Top Influencers SELLOUT to promote MDL Beast, ignoring Humanitarian crisis

MDL Beast (a play on Middle East) is a three-day music festival (19-21st of December) featuring electronic music, arts, and cuisine – just outside of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia and the largest city on the Arabian Peninsula.

The festival boasts “an eclectic mix of international superstars and emerging Saudi talent, playing across five different stages – each with their own unique vibe.” Among the attendees were top actors, models and social media influencers, all seemingly singing their praise of the festival.

Lavish landscapes, glamorous parties, and smiling faces were all front and centre as the festival began, but now that the dust has settled, a storm is brewing. The tone-deaf posts and Instagram stories, boasting “the greatest parties on Earth” are facing major backlash for ignoring Saudia Arabia’s glaring Human Rights issue, especially against women and members of the LGBTQIA+ Community.

The frustration came after Diet Prada — a controversial Instagram account that calls out fashion scandals — pointed out that influencers made posts advertising the festival, yet ignoring what else was happening.

Through anonymous sources, and model Emily Ratajkowski’s testimony, the Diet Prada story claims influencers were offered a six-figure sum for attendance and related posts, in what is the latest strategy by the Saudi government to rehabilitate the kingdom’s image through lavish sponcon.

Two years ago, Saudi Arabia set into action a plan called Vision 2030 to diversify its economy, with $2.7 billion set aside for entertainment, says Billboard. These government-subsidized festivals pay artists up to six times their normal booking fees for performances.

Models and influencers included hashtags in their Instagram like #mdlbeastambassador and #mdlbeastpartner, suggesting they were paid to advertise the festival. Such hashtags were used by Alessandra AmbrosioTeyana TaylorRose BertramRomee Strijd, and others. Some influencers have since made their accounts private: Jazzelle ZanaughttiKristen Noel Crawley, and Simi Haze.

 

Other influencers are hitting back, claiming the event was nothing short of inspiring and history making, and condemn those that say otherwise:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6d231NnMNG/

 

Their claims of cultural progress have, however, been smothered by the point that they were within the safety of the VIP section of the festival, not witnessing what was happening on the ground.

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