Talal Alshehail On Building Saudi's Rock & Roll Scene
In conversation with Talal Alshehail about Capital Entertainment and their plan to vitalize the Saudi rock scene.
We sat down with Talal Alshehail for a chance to learn more from the man himself about his record label Capital Entertainment.
Based in the Saudi capital Riyadh, Capital Entertainment is a company founded and run by Talal Alshehail, originally a Rock n Roll artist under the name Trip Loon, to manage, promote, and help curate a rich scene of rock music worthy of the Saudi capital’s global cultural status. Talal, who graduated with three degrees at the New York Film Academy: a masters in production, another in filmmaking, and a diploma in cinematography, is a capable filmmaker, and having moonlighted as a blogger and promoter for the American underground rock n roll scene, he is a gifted music promoter too. Some of his career highlights include directing a commercial that won first place in The Saudi Arabian Pioneers Marketing Award, as well as directing a critically acclaimed music video that was featured in Rolling Stone’s Top 20 List of Most Awesome Music Videos in 2014.
Capital Entertainment strictly follows a mantra with the artists they choose to support: “Merit Before Hype”. Alshehail makes it very clear that what his company goes for is artists with a distinct visual and sonic character, ones who make a definitive stand, and have a remarkable sound and image, preferably Rock n Roll artists, as that is his area of expertise. He talks about defining characters that he aims for in artists that Capital Entertainment signs, but he stresses on them having a distinct sound that’s beyond the industry norm, ones who would benefit from the support to be an enriching addition to the rock music scene across the Middle East.
He also co-develops and screenplays the songs with the artists signed to his label, like Raad Al Arab and Diamond Roller, using his extensive knowledge as a rock musician and a filmmaker, as well as being the program director of the digital content on Instagram and YouTube, and the main promoter of Capital Entertainment’s music events. He has also taken it upon his shoulders to provide genuine recording equipment, locations, and technology to capture authentic sounding recordings reminiscent of classic 70s Rock n Roll, with their punch and grit, a sound that he expresses is missing from most usual recording scenarios in a lot of the region’s best known studios. Talal Alshehail is here to right many wrongs, and to add genuine value to the entire region’s rock music landscape.
Watch our interview with Talal as part of XP Conversations here:
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