In 2015 we were treated to a new kind of music festival in Kuwait. Instead of focusing on just established artists, Kuwait Rising sought to showcase emerging musicians from the Arab World and beyond. It became an anticipated event every year and a great way to expose ourselves to new music and creatives that we might have otherwise missed.

Most of us stick to what we like and forget that the music scene is full of amazing talent, ripe for listening. Many of us have discovered that we have more eclectic taste than we initially thought we did. This year, on November 1, the fifth edition of Kuwait Rising will be happening at Dar Al Athar Al Islamiyyah (DAI) in Yarmouk.

The 2019 festival will feature four diverse artists. Desertfish will be debuting his live, electronic performance outside of Saudi Arabia for the first time. Bangalore-based multi-instrumentalist Disco Puppet will be amalgamating voice, instruments and sound effects to showcase his recently released album.

KAVYA, another Indian musician is bringing her sultry sound and nostalgic voice to the city. Finally, from the US, Hannah Epperson will be constructing rich sound palettes using violin, vocals and loop pedals.

The festival will be hosted by multimedia artist, entrepreneur and local favorite, Zahed Sultan. Kuwait Rising is a part of CommUn, a newly formed festivals brand. The company focuses on community-building through arts, music, science and stories. By inviting locals and artists to come together in a venue they are creating a safe space for everyone involved to discover more about their identities and heritage. Kuwait Rising is always an enlightening experience.

For more information follow CommUn on Instagram @comm.un. You can book tickets for the event through eventat.com/kuwaitrising2019.