Soundstripe and PopArabia Launch First Sync Camp in Middle East

07 January 2026 - Press release

 

Soundstripe, the premier music licensing platform, is collaborating with Abu Dhabi-based independent music company PopArabia to create a series of songwriting camps for MENA based artists and songwriters. The first camp, Soundstripe’s first outside of the US, took place this October in Abu Dhabi. Future, similar camps will be held in Abu Dhabi over the next two years with a view to expanding regionally. 

Designed to bolster Soundstripe’s catalog, the camps represent the company’s ongoing expansion into regional genres and sounds, music that is increasingly in demand from creatives worldwide. “Arabic music and music from the MENA region is rapidly gaining popularity, and we’ve seen an uptick in requests on Soundstripe,” says Jeff Perkins, Soundstripe’s CEO. “As part of our overall global strategy, we wanted more original music from the region in our catalog and wanted to expand in the most artist-friendly way possible. PopArabia was the perfect partner.”

Together, Soundstripe and PopArabia are assembling artists and songwriters from UAE, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Iraq, Lebanon, and Sudan, giving them creative prompts with universal resonance and encouraging them to add their own cultural influences and sounds. At their first camp earlier this year, they collaborated in pairs and small ensembles to create new tracks over the course of several days. The resulting 23 songs will become part of Soundstripe’s catalog.

"The camp was a true highlight,” exclaims camp participant Assouad, one half of ISSA & ASSOUAD, genre-shaping artists who regularly play for tens of thousands of fans, as well as produce hits for regional superstars (Wegz, Sherya Ghoshal, ElGrandetoto). “The talent, focus, and collaborative spirit were exceptional, and the results speak for themselves."

The choice of regions was a logical one for Soundstripe, and the camps reflect PopArabia’s mission, with support from Abu Dhabi’s Creative Media Authority. “The Middle East is one of the fastest-growing music markets in the world, and we’re witnessing the emergence of a vibrant regional sound that is resonating with global creatives and agencies,” explains Hussain (Spek) Yoosuf, Founder and CEO of PopArabia. “PopArabia sees this writing camp as a natural extension of our mission to support a thriving ecosystem for music in the UAE and the wider region and grow real opportunities for our region’s artists.” 

“These camps underscore two realities: human-made music has never been more essential, and the world, including its music, is more connected than ever,” explains Josh Collum, Soundstripe’s VP of Music. “Soundstripe was founded by musicians, and we remain committed to creating real music with real artists. The result for our customers is one-of-a-kind songs that will make their projects standout from the rest.”