Saudi Music Commission to Host Second Edition of Riyadh Music Week from December 4 to 13 

Saudi Music Commission to Host Second Edition of Riyadh Music Week from December 4 to 13 
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Saudi Music Commission to Host Second Edition of Riyadh Music Week from December 4 to 13 

Saudi Music Commission to Host Second Edition of Riyadh Music Week from December 4 to 13 

Saudi Arabia's Music Commission is set to host the second edition of Riyadh Music Week in Riyadh from December 4 to 13. This global celebration brings together music, culture, and innovation, aiming to advance the development of the music sector in the Kingdom while strengthening connections between local and international talent.

CEO of the Music Commission Paul Pacifico said Riyadh Music Week serves as an invitation for the world to discover the rhythm of the Kingdom’s musical landscape, the Saudi Press Agency quoted him as saying on Tuesday.

This year’s events will bring together a wide range of international and local musicians, producers, educators, and music-sector policymakers, reflecting a spirit of cultural and creative exchange at the international level, he added.

The event also highlights Saudi talent and local musical content, strengthens cross-sector collaboration, and aims to support the creation of sustainable career pathways and long-term growth for artists and professionals in the music industry.

This year’s edition will feature major partnerships with the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG) and MDLBEAST, as well as the launch of a comprehensive program featuring musical performances, exhibitions, conferences, and diverse activities. The initiatives will energize the creative community and position Riyadh as a leading global music destination and a dynamic hub for the region’s growing creative economy.

The event will also feature a series of international dialogues and specialized music-sector events, including the International Music Business Management Forum, the Music Makers Summit, and the XP Music Futures Conference.

The program will offer various interactive experiences across multiple locations in Riyadh, including major heritage sites, art districts, cafes, and cultural venues, integrating music into the city’s daily life. The forums will address music education policies, music technology showcases, and the latest innovations, delivering a broad and sustainable impact that benefits the city and its community.

The four core pillars of Riyadh Music Week are talent, production, innovation, and impact. The pillars aim to achieve tangible outcomes that develop the Kingdom’s music sector, empower new music-business ventures, enhance policy development, and encourage community participation through accessible experiences across Riyadh.

Riyadh Music Week is integral to the Music Commission’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the music sector and empower its workforce. This is achieved through strategic partnerships and comprehensive programs that support year-round skills development, creative production, and new investment opportunities for artists and industry players.

The initiative further promotes music education, reinforces a sustainable creative economy, and enhances cultural, social, and economic opportunities for artists, professionals, and the wider community.



Singer Rosalia Quits Milan Concert with Food Poisoning

Rosalia is shown after winning the best international artist at the Brit Awards in February. Adrian Dennis / AFP/File
Rosalia is shown after winning the best international artist at the Brit Awards in February. Adrian Dennis / AFP/File
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Singer Rosalia Quits Milan Concert with Food Poisoning

Rosalia is shown after winning the best international artist at the Brit Awards in February. Adrian Dennis / AFP/File
Rosalia is shown after winning the best international artist at the Brit Awards in February. Adrian Dennis / AFP/File

Spanish singer Rosalia was forced to interrupt a concert in Italy halfway through due to food poisoning, according to fan footage posted on social media.

The 33-year-old Grammy-winning singer was performing at the Unipol Forum in Milan on Wednesday, when she stopped to tell the crowds she was feeling unwell, said AFP.

"I've tried to do this show. Since the beginning I've been sick. I've had big time food poisoning," she said in English in a video posted on X.

"I've tried to push it until the end, but I'm feeling extremely sick. I'm puking out there. I really want to give the best show, and I'm like in (on) the floor," she said.

After saying she would try to carry on if physically possible, a sad-looking Rosalia eventually blew a kiss to the crowds and -- with a hand on her stomach -- walked off stage.

Rosalia, hailed for her genre-defying versatility, was in Milan as part of a tour which began in France earlier this month and will end in Puerto Rico in September.

The singer, who won best international artist at the Brit Awards this month, has earned widespread praise for her fourth album "Lux".

The sweeping, spiritual work, released at the end of last year, marks a departure from her previous flamenco and R&B rhythms.

The album features lyrics sung in 13 languages including German, English and Sicilian in addition to her native Spanish.


Heavy Metal Memorabilia on Offer at Julien’s ‘Music Icons’ Auction

 Executive director and Co-founder of Julien's Auctions Martin Nolan poses with Kiss original lead guitarist Ace Frehley's #1 1974 "Budokan" Triple Pickup Gibson Les Paul Custom, Cherry Sunburst guitar at the Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus, in London, Britain, March 24, 2026. (Reuters)
Executive director and Co-founder of Julien's Auctions Martin Nolan poses with Kiss original lead guitarist Ace Frehley's #1 1974 "Budokan" Triple Pickup Gibson Les Paul Custom, Cherry Sunburst guitar at the Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus, in London, Britain, March 24, 2026. (Reuters)
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Heavy Metal Memorabilia on Offer at Julien’s ‘Music Icons’ Auction

 Executive director and Co-founder of Julien's Auctions Martin Nolan poses with Kiss original lead guitarist Ace Frehley's #1 1974 "Budokan" Triple Pickup Gibson Les Paul Custom, Cherry Sunburst guitar at the Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus, in London, Britain, March 24, 2026. (Reuters)
Executive director and Co-founder of Julien's Auctions Martin Nolan poses with Kiss original lead guitarist Ace Frehley's #1 1974 "Budokan" Triple Pickup Gibson Les Paul Custom, Cherry Sunburst guitar at the Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus, in London, Britain, March 24, 2026. (Reuters)

From an ‌array of guitars to stage-worn costumes, memorabilia from the world of heavy metal is on offer in Julien's Auctions upcoming "Music Icons" sale and on display in London over coming weeks.

Items belonging to Ace Frehley, the original lead Kiss guitarist, are among the highlights, including a 1977 tour jacket.

The star lot is the 1974 Gibson ‌Les Paul ‌Ace #1, used on stage and in ‌the ⁠studio by Frehley, ⁠who died last year. It has a price estimate of $400,000 - $600,000.

"He was tremendously attached to this guitar... it’s part of his history," Martin Nolan, executive director and co-founder of Julien's Auctions, told Reuters at ⁠a press preview on Tuesday at London's ‌Hard Rock ‌Cafe in Piccadilly Circus.

"And sadly, he's no longer ‌with us. So the guitar and ‌the items of clothing that he wore are the conversation pieces that keep that legacy alive, keep that memory alive."

Guitars played by Metallica's ‌Kirk Hammett and Motley Crue co-founder Mick Mars among others are ⁠also ⁠on offer in the auction.

A selection of the lots will be on display in the windows of London's Hard Rock Cafe in Piccadilly Circus until April 13, before going on show at Hard Rock Cafe Tokyo on April 27.

The "Music Icons" auction, which Nolan said features more than 700 items across genres, will take place May 29-30 at Hard Rock Cafe Times Square in New York.


Now a True Pop Star, Miley Cyrus Returns to her 'Hannah Montana' Roots to Fete Anniversary Special

Miley Cyrus attends the world premiere for the television show "Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special" in Los Angeles, California, US, March 23, 2026. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
Miley Cyrus attends the world premiere for the television show "Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special" in Los Angeles, California, US, March 23, 2026. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
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Now a True Pop Star, Miley Cyrus Returns to her 'Hannah Montana' Roots to Fete Anniversary Special

Miley Cyrus attends the world premiere for the television show "Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special" in Los Angeles, California, US, March 23, 2026. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
Miley Cyrus attends the world premiere for the television show "Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special" in Los Angeles, California, US, March 23, 2026. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Sporting that “Hannah Montana” blonde hair and bangs, Miley Cyrus went back to her roots — celebrating 20 years of the TV show that launched the career of a real-life pop star.

Cyrus reunited with cast members of “Hannah Montana” in Los Angeles Monday evening for the premiere of the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special.”

Cyrus told The Associated Press that the milestone has given her a chance to see the character and series from “a new perspective.” Cyrus, who began the Disney Channel show at age 13, played Miley Stewart, a tween and middle-schooler hiding her secret life as a famous pop singer.

“Getting to be on the outside now, getting to be grown and be a part of it in a way that I couldn’t when I was in the middle of it before, and all the chaos and the schedule and the performing of it all,” Cyrus said, “now it just gets to be a celebration. So it is a new perspective. I love that.”

The anniversary special, which started streaming Tuesday on Disney+ and Hulu, celebrates 20 years since the show’s premiere. Filmed in front of a live audience, it features music, archival footage and an interview with Cyrus — now 33 and a genuine pop star — conducted by podcast host Alex Cooper.

Addressing the audience at the premiere, Cyrus paid tribute both to fellow cast members and fans. “Without you all, this show would have never been what it is, and I love saying what it is, not what it was,” she said.

“Tonight isn’t about looking back into the past, but it’s about what it means to us still tonight,” she said.

Jason Earles, who played Miley’s brother Jackson, told the AP that watching the show now highlights how much time has passed.

“I think if you go back and you watch the episodes, there’s enough dated references like old flip phones and stuff that you go, ‘Oh no, no, this show was a little while ago,'” he said.

Cody Linley, who played Miley’s on-and-off boyfriend Jake Ryan, reflected on the impact of portraying a teen heartthrob.

“It’s hard to believe that there were girls that had pictures of me with my shirt off in their locker and they would have me sign it,” Linley said. “And it’s hard not to let it go to your head, because you have to remember that it’s an image that they are seeing. It’s not you.”

Also attending the premiere was country singer Lainey Wilson, who recalled working as a “Hannah Montana” impersonator early in her career.

“From 8th grade to 12th grade, five years of my life, I would open up the show as Lainey Wilson, I would run behind a tree and put on my ‘Hannah Montana’ get-up,” the singer said. “I did birthday parties, fairs, festivals ... I was hitting the roads.”