News

6 Arab Musicians Triumph In TikTok MENA LIVE’s #GimmeTheMic

Aimed at discovering talented music creators, the competition has already revealed some of the most promising regional acts.

Published

2 years ago

September 11, 2024

Nour Nasir

6 arab musicians triumph in tiktok mena live's #gimmethemic

The TikTok LIVE #GimmeTheMic competition has concluded, providing a platform for rising musicians across the MENA region to share their unique sounds. The grand finale, held on September 9 at the Theatre of Digital Art and streamed live on the @TikTokLive_MENA page, featured standout performances from the finalists, all vying to represent the MENA region on the world stage.

tiktok mena live #gimmethemic winners 2024

Since debuting last year, #GimmeTheMic has evolved into more than just a competition. It has become a showcase of creativity, resonating with TikTok’s vast community. Aimed at discovering and promoting talented music creators, this initiative has already revealed some of the most promising artists in the region. The 12 finalists, chosen through in-app voting by TikTok users, are part of a new wave of talent ready to make their global mark.

The road to the final performance was marked by intense preparation and overseen by an esteemed panel of judges. Celebrity experts included Arab pop sensation Sandy, Syrian singer and actor Samo Zaen — winner of the Best Middle East Artist Award — and Moroccan artist Grini, a recipient of the MTV European Music Award.

Through dedicated coaching sessions, the judges offered insights and personal experiences from their own careers. The sessions helped the contestants not only improve their skills but also gain confidence in their abilities. As a result, the competition served as a unique learning experience for all participants.

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Reflecting on the event, Samo Zaen noted, “These performers aren’t just picking up the mic; they’re taking control. TikTok has become a space for artists to showcase their work and connect with a global audience”.

The competition’s six winners — Fathy Samir (@fathysamirrofficial), Balqees Raed (@balqees7890), Ahmed Yaser (@ahmedyassersinger), Amira Aly (@merooamira000), Jan Georg (@jaaan.official), and Amr Tarek (@amrtarek.tv) — will now represent the MENA region in the global #GimmeTheMic contest. Their success in the competition has already set the stage for a brighter future in the region’s music industry, fostering a community of creators passionate about sharing their craft with the world.

News

Microsoft Plans $10 Billion-Plus Gulf Expansion Despite Iran Conflict

Security is shaping Microsoft’s approach, from resilience work with governments to what it will say about how the money splits by country.

Published

4 days ago

September 24, 2026

Nour Nasir

Microsoft

Microsoft is planning more than $10 billion of investment across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait through 2030, Vice Chair and President Brad Smith told Reuters, calling the spending schedule aggressive. The Iranian conflict that began on February 28 has not persuaded the company to scale back.

“We’re sustaining all the investments we planned to make before this conflict started, and we are in fact adding to them,” Smith said. The $10 billion-plus total does not, however, show how large those additions are.

The investment, which Smith described as part of Microsoft’s continued infrastructure expansion, is aimed at cloud and AI infrastructure and at the company’s growing regional operations. Microsoft also intends to put more than $400 million into subsea and terrestrial connectivity across the Middle East by 2030.

The spending fits the region’s own ambitions too. Gulf governments have been investing heavily in AI infrastructure as part of a push to diversify their economies beyond oil and gas and turn themselves into global technology hubs. Major cloud and AI providers have been drawn in part by the land and relatively low-cost energy on offer.

Microsoft is widening its partnerships with regional AI companies, though not on identical terms. In 2024, it invested $1.5 billion in Abu Dhabi-based G42 for a minority stake, and Smith currently sits on G42’s board. Saudi Arabia’s Humain and Qatar’s Qai are working with Microsoft on selected priority areas, but Smith said the company does not plan to make capital investments in either.

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The conflict has added another strand to Microsoft’s work in the region. Since it began, Smith said, the company has supported regional partners with digital resilience assessments, and it is now working with Gulf countries through a digital resilience initiative focused on preparedness and the protection of critical data.

So far, the company has given no country-by-country breakdown of the investment, citing security among other factors. So while the headline figure is public, how Microsoft divides the spending among the four countries is not.