Music lovers can hear about the latest releases from their favourite artists and “Live it First,” with the launch of the interactive music experience “Backstage” by the Qtel Group and Universal Music Group.

Backstage offers unlimited music downloads for mobile phones and PCs, as well as privileged access to industry stars and music heroes.

With the slogan of “Live it First”, Backstage customers get exclusive material ahead of release dates and the chance to meet world-famous artists backstage, attend recording sessions, and win VIP concert tickets – enabling the Qtel Group to become the only operator - in any of its markets - to offer a total music and entertainment service of this calibre, said a statement.

With an easy subscription process via SMS, PC or WAP and for a minimal flat- rate monthly fee, customers can enjoy unlimited downloads from an international catalogue of more than 130,000 international tracks, that keeps growing every day. Subscribers will be able to build their own collections, create playlists to suit their mood, search by track, artist, genre or album and share playlists with other fans and friends, through a specially-designed interface. In addition to all that, subscribers will receive 10 tracks of their choice every month (120 tracks a year), and these will be theirs to keep forever, it said. 

Following the successful launch of Backstage in Qatar for Qtel and Virgin Mobile customers, the Qtel Group plans to roll out the service across multiple markets within its footprint; with Nawras in Oman and Wataniya in Kuwait hot on the heels of Qatar.

Dr Nasser Marafih, chief executive officer, the Qtel Group, said: “We want to continue to surprise and delight our customers with new services, and Backstage is one of our most exciting launches this year. People across the region use their mobile phone as a major source of entertainment, and we’re making it possible to get closer than ever to the music with Backstage, complete with unlimited downloads.”

Backstage has partnered with the world’s biggest record label, Universal Music, which represents a host of the most famous names in music, including Lady Gaga, Akon, Justin Bieber, Enrique Iglesias, Black Eyed Peas, Mariah Carey, 50 Cent, Nelly Furtado, Stevie Wonder, Sting, and Kanye West, among many others.

Patrick Boulos, managing director, Universal Music Middle East North Africa, said: “We are very excited about this, the first initiative of its kind in the region.  Universal Music continues to be the pioneer in digital music distribution, serving consumers with a variety of services worldwide, and engaging them in one-to-one relationships with their favourite artists and music.  Now we are working to give Qtel Group customers the widest possible choice of catalogues and songs, as well as exclusive entertainment benefits such as VIP access to concerts, backstage passes, and meet-and-greets with artists.”

Also, Backstage offers unlimited access to two of the region’s most popular Arabic labels, Melody and Mazzika – which represent leading Arab artists including Amr Diab, Ragheb Alama, Haifa Wehbe, Myriam Fares, Abdallah El-Rweished, Angham, Asala, and many more – to provide a wide range of choice and value to customers.

Qtel and Virgin Mobile customers in Qatar can go to https://wap.mozaic.qa/backstage, or send the SMS “bsp” (for the Premium Package – both Western and Arabic), “bsw” (for the Western Package) or “bsa” (for the Arabic package) to the number: 92973. They will then receive an SMS with a link to enable them to download the application, the statement said. – TradeArabia News Service