DUBAI (CelebrityAccess) — European streaming music platform Deezer announced that it has officially launched their service in the Middle East and North Africa.
As a part of the launch, Deezer has released a localized version of their app, allowing customers in the region to access playlists and content curated by local music editors such as PopTop Arab, Rapstars Maghreb United and Shaabi Essentials.
The launch also provides access to regional artists such as Mazzika and Qanawat, as well as an international catalogue of 53 million tracks from global artists like Dua Lipa, Calvin Harris and Shakira.
Deezer also announced plans to open a regional headquarters in Dubai in the coming months.
The expansion into the MENA regions comes just a month after Deezer signed an exclusive distribution deal with Arabic label giant Rotana.
As a part of the deal, Riyadh-based investors Kingdom Holding Company led by Chairman HRH Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, Access Industries, Orange and LBO France took a €160 million in the streaming company.
The MENA region is one of the final frontiers for streaming music, which is starting to approach saturation in established markets.
“At Deeze,r we understand that people’s music tastes blend local and international tracks. We believe that it is important to be present locally, close to the artists we promote on our platform and to the music fans who support them. In the coming months, we will be opening a new regional headquarters in Dubai, which will help us grow our presence further. While overall streaming levels are still relatively low in the Middle East and North Africa, we are confident that they will continue to grow rapidly. We look forward to being a key part in creating and capturing that growth,” said Deezer’s Hans-Holger Albrecht.
