Make way for pop divas

The stage is almost set for Australian singer Kylie Minogue to rock the crowd at the $20 million party on the Atlantis, The Palm.According to reports, it’s going to be the “biggest” party in the world.

The concert will be Kylie’s Middle Eastern debut, but you won’t get to hear her unless you’re one of the chosen few.

And it’s not just Kylie, the list of international singers who are starting to give performances in Dubai and Abu Dhabi is suddenly growing.

Another popular singer who gave her first concert in the city last week was Black Eyed Peas front woman, Fergie. While several youngsters turned up for the event at Dubai Media City, they were not enough to fill up the venue; the platinum and gold sections were half empty. However, the pop singer had the crowd screaming along for her popular hits like ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, ‘Glamorous’ and ‘Fergalicious’.

The ticket prices started at AED 295, which is the same price of a standard ticket to Shakira’s concert in Abu Dhabi next month at the Emirates Palace hotel on new year’s eve. Alternatively, you can fork out AED1500 for a VIP pass to watch the Columbian/Lebanese singer shake-it up close.

George Michael and Alicia Keys are also going to entertain crowds at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City Stadium on December 1st, a first in the country for both of them.

So what is attracting all these singers here?

Is it the UAE’s demographic? According to Al Bayan, out of the total UAE population of 6.5 million people, 13.5 percent are Emirati, the rest include Arab expats, Indians, Filipino, Iranians, Chinese, Europeans and Australians.

Or is it the attention that the emirates are garnering from around the world because of the wealth and infrastructure available here? It could be that the growing number of PR and events companies is making Dubai and Abu Dhabi more visible. According to the Media Guide 2008, there are 43 exhibition organisers and 99 PR agencies in the UAE, primarily in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

We think it’s a combination of all these factors, along with the fact that the young population in the cities is growing rapidly. As more and more expats make Dubai and Abu Dhabi their home, they are hoping that their lifestyles follow suit; from entertainment to food, they hope to have it all.