Warner Partners With Merwas on New Middle East Label

Warner Music Group (WMG) has expanded operations in the Middle East via a new co-venture with Merwas, a Saudi Arabian production house that presents itself as an “entertainment factory.”

The details:

• The two companies will work together on signing and developing artists in the Middle East and globally.

• Merwas will allow signees to use its vast facilities. The company’s headquarters features 22 recording studios.

• Merwas holds the Guinness World Record for the largest music studios.

What they said:

• Ahmed Nureni, General Manager, Warner Music MENA: “The Middle East and North Africa is one of the fastest-growing regions for the music industry, and this deal expands our presence at the heart of it. The incredible next-generation facilities offered by Merwas, combined with Warner Music’s artist development expertise and global reach, offer artists from across the region a platform like no other.”

• Rumayyan Alrumayan, MD, Merwas: “MENA has been a sleeping giant in the global music industry, but with almost half a billion Arabic speakers and increasing sign-ups to the digital music services, we’re waking up fast. We’re delighted with the partnership and to turbocharge the careers of some of the most exciting artists from our region by providing them the reach to the world.”