Mayssa Karaa is a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur, currently serving as the inaugural Artistic Director of Berklee Abu Dhabi. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, she is known for seamlessly blending Arabic and Western music, bridging cultures through her artistry. Since graduating from Berklee, she has been dedicated to bringing its musical experience to artists in the Middle East.

 

She gained international recognition with her Arabic rendition of White Rabbit for the Oscar-nominated film American Hustle, which was featured on its Grammy-nominated soundtrack. As a cultural ambassador, she has been the voice of the Middle Eastern edition of Sesame Street (Iftah Ya Simsim) and was one of the lead singers of This Is Our Time, the official theme song for Expo 2020 Dubai.

 

Mayssa has collaborated with legendary artists, including Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman on Hayati and Glisse la Vie for his immersive film Le Musk, and has toured internationally with him. In a historic moment, she became the first artist to sing in Arabic alongside Andrea Bocelli, sharing the stage with the operatic icon in Abu Dhabi.

 

Mayssa has collaborated with esteemed artists and members of legendary bands, showcasing her versatility across genres. She was featured in two PBS specials filmed in Naples, Italy, including one also featuring the iconic Plácido Domingo. Her Arabic rendition of Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb featured a former band member, and she joined David Bowie’s former bandmates on a California tour for Celebrating David Bowie. She also worked with renowned producer and musician Don Was in a tribute to Bob Seger, further establishing herself as a cultural bridge, seamlessly blending Arabic and Western music on the global stage.

 

Her discography includes her debut album Simple Cure, which she launched at Capitol Studios in Hollywood. She has performed at prestigious venues and festivals worldwide, including Ziggo Dome (Amsterdam), UNESCO (Paris), Dubai Opera, Detroit Symphony Hall, Abu Dhabi Festival, Beiteddine International Festival, and Belgrade Arena, among others.

 

Beyond performance, Mayssa is an influential artistic director, music strategist, and consultant. She played a key role in shaping artistic and cultural initiatives, including serving as the Artistic Director of the Firdaus Orchestra, an all-female ensemble created for Expo 2020 Dubai under A.R. Rahman’s patronage.

 

Committed to cultural diplomacy, she has received Lebanon’s National Cultural Award and the Pride of the UAE Award. She has also collaborated with the International Committee of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, featured as an Ambassador for MasterPeace, a United Nations initiative, and has been a guest speaker at international and Middle Eastern conferences and summits.

Gael Hedding is a Grammy- and Latin Grammy-winning engineer, music producer, and entrepreneur. He currently serves as the inaugural director of the Berklee Abu Dhabi Center in the U.A.E. Previously, he served as an assistant professor and production manager at Berklee's Valencia campus, contributing to its early development. There, he taught and developed curricula on music production, recording, mixing, and live sound for undergraduate and graduate students.

Hedding has conducted masterclasses in the Middle East, India, and Latin America at prestigious institutions, such as Tecnológico de Monterrey, Universidad La Salle, and Universidad San Francisco de Quito. He has been a guest speaker internationally at Latin Grammy events, Culture Summit Abu Dhabi, XP Music Festival, and BIME, to name a few. He holds a bachelor's degree in Music Production and Engineering from Berklee College of Music and a Master of Science in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from HEC Paris.With over 50 albums and 500-plus live shows internationally, Hedding has worked with renowned artists, including Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson, Aida Cuevas, Pepe Aguilar, John McLaughlin, and Caribbean Jazz Project, among others. 

In 2008, he created Sandia Sound Studio and Sandia Live, both ventures in Cancun, Mexico, devoted to music production in the studio and on stage. Additionally, Hedding is a founding member and former secretary of the Circle of Producers and Engineers (CPI) at the Latin Recording Academy. He also serves as an advisor for foundations in Mexico and India dedicated to enhancing culture and the music industry.

Shilpa Ananth is an Indian vocalist, songwriter, composer and producer based in Brooklyn, New York, United States of America. She has a unique sound that fuses the dreamy landscapes of South India with soul, jazz, and electronic music. Shilpa creates art that transcends borders and cultures, blending three of the oldest Indian languages — Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi — with English. "After graduating with honours from Berklee College of Music, Shilpa released her debut EP Indian Soul and went on to record and perform Grammy Award-winning composers A. R. Rahman, Bobby McFerrin, Bill Whalen and Javier Limon's Original Quartet." She has also toured extensively with the Serbian female vocal group ROSA, the Berklee Indian Ensemble, Women of the World and with the Bollywood Boulevard musical production, performing at US venues such as Boston Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Apollo Theatre, NJPAC, Wolf Trap and The John F. Kennedy Center.

Miklos Malek is an American-Hungarian music producer, mixing / mastering engineer and songwriter. He is known for his deep musical knowledge, dedication to quality and his unique ability to elevate every project he touches in unexpected ways. Miklos’ credits include Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lopez, Armin Van Buuren, Anastacia, Pixie Lott, Yanni, and The X-Factor. His work has been featured on over 15 million records.

Born in Budapest, Miklos has inherited the rich musical lineage of his parents. He studied classical piano and composition while working on pop hits. After receiving his master’s degree from the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, Miklos went to Boston and studied at Berklee College of Music. Soon after he was offered a publishing deal in New York, which led to his breakthrough in the USA first as a songwriter (Anastacia) and then as a producer / arranger (Jennifer Lopez, Anastacia, Dream).

In 2006, Miklos launched his studio in Hollywood, Los Angeles. He began focusing more on developing new artists, mixing / mastering (Ariana Grande, Armin Van Buuren, Aloe Blacc) and expanding into new genres (Yanni, Markus Schulz). In 2010, Miklos was invited to be a judge on X-Factor, the Hungarian version of the wildly popular talent show. Through auditioning thousands of people and coaching his contestants to victory, he gained a deeper understanding of how to bring the best out of artists.

Building on his successful mentoring in X-Factor, Miklos shares his knowledge around the world in the form of masterclasses, workshops and one-on-one coaching (Microsoft, Los Angeles Music Industry Summer Academy, SynthPlex, American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers).

Zeina Aftimosis a professional vocal coach and performer specializing in Arabic folk music and vocal production. She has collaborated with top artists and performed at prestigious events, includingExpo 2020 DubaiandUAE National Day concerts.As avocal producer and choir conductor, Zeina has played a key role in major national performances across the UAE.

She is also acertified trainerin voice and breathing techniques, working with both singers and public speakers to enhance their vocal abilities.Her talent has been showcased oninternational stages, with standout performances at venues likeDubai OperaandLa Perle Theatre. In recognition of her contributions, she was awarded aCertificate of Honorfrom theMinistry of Energy and Infrastructurefor her work onOpera Zayedat La Perle.