Mayyas to perform in Dubai on Friday

The Lebanese dance troupe are heading to The Pointe for Relm Fest

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America's Got Talent winners Mayyas are set to perform in Dubai this week at Palm Jumeirah's The Pointe.

This will be the first time they will put on a show regionally outside of Beirut.

They will take to the stage as part of Recognizing Emerging Local Musicians (Relm), an initiative by The Pointe in partnership with TikTok and Anghami, which aims to support emerging musicians in the region to take their careers to the next level.

A three-day music festival, Relm Fest's lin-up also features regional artists such as Massar Egbari, Adonis and Jadal, as well as Emirati singer-songwriter Abri, Iraqi-Belgian performer Sandra Sahi, Dubai's first qanun player Nagham Debal, French-Lebanese singer Lea Makhoul and Palestinian musician Noel Kharman.

The event will take place between Friday and Sunday to mark the second anniversary of The Palm Fountain. Musicians will perform live with a backdrop of synchronised fountain shows, five of which will be debuted at the festival.

Mayyas will perform on Friday.

The Lebanese dance troupe won season 17 of the American talent show last month to much acclaim. They took home the $1 million prize, as well as the opportunity to headline a Las Vegas show.

During the emotional two-hour finale, when the results from public voting were revealed, Mayyas took to the stage alongside dancer Kristy Sellars for a mesmerising performance against a backdrop of gold lighting, for which judge Simon Cowell gave a standing ovation.

For the finale, Mayyas performed a co-ordinated dance featuring white feathered outfits and sparkling globes of light, winning a standing ovation from the judges and crowd.

Cowell said the performance was “astonishing”.

“Something has happened with you where I'm beginning to feel a buzz beyond the show. This has landed. It is global. It is huge. I don't think you can top that.”

Mayyas first made international headlines when they received a golden buzzer from judge Sofia Vergara for their performance during the auditions, securing their spot in the semi-finals. The video of the audition has nearly 20 million views on YouTube.

Watch the full audition here

"There are no words to explain to you what we were feeling over here," Vergara said at the time. "It was the most beautiful, creative dancing I have ever seen."

The group's win was worth so much more than $1m for Lebanese viewers, as it offered a sliver of hope to the country and its population, who continue to battle a flurry of crises and bad news.

“We haven't shed happy tears in so long in this country and Mayyas made it happen,” said Reem Nasra, 24, a recruiter in Beirut, after the show aired.

Mayyas make triumphant return to Lebanon

Mayyas make triumphant return to Lebanon

Most recently, the group performed for the first time since their triumph at the US Embassy in Beirut, where choreographer Nadim Cherfan promised the group will “live on forever”.

During a special question-and-answer session, Cherfan spoke of what life has been like since Mayyas won the US talent show last month and their future plans.

“I promise the girls I will be with them forever, that’s how I say it,” the choreographer said. “The girls will be changing over the years, some of them will be following their own dreams, but the Mayyas should live on, it’s not anymore about any of us — it’s a national pride. So we have to keep on sending this message.”

Updated: October 20, 2022, 9:04 AM