Hunna Launches 2025 Mentorship to Empower Women in Music

The women-led music initiative Hunna has kicked off its 2025 mentorship program and workshop series, aiming to elevate female talent across the Middle East and North Africa. Now in its third year, Hunna connects women with industry mentors, resources, and networks to support their professional growth. The community now includes over 120 members from Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and beyond.

This year’s program began in July, selecting six participants through an anonymized process led by Hunna’s committee and past mentees. Each participant has been paired with a seasoned professional from a range of musical disciplines, receiving monthly one-on-one sessions, tailored development plans, and access to Hunna’s broader programming. Their journey will culminate in a live showcase at XP Music Futures in December.

Mentorship program manager Nadia Khan, also founder of Women in Ctrl, highlighted the unique value of this year’s lineup. “These pairings reflect the diversity of talent in the region and the global reach of the women guiding them,” she said. “Our mentees are learning directly from women who have broken barriers and proven it’s possible to succeed while staying true to your vision.”

The 2025 mentor-mentee pairs are: Tunisia-based Chaima Soudani with Celine Hitti, head of artist services MENA at Believe; Saudi DJ and producer Cosmicat mentoring DJ and producer Lena Chercaoui; Palestinian-Jordanian vocalist Lina Sleibi with singer-songwriter and visual creative Lina Makoul; singer Nadine Lingawi (Fulana) with Emmy-nominated composer Hannah Peel; Egyptian multi-instrumentalist Martina Ashraf with Montreal-based experimental artist Liliane Chlela; and Saudi composer-pianist Nora Aljebrin with Nadin Al-Khalidi, lead vocalist of Tarabband.

For mentors, Hunna is as much about giving back as it is about building the future. “Hunna is about creating a space of solidarity and community where women can grow in every part of the music industry,” said Hitti. Al-Khalidi added: “I joined the Hunna mentorship program to share my journey and inspire others to tell their own stories through music.”

Workshops form another key pillar of the initiative. The first session, “Introduction to Music Production,” will be held on August 20 at Beast House in Riyadh. From August through November, monthly sessions will cover topics such as production, live performance, artist strategy, and global positioning, open to all members of the Hunna community.

Tanya Awad, head of music and experience at XP Music Futures and MDLBeast Foundation, which leads Hunna, outlined the long-term mission: “Our vision is clear — to see MENA women in every facet of the music industry.”