In a dazzling combination of jaw-dropping production and unrivaled energy, UNTOLD made its Dubai debut over the weekend and emphatically cemented itself as the city's “first mega-festival.”
We were among the 185,000 people from around the world who witnessed the festival in the metropolis of Expo City from February 15 to 18. Soundtracked by over 100 artists and performers across four stages, the inaugural UNTOLD Dubai arguably set a new standard for music festivals in the region, and is sure to grow in the years to come.
UNTOLD Co-Founder Edy Chereji takes immense pride in building UNTOLD into not only an international brand but also a “new entertainment icon” in Dubai.
“We started from scratch 10 years ago in Romania, and with a lot of work, with a lot of passion for what we do, now we are here, in the happiest city in the world, in a place where people from all over the world travel the world every year “said Chereji EDM.com in an on-site interview. “And of course, besides being proud, there is a lot of pressure on us, so we must stay humble and work hard enough in the coming years, because this is just the beginning of UNTOLD around the world.”
Fully equipped with state-of-the-art production, the festival's imposing main stage became a refuge with a line-up of superstars to meet the moment.
Dutch dance music icon Tiësto attracted a huge crowd with his performance, while Hardwell, Armin van Buuren, Timmy Trumpet, Don Diablo and Sebastian Ingrosso wowed the UNTOLD faithful with their equally impressive performances.
Ellie Goulding gave one of the most powerful performances of the festival. The crossover superstar, who channeled her dance music roots on last year's stunning album. Higher than the skyenchanting the public with their power-pop ballads and dance anthems.
Famed rapper G-Eazy, Punjabi Music Award-winning artist Badshah, Romanian dance-pop star INNA and “Gangnam Style” star PSY were also announced as headliners, rounding out the festival's versatile main stage lineup. .
UNTOLD also offered fascinating experiences at various stages throughout. The Galaxy stage hosted techno and house music artists and was undoubtedly the most memorable stage of the festival.
Turning Expo City's iconic entrance dome into a dazzling projection-mapping mosaic, the Galaxy stage featured sets from artists such as Nicole Moudaber, Sven Väth, Kasia, Luciano, Mahmut Orhan, Hot Since 82 and many more.
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Meanwhile, the Alchemy stage combined heavy bass and hip-hop with soul, with impressive sets from drum & bass titans Chase & Status and Andy C, as well as Freddie Gibbs, Masego, Afroto, Knkucks and more.
The unique Time stage was also a highlight thanks to its 360° immersive setup surrounded by water features.
All said and done, Chereji credited the enthusiasm and ambitious nature of his team for making the historic festival a reality.
“What was easy for us was ambition,” Chereji said. “I want to say that this is something that we have within us. We have a beautiful team next to us that believes in the vision, in the dream that we can do something special together in Dubai. So no matter the challenge, it was always the ambition who pushed us every day to go further with our dream. And in the end we achieved it.”
Anticipation for UNTOLD Dubai 2025 is already building after organizers confirmed its return next year. Meanwhile, the ninth edition of their flagship festival in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, will take place from August 8 to 11 and will be headlined by Swedish House Mafia and Sam Smith, among others. Tickets are now available through the festival site. website.
Follow UNTLD Dubai:
Facebook: facebook.com/untoldfestivaldubai
Instagram: instagram.com/untoldfestivaldubai
Website: incalculable.ae
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