designers. These installations will use projections, large-scale sculptures, and interactive artworks to reimagine Al-Balad’s historic architecture.
“We are coming back to Balad with really exciting experiences,” said Ahmed Alammary, MDLBEAST’s Chief Creative Officer. “Fresh music with new and returning acts, and as always, otherworldly immersive experiences inspired by our past, present and future.”
Balad Beast is part of Saudi music entertainment company MDLBEAST’s lineup of annual events. The company also puts on the SOUNDSTORM festival in Riyadh and the XP Music Futures event in the Saudi capital.
Organizers have assured that the historical buildings in the Al-Balad district, some of which are 400 years old, will be protected from damage during the festival. Sound testing will be conducted carefully and stages will be strategically placed to minimize any impact on the buildings.
The houses in the Al-Balad district are made of stones mined from Arabia Lake and separated by wooden planks to help keep the area cool. One of the most famous sights in the district is Nassif House, which is a popular tourist destination.
The 2024 Balad Beast festival featured a similarly impressive lineup of performers, including Ty Dolla $ign, Wu-Tang Clan, Major Lazer Soundsystem, Russ, and DJ Snake.
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