Beyonce's show at Atlantis The Royal on Saturday is almost as momentous as the opening of the exclusive resort itself.
The invite-only show, the pop star's first since 2018, also kicks off her preparation for a planned world tour beginning in the summer.
Beyonce confirmed the news in October through a presentation at the Wearable Art Gala in the US through a slide stating the Renaissance Tour will begin "in the summer of 2023" with "national and international destinations."
Considering the intense preparations going into each of her tours, painstakingly captured in the 2019 Netflix documentary Homecoming, chances are that work has already begun well in advance of the Dubai gig.
This would mean there is a fair chance she would use the gala event to perform songs from Renaissance for the first time.
As for the number of songs from the record that could receive the live treatment in her coming world tour, the magic number seems to be seven.
The last three solo world tours, stretching back to 2009's I Am... World Tour, has featured seven tracks from what was then her latest album.
With that said, here is our pick of seven tracks from Renaissance that could feature in both Dubai and beyond.
1. Break My Soul
The monster lead single could serve as an exuberant concert opener.
Built on the prominent sampling of Big Freedia's bounce track Explode (2014) and Robin S's pop-dance hit Show Me Love (1993), Beyonce hasn’t sounded this carefree since her days with Destiny’s Child.
The four-on-the-floor rhythm is laced with the throbbing keyboard lines of Show Me Love, while her vocals are confident and uncharacteristically unassuming.
2. Cuff It
The most accessible track on Renaissance, the funky guitar riffs could inspire some scintillating dance choreography on stage.
Backed by the soulful horns and Beyonce’s lustful vocals, Cuff It should have the crowd at their feet.
Beyonce would probably use the track’s key lyrics to ask the crowd: “Have you ever had fun like this?”
Cue the bedlam in response.
3. Virgo’s Groove
Beyonce's tours are high-octane affairs and feature strategically placed slower numbers segueing to the next part of the multi-act show.
In that regard, the blissful Virgo’s Groove is the ideal placeholder.
Carried by a luscious electronic groove, a live version would have Beyonce trading vocals with her backing singers.
The song should act as an ideal moment to catch our breath before the energy ramps up again.
4. Move
Beyonce concerts have no shortage of powerful feminist anthems and Move could fit in nicely into the mix.
A strident amalgam of hip-hop, dance and house music and recorded with Grace Jones and Tems, it is defined by a walloping chorus that declares: "Move out the way, I'm with my girls and we all need space / When the queen's come through, don't try like the rest say.”
Those at the show experiencing the trio performing the track live should consider themselves lucky.
5. Alien Superstar
A track to make use of the cutting-edge visual elements Beyonce incorporates into her shows.
Beginning with a disorienting avalanche of rapid-fire beats, the recorded version of a spoken word performance mixes electro-tinged crooning.
Dark and sleek, Alien Superstar should serve as a fine moment to savour Beyonce's artistry.
6. Heated
A surefire crowd favourite, fans on social media have been calling for this song to feature on Beyonce’s new tour as soon as Renaissance was released.
It's not hard to understand why, considering it's one of Renaissance's central songs.
Featuring percolating house music rhythms and ethereal synths, Heated is one of Beyonce's most personal tracks as it is an ode to her late uncle.
The only aspect that could make her think twice about this song is that its steady arrangements may not be dynamic enough to warrant the stage treatment.
Then again, Beyonce and her creative team will surely find a way to make it work.
7. Cozy
Cozy should also go down a treat live.
With lyrics being a pointed celebration of self-love and independence and a crowd more than ready to sing along, the song should mark one of the concert’s most powerful moments.
40 facts about Beyonce — in pictures
Atlantis The Royal is opening with an invite-only grand reveal on the weekend of January 20, Beyonce is performing on January 21
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
If you go...
Etihad flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Zurich, with fares starting from Dh2,807 return. Frequent high speed trains between Zurich and Vienna make stops at St. Anton.
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh12 million
Engine 8.0-litre quad-turbo, W16
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch auto
Power 1479 @ 6,700rpm
Torque 1600Nm @ 2,000rpm 0-100kph: 2.6 seconds 0-200kph: 6.1 seconds
Top speed 420 kph (governed)
Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Getting there
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.
The stay
Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.
Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHakbah%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENaif%20AbuSaida%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESaudi%20Arabia%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E22%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24200%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Epre-Series%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGlobal%20Ventures%20and%20Aditum%20Investment%20Management%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now