On a well-lit stage at Manarat Al Saadiyat, a single white plastic chair sits beneath the lights.
It may look unremarkable, especially if you grew up in the Middle East. But for the organisers of Jalsa, it is a symbol of what they are trying to build: a place where anyone can take a seat, take the microphone, and be seen.
Jalsa, which is Arabic for gathering or a sitting, is a series of events bringing Abu Dhabi's creative community together and giving local talent a platform to perform.
The idea came during a car ride between three friends: Hamad Al Shamsi, Abdullah Al Shamsi and Preston Dcosta, who later founded Harmony Abu Dhabi, the company behind Jalsa.
The three friends come from different corners of the creative world. NYUAD alumnus Hamad is passionate about storytelling and works as a master of ceremonies. Preston is a pianist, drummer and sound engineer, while Abdullah is a singer who performs under the stage name NotSoHuman.
Abdullah began his singing career by posting song covers on social media. He released his debut single, Love it Up, in 2023.
“We want people to be able to shine, to find a platform in Abu Dhabi,” Hamad tells The National. “There is so much Abu Dhabi has to offer, and we're just a drop in the ocean.”
So far, Jalsa has hosted four editions of the event, launched this summer. Over four months, the event has drawn more than 2,000 attendees, with more than 100 people taking the stage, and a production team of more than 25 volunteers.
Four chapters, one story
At the latest event held last week at Manarat Al Saadiyat, the venue was divided into four “chapters”, each inspired by a different part of the UAE's story: The Majlis, The Desert, The Sea and The Stars.
The first chapter drew on the welcoming spirit of the traditional Emirati majlis. The second moved into the desert, exploring the resilience needed to survive in the harshest times. The third turned to the sea and the UAE's connections with the wider world. The final chapter looked at the stars that once guided journeys across desert and sea, using them as a symbol of dreams and aspirations.
The appeal is not only about the theme but also what happens when the lights come on. “I love seeing the community coming together. I love the initiative of the young coming in,” says Aysha, one of the attendees.
Up-and-coming scene
Abu Dhabi has a fast-growing arts and culture scene, but fewer grassroots communities for the emirate's creatives. For the three friends, that gap was personal.
“If we wanted to perform in an open mic, we had to go from Abu Dhabi to Dubai. There was nothing home-grown in Abu Dhabi. So we decided to start something on our own,” Preston says.
The stage is deliberately open. “Performances are diverse and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis,” Abdullah explains.
“We have people performing for the very first time. We have a performer who is three years old,” Hamad adds. “People from Ghana to the UAE to South Africa to Korea to Russia, it goes all around.”
Lavalina, a singer and bassist, says Jalsa can offer emerging artists more than a place to perform.
“It gives a stepping stone to continuing your journey. And being able to pursue your dreams as a career, not just as a vocation or as a hobby,” she tells The National.
What's next?
For now, Jalsa remains an out-of-pocket initiative, with free entry. The event's monetisation comes mainly from a small baqala selling branded merchandise and local snacks.
But the team hopes to secure funding to grow the community and support more talent in Abu Dhabi, not just in music, but across other creative fields.
“We are against the idea of artists having to pay. We will never make the open mic a paid event because the artists have spent so much time, so much effort refining their art form,” Preston says.
