Country Profile: Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia remains something of a conundrum. The once- closed country continues to open up, and with over 63% of Saudis under 30, there’s certainly a demand for live entertainment.
New venues are being built, such as the 20,000-seat Jeddah Arena, due for completion in December 2025, and a brand-new, 45,000-capacity stadium in Qiddiya.
Riyadh hosts by far the biggest festival in the Middle East, Soundstorm, promoted by MDLBEAST, with Eminem, Muse, and Tyler, the Creator set to headline this year’s edition.
Yet the kingdom’s record of human rights abuses shows no sign of improvement, and there needs to be major work done on event and live show legislation still. “There are still artists that don’t want to go, for obvious reasons,” says Thomas Ovesen, CEO of UAE-based All Things Live. “But the Saudis have successfully chipped away at it and have attracted more and more, including female artists. So there’s definitely a market.”
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