Sonu Nigam is no stranger to performing in front of UAE audiences, but his gig on Friday will feel a bit different.
The world-famous Indian singer is performing at the Dubai World Trade Centre, in a live show demonstrating "Covid Consciousness". That means the one-off concert, titled Sonu Nigam – The Light, has been organised with social distancing in mind, with 1.5 metres between seated fans.
It is also Nigam's first truly global concert, he says. It will feature 18 musicians and performers who live in the UAE but come from all parts of the world. They include musicians from Russia, Lebanon, Spain, France and Mexico, all adding their own spin to Nigam's music.
"There is a lot of potential in music and it just gets better when we have people from different countries, different genres," Nigam tells The National. "It's going to be very interesting."
'This is a new way of existence, so let's follow it'
The singer admits that when he was first approached for an indoor concert, he was skeptical. But seeing how the UAE was successfully monitoring and handling the situation, and gradually easing restrictions gave him more confidence.
“Malls are operating, banks are operating – but they are following guidelines, social distancing protocols. This is the new way of existence, so let’s follow it,” he says.
Organisers Blu Blood Middle East say they are following all of the government’s latest Covid-19 health and safety guidelines for the concert, which is being touted as the world’s first indoor Bollywood concert to follow social distancing guidelines since the pandemic started.
“This concert by itself is a huge statement, it will be an emotional outburst,” says Nigam. “Because this is the first time, in our lifetimes at least, that the entire world has together gone through a period of so much gravitas and intensity.”
Of course, it takes a lot to set up a “Covid-conscious” concert; even rehearsals had to be done with social distancing in mind. Nigam says the team had their first face-to-face rehearsal on Tuesday, August 18, just three days before the actual performance. Prior to that, all practise sessions happened remotely, with the help of famous Indian composer Yogesh Pradhan.
In fact, it only became possible a week before the concert for his band to fly in for the performance thanks to changes in flight regulations between India and the UAE. That last-minute change is something Nigam is delighted about.
“This is going to be very emotional. All of us are aware that we are going to be crying on stage when we see audiences sitting in front of us for the first time. I don’t think I’ve ever done anything as profound and intense as this.”
Music is a reflection of society's happiness. You know a culture or a society is happy when there is music in it
The concert is called The Light because it is “almost symbolic to the light at the end of the tunnel”, he adds. “It is like a harbinger of hope and normalcy in our lives. Thankfully, we are in a beautiful place like Dubai where things are getting better. Of course, we still have to take precautions, follow social distancing, but it is better than most of the world.”
On living in Dubai
The Indian singer has been in Dubai for the last five-and-a-half months. He had travelled to the UAE to visit his son, a student here, when increasing flight restrictions and eventual closures made him extend his stay – not that he minds one bit. The singer says he is thankful for everything, especially the opportunity to spend more time with his son.
“I’ve also been watching movies, maintaining my fitness regime, and have tried to keep up with my music as much as possible. I have done a lot of songs from (Dubai) and sent them to India.”
One such song is Aakhri Kadam Tak, which came out earlier this month to soundtrack the movie Khuda Haafiz.
“Today, technology is such that you can create music from anywhere,” says Nigam, who adds that he has a portable studio setup in the UAE, complete with microphones, headphones and speakers. The singer has also bought and is planning to move into a new house in Dubai, which is currently under construction.
Does that mean that Dubai residents will get to see a whole lot more of him in the coming months? “I will keep that open ended,” the singer says of his future plans. “I do need to go back to India. Work will keep happening, but I have a duty towards my family. The moment everything gets better, I will take a flight back to Bombay to meet my father.”
But until then, Nigam wants to use his talent to make the world a happier place during a difficult time. As he puts it, “music is a reflection of society’s happiness. You know a culture or a society is happy when there is music in it."
Sonu Nigam - The Light will take place on Friday, August 21, at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Tickets are priced at Dh250 and can be bought through Platinum List.
Afghanistan Premier League - at a glance
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Fixtures:
Tue, Oct 16, 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Kabul Zwanan; Wed, Oct 17, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Nangarhar Leopards; 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Paktia Panthers; Thu, Oct 18, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Kandahar Knights; 8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers; Fri, Oct 19, 8pm: First semi-final; Sat, Oct 20, 8pm: Second semi-final; Sun, Oct 21, 8pm: final
Table:
1. Balkh Legends 6 5 1 10
2. Paktia Panthers 6 4 2 8
3. Kabul Zwanan 6 3 3 6
4. Nagarhar Leopards 7 2 5 4
5. Kandahar Knights 5 1 4 2
WHY%20AAYAN%20IS%20'PERFECT%20EXAMPLE'
%3Cp%3EDavid%20White%20might%20be%20new%20to%20the%20country%2C%20but%20he%20has%20clearly%20already%20built%20up%20an%20affinity%20with%20the%20place.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20the%20UAE%20shocked%20Pakistan%20in%20the%20semi-final%20of%20the%20Under%2019%20Asia%20Cup%20last%20month%2C%20White%20was%20hugged%20on%20the%20field%20by%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20the%20team%E2%80%99s%20captain.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EWhite%20suggests%20that%20was%20more%20a%20sign%20of%20Aayan%E2%80%99s%20amiability%20than%20anything%20else.%20But%20he%20believes%20the%20young%20all-rounder%2C%20who%20was%20part%20of%20the%20winning%20Gulf%20Giants%20team%20last%20year%2C%20is%20just%20the%20sort%20of%20player%20the%20country%20should%20be%20seeking%20to%20produce%20via%20the%20ILT20.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20is%20a%20delightful%20young%20man%2C%E2%80%9D%20White%20said.%20%E2%80%9CHe%20played%20in%20the%20competition%20last%20year%20at%2017%2C%20and%20look%20at%20his%20development%20from%20there%20till%20now%2C%20and%20where%20he%20is%20representing%20the%20UAE.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20was%20influential%20in%20the%20U19%20team%20which%20beat%20Pakistan.%20He%20is%20the%20perfect%20example%20of%20what%20we%20are%20all%20trying%20to%20achieve%20here.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20about%20the%20development%20of%20players%20who%20are%20going%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE%20and%20go%20on%20to%20help%20make%20UAE%20a%20force%20in%20world%20cricket.%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More from Armen Sarkissian
The biog
Year of birth: 1988
Place of birth: Baghdad
Education: PhD student and co-researcher at Greifswald University, Germany
Hobbies: Ping Pong, swimming, reading
The biog
Hometown: Birchgrove, Sydney Australia
Age: 59
Favourite TV series: Outlander Netflix series
Favourite place in the UAE: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque / desert / Louvre Abu Dhabi
Favourite book: Father of our Nation: Collected Quotes of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Thing you will miss most about the UAE: My friends and family, Formula 1, having Friday's off, desert adventures, and Arabic culture and people
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
Tips for avoiding trouble online
- Do not post incorrect information and beware of fake news
- Do not publish or repost racist or hate speech, yours or anyone else’s
- Do not incite violence and be careful how to phrase what you want to say
- Do not defame anyone. Have a difference of opinion with someone? Don’t attack them on social media
- Do not forget your children and monitor their online activities
THE BIO
Occupation: Specialised chief medical laboratory technologist
Age: 78
Favourite destination: Always Al Ain “Dar Al Zain”
Hobbies: his work - “ the thing which I am most passionate for and which occupied all my time in the morning and evening from 1963 to 2019”
Other hobbies: football
Favorite football club: Al Ain Sports Club
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
MATCH INFO
South Africa 66 (Tries: De Allende, Nkosi, Reinach (3), Gelant, Steyn, Brits, Willemse; Cons: Jantjies 8)
Canada 7 (Tries: Heaton; Cons: Nelson)
