Mahara: Representing Electronic Acts Across MENAT

Amidst the blossoming talents unfolding across the MENAT region, the demand for agencies catering to the professional needs of emerging artists has never been more pressing. Newly-launched MENAT-based agency, Mahara, positions itself as the catalyst for change, offering comprehensive booking and talent management services for otherwise underrepresented electronic acts in the clubbing and festival scene.

At the heart of Mahara's mission lies a genuine commitment to champion overlooked artists and nurture meaningful and long-lasting relationships. Mahara balances its roster with a mix of regional acts like Omar Fayyad, Salar Ansari, Chiati, Daox, Nesta, Zeina and more alongside global talents such as Francesco Lombardo, Aline Umber and Cabanne

In an exclusive interview with SceneNoise, Mahara's founder, Khalid Daylami, shared his hopes for the label to become a transformative force in the industry, seeking to weave MENAT talent into the fabric of the global music landscape.

Reflecting on Mahara's recent inception, could you share your insights on what you identified as lacking in the MENAT agency scene that inspired the creation of Mahara?

Well, I think the inspiration came from a few things. First and foremost, we wanted to aid artists and talents that are underrepresented. Secondly, there's a craving for people who sometimes need an entity to help them arrange their bookings in a professional manner. There are many event planners who want to organize events but lack the experience to do so professionally, such as knowing how to speak to artists or agents. We wanted to help people out, and professionalize the region. Why should it be professional elsewhere and not here? And the last thing is that hopefully, Mahara will bring more to the table than just being a booking agency. It starts as an agency, but you never know where it can end up.

Could you provide a brief overview of your team, highlighting the qualities that make them both experienced and distinctive in the field?

Our team comprises people from the region and from elsewhere as well. The founders are myself and Tracy, who also runs distribution networks Interwave and Yoyaku: Tracy is one of the most important bookers in the scene. I'm not a booker, I'm an artist, so I handle the company's finances, law setup, and management. The rest are bookers covering different regions like Victor, a senior booker, Joana from Lebanon, Burke for Turkey, Magid and Fadi for Egypt. I think we have a team that's very dynamic, that's spread across the region, but also from abroad and we all learn from each other.

In a competitive landscape, what sets Mahara apart from other artist agencies? Can you elaborate on the strategies employed to ensure effective nurturing and representation of artists?

Most companies evolve from their initial model. Mahara is not just an agency, we're already collaborating with festivals, showcases, and venues. It's about plugging in locals and plugging in regional artists. We aim to go beyond being just an agency, collaborating on events, parties, labels, and record stores. We want to be innovative and not follow trends, blurring the lines between local and international artists. We believe that talent should be recognized regardless of origin. It shouldn't matter where they come from.

With a significant presence in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain,  how important are these countries to the electronic music industry in the region?

Bahrain has a rich history in the music scene, and although it’s a small country, it has a thriving bar scene. And you would be shocked by the amount of legends that have come here and played in parties here in Bahrain. We had some good moments in the 1990s and early 2000s, and then it fluctuated, going down and then going back up again. On the other hand, Saudi is one of the fastest-growing scenes, caring for its artists and igniting interest in the region. I just came back from XP and saw firsthand how incredible the appetite for music is there. So our mission is to connect these regions and avoid limiting talent based on location, focusing on individual contributions.

Which countries or hubs are most appealing to you these days, in terms of the talent coming out of there? What are your thoughts on different electronic scenes coming out of countries across the regions?

North Africa and Turkey have significant talent, but we aim to be open-minded and not limit ourselves to specific areas. But you know, what is appealing today may not be appealing tomorrow, and vice versa. Instead of following trends, we want to create them, searching for talent globally, pulling these artists from their bedrooms, and giving them that extra push in fostering relationships with musicians from different genres.

Walk me through Mahara's artist selection process. What specific criteria guide the representation of an artist within your agency? What specific services do you provide to artists on your roster?

Talent, professionalism, and collaboration potential are key criterias. We look for artists who can contribute to the scene, regardless of their current recognition. However, we're not magicians, we can't just make anybody a recognizable artist. There needs to be something that the artist brings to the table such as their professionalism, are they making music, are they big diggers?

Some artists need to be taught how to be present online. Myself, for example, I hate social media. I hate pushing my own identity and my own name. Like, “Oh, look at me. I'm playing here.” I don't do that. But it’s necessary for us to push those artists on that front for maximum exposure.

Your collaborations with entities like Honeycomb Hifi and Aegis Festival are noteworthy. What drew Mahara to these specific brands, and are there other collaborations you aspire to pursue?

Our vision is to connect the region with the world and vice versa, so we collaborate with recognized international entities as well as represent local ones. So the whole, let's say, vision and mission of this company is to connect the region. For international artists for example, who are already signed to agencies, we’ve reached out to them offering our services and told them, “Listen, you continue to be their agent, but we’ll be in charge of their representation in the MENAT region and we will market them accordingly.” So we've onboarded a lot of people from abroad to be represented in the Middle East because the Middle East is booming, and it has to be represented worldwide, and that’s one of our collaboration models.

As you envision the future of Mahara, what expansion plans and goals do you have in mind for the agency? How do you see Mahara evolving in the coming years?

While starting as an agency, we see ourselves evolving into a business model that enhances logistics, focuses on music, and contributes to the growth of the scene. We aim to be a transformative entity, collaborating with artists, starting labels, and expanding internationally. Sustaining ourselves involves more than just being an agency, it's about creating a lasting impact on the scene.