Shady's back: Eminem to perform at Abu Dhabi F1 after-race concert

Hip-hop star is third act announced for the four-night concert series, joining Muse and Maroon 5

Eminem will return to the city for a third time, performing in the event's Saturday slot. Photo: Flash Entertainment

Eminem will perform at this year's Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix.

The hip-hop superstar is set to take to the Etihad Park stage on Saturday, December 7, as the third headline act of the four-night concert series. He joins Maroon 5 and Muse as the confirmed acts, who are set to perform on December 6 and 8, respectively.

The artist opening the programme on December 5 will be announced soon, concert organiser Ethara confirmed to The National. Access to all four concerts is exclusive to Grand Prix ticket holders, including the one-day general admission ticket, which starts at Dh750 and is currently on sale.

The artist, real name Marshall Mathers, is also set to perform at the MDLBeast Soundstorm festival, to be held from December 12 to 14 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The exact date of his appearance has yet to be announced.

The announcements come days after Eminem released his 12th album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace), which is expected to top the charts in the US and UK this week. His return continues his enduring bond with the UAE, as it marks his third show in Abu Dhabi in 12 years. It will be the second time the Cinderella Man rapper appears as part of the Abu Dhabi F1, having performed at the race day concert in 2012.

His last Abu Dhabi concert was in 2019 as part of the Kamikaze World Tour, delivering an expansive 30-song set featuring hits My Name Is, The Real Slim Shady, Without Me and Lose Yourself. The National praised the gig in its review, noting how Eminem shed his former brooding persona to embrace a more interactive approach on stage.

Jason Johnson, artist and content director for Ethara, says Abu Dhabi is one of the first international stops on his coming world tour. “Every year there's a list of artists that gets an offer regardless of whether they're going to come or not going to come and Eminem is on that wish list,” he tells The National. "A lot of the time those decisions are based on where the artist is in their cycle. When it comes to Eminem, we knew beforehand that he was going to drop an album. Because we have a strong relationship with his management team, we said the timing is right with the album out and the Abu Dhabi F1 being a staple event for him to come back to Abu Dhabi."

Eminem delighted fans with a catalogue of his greatest hits at Etihad Park in 2019. Photo: Flash Entertainment

Johnson was a former talent manager for Flash Entertainment, the company which merged with Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management to form Ethara last year, and was involved in Eminem’s previous concerts at Etihad Park. He describes the artist and his team as a “well-oiled machine".

“Eminem is a class act and his team is super professional,” he says. "You have to remember that he has been doing this for over 20 years and I grew up listening to Eminem as a teenager. His system runs really well and his management are easy to deal with. He is an artist who knows what he wants and that makes everything easier for everyone.”

Eminem performed his first Abu Dhabi show at Etihad Park in 2012. Antonie Robertson / The National

Johnson says Eminem will remain in Abu Dhabi after the show to experience the season-ending race on December 8, with plans to explore the city's cultural and tourist landmarks, such as the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Reportedly a fan of the F1, Eminem will also headline the after-race concert series for the Austin Grand Prix in October.

“Part of the legacy of what we do is we want to showcase Abu Dhabi to the artists visiting here,” Johnson says. “Eminem and his teams are big fans of the F1 so they will be in the Paddock Club to see the race. He also wants to interact with his fans on a more personal level so we do plan to take him for some outings in Abu Dhabi so you will definitely see him around.”

More information on the after-race concerts series and tickets is available at www.abudhabigp.com