Black Eyed Peas and J Balvin are two of the latest acts to be confirmed to perform in Qatar during the Fifa World Cup.
Star-studded event World Stage, organised by Qatar Airways and Qatar Tourism in association with Alchemy Project, will bring superstars from across the world across six nights of music as part of the Qatar Live 2022 series.
The World Stage will kick off at the Doha Golf Club on November 20 with a show by Grammy Award-winning Los Angeles trio Black Eyed Peas — made up of will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo — who recently performed in Saudi Arabia and at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Scroll through the gallery above to see Black Eyed Peas at Expo 2020 Dubai
On November 24, Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin, one of the world's best-selling Latin music artists, will take to the stage.
“We are proud to bring world-renowned music artists to Qatar," said Mac S Far, chief executive of Alchemy Project. “Extraordinary vibe, breathtaking atmosphere, unity of nations — Alchemy Project is excited to show you the power of music during these vibrant nights of the first and the only star-packed World Stage in Doha, which will give so much room for inspiration for everyone.”
Other acts and ticket prices for World Stage have yet to be announced.
This comes on the back of a flurry of announcements of music festivals taking place in Qatar throughout the world's biggest football event.
Last week, it was announced that Egyptian singer Amr Diab and EDM star David Guetta will perform at Aravia, which will take place in Al Wakrah, a city north of Doha, featuring up to 45 artists performing daily from November 21 to December 18.
Other acts include Dutch DJ Hardwell and rappers Tinie Tempah, Tyga and Rae Sremmurd. Arab artists will also be performing, including Egyptian hit-maker Mohamed Hamaki.
Organised by MDL Beast, the Saudi company behind the mega dance music festival Sandstorm, Aravia marks its first event outside of the kingdom.
Dance music stars Armin Van Buuren and Tiesto, meanwhile, are set to headline the Daydream Festival, which will also feature a dozen other artists, taking place at Doha Golf Club from November 22 to December 18.
Also on the bill are Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Alok, Timmy Trumpet, Major Lazer Soundsystem, Nervo, Jonas Blue, Paul Van Dyk, Ferry Corsten and Nicky Romero.
First launched in Belgium in 2010, Daydream has since expanded internationally, with festivals taking place in the Netherlands, Mexico, China and Spain, before its first Doha event in 2019.
Elsewhere, Arcadia, taking place in a site built near the Ras Bu Fontas metro station, will run from November 19 to December 19. It is set to host up to 25,000 people daily, with top DJs performing in what is dubbed as Qatar's largest EDM festival.
In addition to the three main stages, Arcadia will be home to The Spider — a spectacular pyro technique feature that will breathe fire during performances.
“I have never seen such ambition and support to get so many top-tier artists to Doha for this short period of time,” Far previously told The National in an interview.
“At the end of the day, what is important is for people to know that the Middle East is the next big thing in the world and it deserves great publicity. We will show we can put the kinds of events and hospitality the world has never seen before.
“This is, of course, a challenge, but the overall energy here is to really go above and beyond, and this is what we are determined to do.”
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HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
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
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
The specs
Engine: 2.3-litre, turbo four-cylinder
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Power: 300hp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: Dh189,900
On sale: now
UAE Falcons
Carly Lewis (captain), Emily Fensome, Kelly Loy, Isabel Affley, Jessica Cronin, Jemma Eley, Jenna Guy, Kate Lewis, Megan Polley, Charlie Preston, Becki Quigley and Sophie Siffre. Deb Jones and Lucia Sdao – coach and assistant coach.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
My Cat Yugoslavia by Pajtim Statovci
Pushkin Press
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.