Deezer and Spotify’s MENA launches took place just three weeks apart, with the Paris-based firm having a head start in October.
Speaking to Arabian Business, Albrecht said Deezer is ‘not afraid’ of the competition as it focuses heavily on the region. In August, partnered with the Arab world’s largest record label Rotana to offer users a wide selection of Arabic hits and access to local content from music production group Mazzika and Saudi-based telecom provider Qanawat, in addition to 53 million tracks from global artists.
In the same month, it had raised $186 million in fresh funds from investors including the Saudi-based Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) and French telecoms giant Orange.
“Our whole life at Deezer, we have been facing major competition from the likes of Spotify and YouTube. We’re slowly growing and there is always room for improvement, but we have very good products and hence are not afraid of competition. For customers in the region, we’re going to be the home of Arabic music,” declared Hans-Holger Albrecht, CEO of Deezer.
Source: http://nextvafrica.com/.
