Established in 2010, DICE’s Boiler Room has been hosting music sessions for over a decade in nearly 100 cities around the world. Originally, the series focused on electronic music such as techno, house, and dub, but Boiler Room has since expanded to include a more diverse list of genres such as hip-hop, classical, and jazz.

We have seen the expansive series hosted in cities around the MENA region, with sessions in Cairo, Ramallah, Bahrain, Dubai, Beirut, Marrakech and more. Additionally, some of the region’s leading producers and DJs have been featured in the groundbreaking series, with the likes of Palestine’s Sama' Abdulhadi going on to reach international acclaim, with her session amassing over 11 million views.

Recounting some of our favourite Boiler Room moments, we have compiled a list of MENA DJs featured on the international platform, representing their local music communities and the region’s dance music scene.

Here are our favourite MENA-led boiler room sessions in no particular order:

Boiler Room Palestine

With some of the biggest acts coming out of Ramallah's underground scene, this event saw the likes of Muqata'a, Julmud, Al Nather (featuring Shabjdeed), Dakn, Makimakkuk, and Sama' Abdulhadi. With such a stellar line-up, it's no wonder that this Boiler Room Palestine event went on to become one of the series’ most popular editions ever.

Zeina | Boiler Room x Überhaus Egypt

Founder of the Unfamiliar event series focused on highlighting female DJs and electronic musicians, Cairo-based DJ and producer Zeina Ezz brought her tasteful techno and acid house selections to Boiler Room x Überhaus Egypt’s 2019 event.

Zuli | Boiler Room x Primavera Sound Barcelona

Live from Boiler Room at Primavera Sound Barcelona in 2022, pioneering Egyptian DJ and producer ZULI delivered a genre-bending selection featuring jungle, industrial, hip-hop tracks, and deconstructed club music.

Tala | Boiler Room Beirut

Factory People’s Tala has been a local favourite in Lebanon’s music scene for years. In this performance, she brought her meticulously selected house set to 2018’s Boiler Room Beirut event.

Omar Souleyman | BOILER ROOM X KOSMOS CHEMNITZ

Omar Souleyman has been one of the most prolific artists in the region, releasing an estimated 500 live and studio albums throughout his career. Having worked with the likes of Four Tet and Modeselektor, the Syrian singer brought his one-of-a-kind performance to this Boiler Room X Kosmos Chemnitz event in 2019.

Nooriyah | Boiler Room London: Middle of Nowhere

Bahrain-born, Saudi-raised, DJ, producer, and radio host Nooriyah electrified this London crown in her 2022 Boiler Room London: Middle of Nowhere event. Clips from the episode of her father playing oud alongside of her in the intro of the set went viral on social media, while the set continues to clock views with nearly 700K in just under a month.

Cosmicat | Boiler Room Bahrain

In the Boiler Room's first-ever broadcast from Bahrain, Saudi Arabian DJ and producer Cosmicat's dropped a fire set, playing her selection of house tracks in her 2021 performance.

3phaz | Boiler Room x Nuits Sonores

Egyptian DJ and producer 3phaz has been a pioneer in the post-shaabi movement, deconstructing the genre with his experimental style. In 2019, 3phaz delivered an electric set at the Boiler Room x Nuits Sonores’s event live from the Nuits Sonores festival.

Other notable performances by MENA DJs and artists include: DINA at Boiler Room x Überhaus Egypt, $$$TAG$$$ b2b 1127 at Boiler Room Cairo, Bosaina at Boiler Room Cairo, Yasmean at Atlas Electronic, Maalem Mohamed Kouyou at Boiler Room Marrakech, and Hisham Zahran at Boiler Room x Überhaus Egypt.

Watch these sessions on our YouTube playlist here: