On October 9 and 10, EXIT and P+US brought Starlight Festival to the Great Pyramids of Giza, welcoming fans from more than 100 countries for what was described as the region’s largest electronic music event in over 25 years.
Featuring artists from across the globe, the festival marked a major moment for Egypt’s dance music scene, becoming the first multi-day electronic music festival of its kind to take place at this iconic location. The line-ups across both days were stacked. Day one featured performances from Coco & Breezy, Awen b2b Markward, Satori, WhoMadeWho, Pete Tong b2b Vintage Culture and Adriatique, alongside the unmistakable energy of Deer Jade and Indira Paganotto.
Day two kept the momentum going, with Cloonee, Michael Bibi and Enrico Sangiuliano building towards a closing set from Charlotte de Witte, ranked the world’s No. 1 techno DJ in the Top 100 DJs 2026 poll. Together, these four artists delivered almost five hours of world-class DJing. Across four stages, the festival offered something for every corner of the electronic music community. The main stage, Starlight, served as the festival’s centrepiece, while No Sleep Giza lived up to its name with sets from Layla Benitez b2b Lanna and Baset b2b Olympe. Orion and Homeground provided further platforms for artists including Alyssa & Gia, Fiona Kraft, Floyd Lavine, Giolì & Assia, Kristina Ladyko, Lydie the Djette and Fady Mirshak.
The atmosphere was unlike anything I’ve experienced in more than 20 years of travelling the world for music. The visual production, delivered by multimedia studio Sila Sveta, was equally impressive, adding another dimension to a setting that hardly needed embellishment. But what made Starlight particularly significant was the ambition behind it: bringing an internationally recognised festival brand to one of humanity’s most extraordinary landmarks, while positioning Egypt as a destination for the future of electronic music.
For Rabih Mokbel, CEO and founder of Venture Lifestyle and P+US, the challenge extended well beyond putting on a bigger show. Having previously staged single-headliner events at Giza, including Anyma, the transition to a two-day, multi-stage festival demanded a new level of coordination, infrastructure and production. As he explained, “The challenge wasn’t simply making the event bigger—it was creating a festival that could operate at an international level while remaining worthy of one of the world’s most extraordinary landmarks.” Staging an event at a protected heritage site meant balancing the demands of a modern festival with the need to respect its surroundings, and so collaboration with Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities was crucial. The Pyramids might provide an incomparable backdrop, but delivering an event of this scale also requires an experienced local team, careful planning and a long-term vision.
Mokbel sees that vision as extending beyond international headliners and spectacular production. “Bringing international names to Egypt creates excitement, but the opportunity is much greater when that exposure also supports the artists, promoters, and creative talent building the scene here,” he said. Starlight, for Mokbel, represents an opportunity to strengthen the local live music ecosystem, giving Egyptian artists access to bigger stages while allowing production teams, promoters and other industry professionals to work alongside international talent. “The Pyramids provide an extraordinary setting, but the real opportunity lies in building something sustainable around them,” he added. “There is a growing audience, a strong creative community, and enormous potential for Egypt to become an even more important destination on the international music calendar.”
Following an eight-event international tour, EXIT’s journey to Egypt also carried a deeper significance. Speaking with founder and CEO Dušan Kovačević, I learned more about why the Serbian festival was forced to leave its home and the international support behind its fight. EXIT began as a student protest in Novi Sad back in 2000, with a generation of young people using music to campaign for a better future. Twenty-six years later, the organisation had taken its movement from Petrovaradin Fortress to the Great Pyramids.
Looking back at that extraordinary journey, Kovačević admitted that his younger self would struggle to believe where it had led. “Back then, we were a group of young people fighting for a better future, using music as our language. We had no idea that what started as a student movement in Novi Sad would one day become one of the world’s most respected festivals and a truly global movement, bringing people together at some of the most extraordinary locations on Earth.” For Kovačević, the move to Egypt was about more than finding a new location for a festival. “From day one, EXIT was never just about music—it was about breaking boundaries, challenging what seemed impossible, and proving that young people have the power to change the world.”
That philosophy was tested this year as EXIT transformed from organising one of the world’s biggest music festivals into producing eight events across its international tour, five of them entirely new. Kovačević described the undertaking with a fitting analogy: “We were upgrading the engine while the plane was already flying.” Despite the operational challenges, he sees the tour as the beginning of a new chapter. Closing it with a sold-out Starlight Festival in front of the Great Pyramids was, he said, “much more than a spectacular finale. It was a powerful symbol that the EXIT spirit is stronger than any pressure or obstacle, and a glimpse of just how far this new journey can take us.”
That spirit of solidarity was reflected at Starlight, as people from different backgrounds came together through music and a shared love of dance music. For Kovačević, that sense of connection is at the heart of EXIT’s history. The festival experienced the unifying power of music firsthand in the Balkans, bringing together young people from countries that had been at war only a few years earlier. “Ever since, EXIT has stood as a symbol of peace and reconciliation,” he said. At a time when the world seems increasingly divided, that message feels especially relevant. Kovačević believes music and festivals can build bridges across borders, languages and cultures, connecting people through a shared desire for freedom, unity and a more peaceful world. “Never underestimate the power of music to change the world,” he told me.
Jenni Cochrane, EXIT’s Senior Talent Booker, believes Starlight captured that power perfectly. Reflecting on her experience in Egypt, she said: “What keeps me motivated to do the job I do is building community, giving people unforgettable experiences, and seeing the joy and happiness we give all of the people from delivering these events. In over 15 years of working with EXIT, here in Egypt has been the best energy I have experienced at a festival since EXIT itself.”
The partnership between EXIT and P+US brought together two complementary ambitions: EXIT’s international festival experience and P+US’s regional relationships and understanding of the Egyptian market. Mokbel described the collaboration as a significant step towards establishing Egypt and the wider region as destinations for major international music experiences. The goal, he emphasised, is to keep raising the bar while creating lasting value for the local industry.
With Starlight Festival already pencilled in to return on November 5 and 6, 2027, this historic gathering may be only the beginning. Its next moves in 2027 are certainly worth keeping a close eye on.
You can follow Lewis Moses on Instagram: @officiallewischillymoses
