Whilst Hip-Hop live performances and club P.As has ruled supreme in the UAE for the past few years, there has been a notable lack of Rhythm & Blues (R&B) concerts in the region. Is this potentially an area where Abu Dhabi can distinguish itself from Dubai, as well as cater to the taste of the residents and target tourist audience?

Hip-Hop is the most dominant genre in the industry, and Dubai has become a hotspot for Hip-Hop music and events. Rap music dominates the nightlife with clubs such as BLU, White, Soho Garden DXB and Float (R.I.P Drai’s DXB – gone but never forgotten), events such as Frsh and major artists such as French Montana, Wiz Khalifa and Tyga regular Dubai performers (some might even say too regular). Hip-Hop is also a major live performance draw, with Rap superstar 50 Cent recently taking the stage at Coco-Cola Arena and the legendary Nas announced as the headliner for this year’s Sole DXB, celebrating 50 years of Hip-Hop. Abu Dhabi has also been a hub for international hip-hop acts of recent, with Post Malone performing at Etihad Park, hosting Wireless Abu Dhabi and a number of Hip-Hop acts performing at Bred Abu Dhabi. However, the volume of performances from Hip-Hop artists in Abu Dhabi, particularly in the nightclub PA space, is much less than its neighboring Emirate of Dubai.

Meanwhile, the rising popularity of old school R&B events in the UAE demonstrates the everlasting appeal of the genre and the longing for those magical feels and nostalgia among music lovers. Local-led events such as Old School Jam , Soul Brunch Dubai, Old Skl Brunch Dubai, and the recently launched The R&B Experience have been a hit among Dubai residents. Furthermore, international R&B events such as the UK’s Old School R&B Brunch, the US’s Everyday People, and Canada’s That Slow Jam Party have been or are planning to be repeat visitors to the UAE’s shores. But in terms of live performances, there appears to not be the same frequency of R&B-led performers, especially outside of the major artists.

Whilst Trey Songz and Jason Derulo are mainstays in Dubai (again – some might even say too regular), Ashanti recently performing at the Coca-Cola Arena and superstar Beyoncé Knowles having the world abuzz following her first live performance in five years for the Dubai Atlantis Royal (which set them back a minor $24 million!!), most R&B artists do not seem to have the same opportunities to showcase their talents in Dubai.

Abu Dhabi has recently hosted some R&B major acts to some success, with John Legend performing under the iconic Louvre Abu Dhabi dome to celebrate the museum’s fifth anniversary, and R&B legend Usher headlining the Abu Dhabi F1 Yasalam After-Race Concert. Progressive R&B act 6LACK has also been enlisted to headline at the neo-culture festival BRED Abu Dhabi. With Abu Dhabi looking to become the destination for music and live performances in the region, perhaps the R&B genre could be a piece of the puzzle that can help them reach this goal.

Abu Dhabi is perceived as a place of culture, sophistication, with a reputation for being somewhat conservative, especially when compared to the more liberal Emirate of Dubai. In addition, Abu Dhabi is positioning itself as a perfect romantic destination for couples and honeymooners, lending well to a genre defined by love songs. While Hip-Hop can continue to dominate Dubai’s live events and nightlife, R&B can be the underserved market for which Abu Dhabi offers visitors a chance to see their favorite musicians perform live in a beautiful and vibrant city. It also has the added bonus that most R&B artists are unlikely to cause concern in ADEO screening, or fall foul of the law, as have previously seen with some Rap artists.

So which artists can Abu Dhabi look to potentially host to attract R&B lovers across the region? The Travel Consigliere has put together a non-exhaustive list of R&B artists across the globe; from the superstars, legacy acts to the emerging artists, who could grace the stage of Abu Dhabi venues and events.

To the best of our knowledge, the following established stars or legacy acts have not as yet performed in the UAE: SZA, Anderson. Paak, Summer Walker, Jazmine Sullivan, Childish Gambino, Ariana Grande, Snoh Alegra, Bryson Tiller, dvsn, SiR, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Giveon, Lucky Daye, Brent Faiyaz, Daniel Caesar, Ella Mai, Solange, Kali Uchis, Brandy, D’Angelo, Donell Jones, Musiq Soulchild, SWV, Joe, and much more. This highlights the real potential for major live event organizers in Abu Dhabi, such as Live Nation Middle East, Flash Entertainment and BRAG to potentially explore for future live shows.

This series will capture the various different tiers of artists who could potential be looked at as performers in the region;

• Tier 1: A-list artists that are capable of attracting over 15,000+ attendees to their standalone concert, or should be considered for headliners for major Abu Dhabi events. Can drive tourists to visit the city in order to see their favourite star.
• Tier 2: Major artists that have the potential to draw between 5000 – 10,000 attendees for their standalone concert, and can still be considered for a headliner role for headliners for major Abu Dhabi events. Can drive tourists to visit the city in order to see their favourite star, although may mainly be domestic or within the region, particularly if there isn’t a Middle-East tour.
• Tier 3: Established Artists that can attract between 1000 – 5000 attendees for their own standalone concert, and can still be considered for a supporting act role for major Abu Dhabi events. Can drive domestic tourists to visit the city in order to see their favourite star.
• Tier 4: Emerging R&B artists that are growing in popularity and may be able to attract up to 1,000 attendees for their own standalone concert, and can be considered for a supporting act role for major Abu Dhabi events.
• Legacy Acts: Legends and icons of the R&B genre. Whilst they may not be active as performers in recent years, have a huge catalogue of hits, appeal to an older demographic and are likely to drive fans to flock to the events across the region for a rare chance to see their favourite stars.