Bold Sonic Identity Premieres for Islamic Arts Biennale 2025

A bold new sonic identity titled 'Islamic Arts Biennale Theme' has been unveiled as the official sound of the Islamic Arts Biennale 2025. Developed by audio branding studio WithFeeling in collaboration with the Diriyah Biennale Foundation and creative agency .Pomelo, the composition aims to explore the emotional and spiritual resonance of Islamic culture through music.

The project was spearheaded by WithFeeling’s co-founder and composer Joe Dickinson, whose modular composition blends Middle Eastern instrumentation with Western harmonic structures. The result is a soundscape that is both timeless and emotionally evocative—designed to echo the Biennale’s theme and function across diverse formats including film, social media, installations, and live national events.

A Vision Guided by Leadership and Trust

Donya Abdulhadi, Executive Director of Marketing & Communications at the Diriyah Biennale Foundation, played a key role in shaping the project. Her guidance and feedback were pivotal throughout the process. “It evokes emotion and memory, whilst also inspiring renewed ambition. It is the Islamic Arts Biennale, in short,” Abdulhadi remarked.

The creative direction for the sonic identity was led by .Pomelo, a Jordan-based creative agency known for its culturally attuned campaigns. Their narrative framework provided WithFeeling with the freedom to delve deep into the emotional textures of the composition. The collaboration exemplified a blend of cultural insight and creative autonomy, resulting in a work that serves both form and function.

Crafting Emotional Architecture Through Sound

The brief called for a musical identity that would transcend conventional branding, aiming instead to create what WithFeeling describes as “emotional architecture.” Dickinson answered this by composing a piece built on a diatonic scale that rises and falls—symbolizing dualities such as past and future, earthly and divine.

The final track features performances by noted musicians Stefanos Tsourelis (oud), Konstantinos Glynos (qanun), and Natalie Rozario (cello). The live session was recorded at London’s renowned Livingston Studio 1 and engineered by Marenius, with production support from Nour Mansour at Miloco.

Visual and Production Collaborations

The accompanying video content was produced by BTV.UK, with Jake Barrett producing and Jake Kindred serving as Director of Photography. The production team, including Leah Hosker and William Browne, worked to visually encapsulate the sonic identity’s spiritual and cultural nuance.

Islamic Arts Biennale 2025: A Global Platform

Held in the Western Hajj Terminal in Jeddah, the Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 spans over 100,000 square metres and represents a landmark cultural event. This year’s theme, “Islamic Arts Biennale Theme,” draws from a recurring verse in the Quran and seeks to examine the intersections of faith, expression, and lived experience.

The Biennale features over 500 works, including sacred objects from Makkah and Madinah, alongside contemporary pieces by more than 30 artists and contributions from institutions such as the Louvre, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. The event is curated by experts including Dr. Julian Raby, Dr. Amin Jaffer, and Abdul Rahman Azzam.

Sonic Branding as Cultural Storytelling

Unlike traditional sonic branding, this composition was designed not just to accompany the Biennale but to become part of its narrative fabric. With various versions tailored for different platforms—ranging from full-length immersive tracks to short digital clips—the sonic identity reinforces the Biennale’s curatorial themes while offering emotional continuity across touchpoints.

WithFeeling describes the project as more than a commission—it was a cultural dialogue rendered in sound. The studio emphasized that sonic branding, when done with intention, becomes a powerful medium of storytelling.

Acknowledgements

WithFeeling extended gratitude to Donya Abdulhadi for her leadership, to .Pomelo for creative guidance, to the production team at BTV.UK, and to all participating musicians and engineers. Their combined efforts helped deliver a piece that aspires not only to represent the Biennale, but to elevate the way audiences experience it.

For more information about the Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 and to explore its programming, visit the Diriyah Biennale Foundation’s official website.