MetaMoon Music Festival to Expand in Dubai With Henry Lau, Lee Youngji and More of Asian-Pop Talent

Since its 2022 debut at Barclays Center, MetaMoon Music Festival has built itself up as a New York City stalwart for Asian entertainment and talent worldwide with concerts, industry panels, block parties, and more. At the top of 2025, MetaMoon is officially going global with its first overseas iteration.

Billboard can exclusively reveal that MetaMoon in Dubai will take place this February in the United Arab Emirates’ Al Wasl Plaza – Expo City Dubai. Singer-songwriter-actor Henry Lau and Korea’s viral singer-rapper Lee Young Ji will headline the inaugural UAE fest. The festival rounds out its lineup with rising Japanese-American singer-songwriter mikah, 2024’s Red Bull Dance Your Style champion MT Pop of Vietnam, and DJ and radio veteran Poon from New York. Rapper and comedian MC Jin, who participated in the 2022 and 2023 MetaMoon events, will host the event.

Lau was last year’s MetaMoon headliner, where the former Super Junior member not only delivered his mix of pop and classical music but sat down for a career-focused fireside chat with SiriusXM’s Michael Tam as part of The Summit, which MetaMoon launched in partnership with the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports and Entertainment. “I’m just excited to share what I’ve learned,” the Berklee College of Music graduate told Billboard ahead of the 2024 fest. “I’ve gotten to an age where there are a lot of aspiring musicians, and I hope that my experiences can help give them a good idea of what to expect and what they need to work on in certain aspects.”

“We love working with different artists and being able to be part of their return or debut in a new market, whether it’s in New York or Dubai,” MetaMoon founder Grace Chen tells Billboard. “Audiences nowadays are sophisticated and more connected and aware of what is going on in other parts of the world. Music as a global language travels and I think there is a natural curiosity to want to see an artist perform live when you’ve only had the chance to see them online or on social media. MetaMoon is that place where fans can connect with their favorite artist or discover new music.

“MetaMoon is about sharing and celebrating Asian pop culture especially through music and the live experience. UAE is a growing and diverse region that’s a melting pot of cultures and that also has a strong Asian and South Asian diaspora. By teaming up with Live Nation Middle East to bring MetaMoon to Dubai, we serve as that bridge and the platform for artists to explore a new market and share their music, for existing fans to get up close with their favorite artist, and for new fans to discover more about the culture.”

Live Nation Middle East is promoting and producing MetaMoon in Dubai.

“Live Nation Middle East is proud to partner with MetaMoon to bring this unique celebration of Asian pop culture to Dubai,” said James Craven, President of Live Nation Middle East. “The UAE is a vibrant and diverse region and this event is a perfect reflection of the incredible cultural exchange we aim to foster through music and entertainment. We are thrilled to debut such an exceptional lineup of talent, and we look forward to creating unforgettable memories for fans in the Middle East.”

After showcasing nearly two dozen different API stars, Chen sees the overseas expansion as a considerable way to help spread Asian pop culture at large.

“Our partnership with Live Nation Middle East to bring MetaMoon to Dubai signifies our commitment to introducing Asian artists and pop culture to new fans while giving existing fans a chance to see their favorite artists live,” she also said in a statement. “We are excited to be debuting an incredible lineup of Asian talent for their first appearances ever in the region and for what will be an entertaining evening for fans.”

Citing a growing Asian diaspora in the Middle East as well as increased interest in Asian pop culture in the region, MetaMoon in Dubai says it hopes to “bring a full fan experience to audiences in the Middle East in the coming years” in a press release.

Tickets for MetaMoon in Dubai go on sale Jan. 9, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. Dubai time exclusively through LiveNation’s Middle East site and United Arab Emirates’ Ticketmaster site.