Doha, Qatar – Media City Qatar unveiled “Nabd Qatar” (“Qatar’s Pulse”), a new orchestral song, during the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 final at Lusail Stadium on Qatar National Day. The song, a centerpiece of the 2024 ‘Qatar SoundBeat’ campaign, aims to showcase Qatar’s cultural heritage and position itself as a hub for Arab media and creativity. The premiere was attended by national leadership, government officials, and a crowd of over 88,000 football fans.
The launch of “Nabd Qatar” represents a significant investment in Qatar’s media landscape and a deliberate effort to attract talent and investment to the region. The event served as a platform to highlight the nation’s commitment to fostering a thriving creative industry, aligning with the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030. The song’s debut during a major international sporting event amplified its reach across the MENA region and beyond.
Qatar SoundBeat: A Symphony of Tradition and Modernity
The “Nabd Qatar” project was led by regionally recognized musician Omar Rahbany and produced by Rahbani 3.0, a company licensed by Media City Qatar. The composition features the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, comprising 68 musicians playing 30 different instruments. The song is structured around three distinct eras of sound – Tradition, Classical, and Modernity – to narrate Qatar’s evolution and its aspirations for the future.
The inspiration for the song’s core elements comes directly from Qatari culture. It incorporates chants from the traditional Ardha sword dance, penned by H.E. Mr. Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali, alongside evocative sounds of the desert, wind, falcons, and Arabian horses. These sonic textures are intended to represent the heart and soul of the nation, according to Media City Qatar.
Crowdsourced Lyrics and Visual Storytelling
Adding a unique dimension to the project, the lyrics were developed from thousands of public contributions gathered during Media City Qatar’s Guinness World Record-setting ‘Qatar ArtBeat’ campaign in 2024. This initiative transformed citizen input into a musical tribute celebrating unity and shared identity. The campaign demonstrates a commitment to inclusive cultural expression.
Complementing the song, an exclusive music video directed by filmmaker Karim Rahbani was released on Media City Qatar’s social media channels. This visual accompaniment aims to extend the storytelling and reach a wider audience both within Qatar and internationally. The video is expected to further promote the ‘Qatar SoundBeat’ initiative and the country’s creative capabilities.
Sheikh Dr. Abdulla bin Ali Al Thani, Chairman of Media City Qatar, stated that the campaign aims to position Qatar as a leading destination for media and creative industries in the Arab world. He emphasized the importance of honoring heritage while simultaneously building a future-focused creative ecosystem. This message is central to Qatar’s broader economic diversification strategy.
The launch of “Nabd Qatar” is part of a larger trend of investment in Qatar’s cultural and creative sectors. The country has been actively working to attract international media companies and foster local talent, particularly in the lead-up to and following the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This includes initiatives to support film production, music, and digital media. The development of Media City Qatar itself is a key component of this strategy, offering a free zone environment for media businesses.
Looking ahead, Media City Qatar plans to continue developing initiatives under the ‘Qatar SoundBeat’ umbrella. Further details regarding future projects and collaborations are expected in the coming months. The success of “Nabd Qatar” will likely be a key factor in determining the scale and scope of these future endeavors, and observers will be watching to see how effectively the campaign translates into tangible economic benefits for Qatar’s media industry and the broader Qatar National Vision 2030. The long-term impact on attracting foreign direct investment in the creative sector remains to be seen.
