There’s a high-concept idea behind Alicia Keys new album, Keys, and it’s all about contrast and variation. The first half, dubbed Originals, is a stripped-back collection of songs showcasing Keys at her most intimate, with her voice and much-celebrated piano work at the forefront. The second, Unlocked, offers a whole new perspective on those same songs, with added beats, loops and lush orchestrations.
Expo 2020 Dubai will have been delighted that Keys chose to celebrate the launch of that album at Al Wasl Plaza, on Friday, and the show certainly demonstrated all of her versatility, making for a hugely impressive but somewhat disjointed show.
It was billed as "Live in 360”, allowing people across the world to witness the show via streaming platforms, where they could pan around the venue from the comfort of their own living rooms; across the stage, into the audience and up to the skies, where gently oscillating purple blobs gave the sense of being imprisoned within a gigantic lava lamp.
The gentle sound of a string quartet provided Keys with an understated entrance, as she swept past the audience in a flowing gown in a golden hand-embroidered bodysuit paired with a tulle cape with intricate patterns by Dubai designer Furne One, who's behind the Amato Couture label.
She sang a heartfelt tribute to one of her favourite artists, urging us all to be the best we can be: “While you standing tall like the Taj Mahal / Be unforgettable / Like Nat King Cole.”
“Let everything go,” she urged us, “and come with me on this journey.”
For the most part, that journey was a slick sashay through a career of more than two decades, with songs such as 2012’s Girl On Fire and 2009’s Un-Thinkable making a strong connection with the Dubai crowd. Keys, either behind the piano or moving slowly around it, was the primary focus throughout; a small band accompanied her fairly unobtrusively, while a barely-visible dance troupe were a somewhat shadowy presence around the circular stage.
The hits came thick and fast, perhaps even too fast; as the lilting reggae of Wasted Energy (from her last album, Alicia) hurriedly segued into the soulful You Don’t Know My Name, you almost got the sense that it was a race to cram in as many recognised tunes as possible for an audience that don’t get to see her perform very often. Her last two visits to the UAE were in 2019 and 2013 respectively.
It certainly provided a perfect primer for anyone unfamiliar with the depth and range of her work, but you occasionally wished for the songs to be explored more fully, to hear the full extent of her keyboard talent and for the band to be used to their full potential.
The presentation of new songs was consistent with the theme of her new album; she played snatches of them as Originals (quieter, piano-led) and then Unlocked (toughened up) and asked the crowd which version they preferred. Perhaps inevitably, the bigger, beatier versions always got the biggest cheers, perhaps prompting Keys to wonder why she’d bothered with the piano-based versions at all?
But in truth, the most breathtaking moments of the show were the more understated ones. For the free-floating Best Of Me, the lighting in the venue became warmer and more inviting, and we became more drawn into her world. The sustained chords and downtempo beats of Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart, from the album The Element Of Freedom, saw her immaculate voice really take off for the first time. And Old Memories, also taken from the new record and played in full, was truly mesmerising; harking back to 1960s soul and doo-wop, the gentle piano arpeggios and stripped-back accompaniment needed no apology or disclaimer, and the crowd rose to it.
A surprising take on Fallin’, her first and perhaps best-known hit, involved the song presented in jazz-trio style, all extemporised drums and piano flourishes. While you can’t really blame Keys for taking liberties with a song she’s probably had to sing at every show she’s done for the last 20 years, you wondered if the crowd might have preferred a more familiar version.
However, the anthemic Empire State Of Mind and No One both truly soared, the crowd lighting up the venue with their smartphones, Keys in her element, and in the cutest of finales, her two small children, Egypt and Genesis, arriving on stage bearing flowers for mum.
On Friday night, Keys demonstrated that it’s not always easy to be an R&B maestro and piano balladeer simultaneously. But whichever one she happens to turn her hand to, she’s still world-class.
Company%20profile
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
More coverage from the Future Forum
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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 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)
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
