Two generations of Arab pop stars will perform separate Dubai concerts on Christmas Day.
On Friday, December 25, Mohamed Hamaki will appear at the Coca-Cola Arena and will be joined by fellow Egyptian singer Mahmoud El Esseily.
The former star's upcoming show is part of his increasing live music activity. With the pandemic cancelling a string of shows and tours, Hamaki recently returned to the stage with a well-received September 25 concert in Jeddah, as part of Saudi Arabia 90th anniversary celebrations.
That absence from stage hasn't dented his popularity.
Fans flocked online to hear the songs from recent album, last year's Kol Youm Men Dah, with all 20 tracks achieving a combined 500 million streams in July.
It is the latest achievement in Hamaki's steady rise to the top of the Egyptian pop music scene.
Ever since entering the limelight with his moderately received 1997 debut album Leqa' El Nogoom, the 45-year-old diligently built a career with consistent album releases and a steady supply of hits, including the romantic ballad Ma Balash and the breezy Ajmal Youm.
His guy next door demeanour also made him a hit on the small screen as level headed coach in in the talent shows The Voice: Ahla Sawt and children's spin-off The Voice Kids: Ahla Sawt.
Tickets for Mohamed Hamaki's concert starts from Dh200 from www.dubai.platinumlist.net.
George Wassouf
That same night, Syrian singer George Wassouf will wind back the years at the Festival Arena in Dubai Festival City.
Fans can seize on the rare opportunity to see the enigmatic singer.
After landing on the scene in the 1980s, Wassouf became known for his tenor and smooth Levant folk tunes. However, years of reported excess living led his voice to become ragged and gravelly. He also suffered health scares, including a 2019 heart attack which spawned false social media rumours of his death.
Despite the challenges, fans continued to rally around him and Wassouf has responded in kind by touring sporadically.
In June 2019, he performed in the Kurdish capital Irbil for the first time, in addition to a Christmas concert in the Syrian city of Latakia. In July, he performed a 90-minute concert streamed across the region on the Dubai broadcaster MBC.
With the exception of three singles released last year, including Hal El Garih, fans should expect a greatest hits concert featuring Wassouf favourites such as El Zaman Dawar and Heya El Ayam.
Supported by Lebanese singer Melhem Zain, tickers for Wassouf’s concert starts from Dh400 from www.dubai.platinumlist.net
