Third time's a charm for Louis Tomlinson’s Dubai fans.
After postponing his show twice owing to Covid-19, the former One Direction singer will finally perform at Coca-Cola Arena on Saturday as part of his world tour.
Judging by the reception, with big arena shows planned across Europe and South America, Tomlinson's solo career is off to a great start.
A lot of it is down to a shrewd choice of blending a few One Direction hits into a music set filled with songs from his largely underrated debut album Walls.
Together, the setlist not only results in an engaging concert experience but gives us a better perspective into his slow and steady career.
Here are five key songs, which are a mainstay of his tour.
1. ‘Drag Me Down’ (2015)
One Direction’s first single without departed member Zayn Malik shows the band didn't miss a beat. In fact, with the group down to four, the remaining singers are able to make more of a vocal impression.
Drag Me Down is Tomlinson’s finest moment. He gives an exhilarating vocal line in the bridge before knocking it out with the brilliantly catchy “Nobody!” refrain in the chorus.
Drag Me Down is a love letter to One Direction fans for staying the course throughout the group’s changes. It now packs more emotional heft when Tomlinson plays it in the earlier part of the concert.
2. ‘History’ (2015)
It is Tomlinson's powerful vocal in the second half of this power ballad that provides a glimpse of what his solo career could, would and does sound like.
While other band members deliver their takes over folk guitar, Tomlinson arrives on a wave of pounding drums and a wall of electric guitars recalling the work of his Brit-pop heroes Oasis.
While his vocal style was typically understated at the time, the song shows how with the right arrangements Tomlinson can pack a punch all on his own.
3. ‘Kill My Mind’ (2020)
When One Direction disbanded, each member went their separate creative way.
Some released solo tracks ranging from the relatively edgy, such as Liam Payne, to the experimental, such as from Zayn Malik and Harry Styles, and while Niall Horan chose intimate folk, Tomlinson doubled on the boyband’s slick approach for his own material.
His debut solo single Kill My Mind, which is a euphoric pop-rock jam, could easily have made it onto One Direction’s last album, Made in the AM.
That’s a good thing. At peace with his momentous past, he sounds assured while giving Directioners what they want.
4. ‘Two of Us’ (2020)
Prior to recording Walls, Tomlinson lost his mother and sister in the space of three years.
The resulting devastation formed the album's major themes of resilience and optimism. Fortunately, it is all done with a light touch and some of the results are quite moving.
Two of Us is a beautiful piano lament to his mother in which he promises to "be living one life for the two of us".
Simple and straightforward, it showcases Tomlinson’s appeal as a sensitive yet down-to-earth pop star.
5. ‘We Made It’ (2020)
The lack of fresh sounds on Walls is ironically what makes it work.
While peers continuously try to find new sonic innovations, there is something endearing about Tomlinson's basic approach to his craft.
Going viral on TikTok is clearly not for him with some well-crafted songs recalling a former era of singer-songwriters.
We Made It is a prime example. It has a vibe recalling the work of US musician John Mellencamp as it spins a tale of young love birds "telling each other what we dream about", before adding that "we were only kids, just trying to work it out".
Like Tomlinson, the song is appealing in how unassuming it all sounds.
Louis Tomlinson performs at Coca-Cola Arena on Saturday. Doors open at 7pm; tickets from D225; www.coca-cola-arena.com
Scroll through the gallery below for concerts and events coming to Dubai
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
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Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
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Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
Test squad: Azhar Ali (captain), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan(wicketkeeper), Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah
Twenty20 squad: Babar Azam (captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Musa Khan, Shadab Khan, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz
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The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Power: 575bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh554,000
On sale: now
How they line up for Sunday's Australian Grand Prix
1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2 Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
3 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
4 Max Verstappen, Red Bull
5 Kevin Magnussen, Haas
6 Romain Grosjean, Haas
7 Nico Hulkenberg, Renault
*8 Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull
9 Carlos Sainz, Renault
10 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
11 Fernando Alonso, McLaren
12 Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren
13 Sergio Perez, Force India
14 Lance Stroll, Williams
15 Esteban Ocon, Force India
16 Brendon Hartley, Toro Rosso
17 Marcus Ericsson, Sauber
18 Charles Leclerc, Sauber
19 Sergey Sirotkin, Williams
20 Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso
* Daniel Ricciardo qualified fifth but had a three-place grid penalty for speeding in red flag conditions during practice
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Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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
BlacKkKlansman
Director: Spike Lee
Starring: John David Washington; Adam Driver
Five stars
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
