More than 190,000 festival goers attended UNTOLD Dubai and enjoyed surreal shows, outstanding performances of some of the most relevant artists, huge production and epic stages.

UNTOLD Dubai felt like the entire city was vibrating in anticipation. From coffee shops to car rides, people were talking about it. Virgin Radio had turned the excitement up a notch with festival trivia, ticket giveaways, and nonstop hype. 

By Thursday, the city was in full-on festival mode. It was technically a workday, but productivity had quietly left the chat. Everyone just wanted to wrap up early, trade their office shoes for sneakers, and head straight to Dubai Parks & Resorts. 

It all started as the gates of Dubai Parks & Resorts opened like a portal into another universe. The venue added a different kind of magic, set inside an amusement park alive with color and sound. You could wander past glowing lakes, castle silhouettes, and clusters of buzzing restaurants that doubled as mini rave corners. Six massive stages rose across the park like distinct worlds, each pulling its own tribe of fans. People from over fifty nationalities, moving together as if they’d known each other forever. 

Mainstage: The heart of UNTOLD Dubai. Towering over 120 meters wide and 28 meters tall, it was a colossal arena built like a futuristic cathedral of sound. By day, it hosted pop and hip-hop energy that drew massive singalongs; by night, it transformed into an EDM temple where the bass dropped.

Zamna Stage: The home of techno. A striking pyramid-like structure with the console placed in the middle, it turned into a hypnotic vortex of strobes and lasers. The sound system was impeccable: clean, deep, and relentless.

Alchemy Stage: In a lush garden corner, this was the discovery zone. You never quite knew what the next set would bring, one moment dub, then Arabic fusion, then maybe a splash of drum and bass or euro dance. It felt raw, unpredictable, and beautifully experimental.

Retro Stage: Tucked into one of the buildings, this one was pure nostalgia. Funk, disco, and old-school jams rewound time for a few hours, giving a break from the relentless BPMs outside.

Soul Circle Stage: The festival’s chill nucleus. With cushions, dim lighting, and mellow beats, it was where you sat down, recharged, and maybe shared a quiet laugh between sets. From meditative sounds to chakra-healing sessions, it reminded everyone that festivals also need breathers.

Time Stage: The liveliest surprise of all, completely run by the young talents of the Dubai Sound Academy. It was a proud moment for the local scene, watching the next generation command their decks while the audience cheered them like full-blown headliners.

Day 1 kicked off late for us, but the moment we entered it was clear, night belonged to Armin van Buuren or shall we say “We Own The Night” ;). Set was unlike any other, leaning heavily into techno and acid, dropping tracks from his new Piano album, before finally hammering those epic trance anthems. The buzz around the festival was real, with everyone talking about Sugababes’ nostalgic groove and WizTheMc’s sun-soaked energy lighting up the earlier sets. We caught Hot Since 82 next, Tech House legend whose dynamic, melodic set kept the momentum rolling. Night wrapped with Andy C firing up some high-octane drum and bass, blending in pop surprises like Linkin Park classics to create a wild, unforgettable finish.

Day 2 energy was already sky-high, as Mainstage filled with a surge of anticipation before Nora Fatehi’s dazzling performance and YUNGBLUD’s explosive Middle East debut. Steve Aoki took the stage with his trademark chaos, blazing visuals, cake drops flung into the crowd, and relentless energy that had everyone losing themselves in the spectacle. Build-up led straight into Axwell’s set, packed with Swedish House Mafia classics and his own high-voltage masterpieces. We drifted over to Zamna again, just in time for Joris Voorn to work his progressive magic, layering hypnotic sounds until suddenly everything faded into a hush. And then it was none other than but Mr Eric Prydz, transforming the space with a dark, cinematic voyage. As the crowd thinned near 3 am, he conjured new IDs and tracks from his PRYDA and Cirez D monikers, slowly rebuilding the energy from almost nothing until unleashing his full-length track OPUS. An unforgettable two-hour journey that became the ultimate highlight of UNTOLD Dubai 2025 for us.

Day 3 it was, Martin Garrix dropped never-heard-before tracks, the confetti, endless crowd waves, fog that made lasers look alive. Martin joined Gordo at the Zamna stage. We were happy to see Saksham join as special guest when he dropped their latest release. KSHMR joined the frenzy taking energy to another level by playing some VIP remixes of his tracks and a lot of hardstyle, which was a positive surprise.

Day 4, J Balvin brought that unmistakable reggaeton swagger, his special guest for the night was Daecolm, they sang together the worldwide viral hit “I Adore You” by Hugel. Special guest in the audience at J Balvin’s show was Jason Derulo who enjoyed the Colombian superstar’s show. Alan Walker closed the night with melodies that felt like closure and ignition all at once. With techno legends MRAK, Ame, and Trikk closing the Zamna stage, it felt like a finale that made you promise yourself: We’re coming back next year.

November 5–8, 2026, the desert lights up again and if there’s one thing certain, it’s the magic of UNTOLD.

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