11 of the best musical moments during the F1 weekend

Charice overwhelmed by UAE hospitality. She may have been an indomitable figure while performing on Thursday at Beats on the Beach, but the Filipino pop star Charice was a bundle of nerves backstage beforehand. The reason for the butterflies was the warm reception she had received during her visit to the country. “It is very overwhelming,” she said. “Everywhere, from the meet and greets to visiting the new Yas Mall, I have met people who want to say hello and asked how I was – and that’s not only people from the Philippines but also locals as well.” Courtesy of Flash

Juicy J’s creative editing. With rap banished from the du Arena stage this year, it was up to Beats on the Beach to accommodate hip-hop heads – including the debut Middle East performance by Juicy J on Friday. The 39-year-old veteran performer may be known by the younger fans for his near scene-stealing guest spot on Katy Perry’s hit last year, Dark Horse, but as a former member of Three 6 Mafia he helped to introduce southern hip-hop to the pop world. Part of the group’s calling card is their extremely explicit material – so it was entertaining to watch J working valiantly to edit out the many colourful epithets from his live show, out of consideration to his hosts. Ravindranath K / The National

Jason Derulo’s backstage dance. Never mind Jason Derulo’s energetic set on Friday’s Beats on the Beach, the dancing started backstage before the show even began. The 25-year-old singer was a picture of concentration as he walked out of his dressing room deep in thought – however, he immediately started to limber up once his backing dancers emerged, setting up an impromptu crew to shake off any rhythmic cobwebs. It worked – Derulo’s performance was a festival high point.

Ruweida Al Mahrouqi’s good conduct. It was a huge moment for Emirati singer Ruweida Al Mahrouqi when she performed at Beats on the Beach in her home city. She confessed to some nerves before Friday’s show, and the set got off to an inauspicious start, with her and the band clearly not gelling. Thankfully the set got back on track swiftly – thanks to her energetic conductor. Not happy with the sounds emanating from the percussion and rhythm section, he abandoned his post and briskly crossed the stage to the hapless musicians and gave them a stern talking to, after which the band remained on point throughout.

Miguel tells fans to keep the faith. He continues to remain one or two hits away from pop stardom, but Miguel’s acclaimed word-of-mouth albums have registered with fans here. The Los Angeles singer was taken aback during his Beats on the Beach gig on Friday as fans sang along to his minor hits Adorn, Do You… and How Many Drinks?. “You know, to come all the way here to beautiful Abu Dhabi because of my music is something amazing,” he said on stage. “It just goes to show you that you need to follow your dreams and never give up, despite what some people say.”

Tamer Hosny tells us what time it is. The Egyptian singer proved once again why he is one of the most adored pop stars in the region. It began even before his Thursday-night concert, when the lobby of the Abu Dhabi hotel in which he was staying was swamped with fans waiting for him to leave for Yas Island. On stage, he delivered another uplifting set full of hits and witty banter. When a fan threw a white watch on stage, Hosny happily accepted the gift. “It matches my clothes, this is lovely. I will take it,” he said. When fans responded that he should reciprocate by throwing his watch to the audience, Hosny pretended not to hear, saying: “Are you asking what time it is?” Cedric Ribeiro / Getty Images

Playing the trust game with Armin van Buuren. The Dutch trance king’s du Arena show on Friday was defined by its deafening volume and dazzling visuals. However, it was a rare moment of calm that stood out – the moment we all sat down. In what felt like a collective trust exercise, superstar DJ Armin van Buuren instructed his five-figure crowd to let their inhibitions go and sit on the ground – before ramping the beats back up for the most euphoric trance-out of the night. The moment was part of an impressive, arm-waving choreographed breakdown to the track Ping Pong, and came shortly before a communal singalong to a remix of John Lennon’s Imagine. Most remarkable, perhaps, is that van Buuren topped his incredible two-and-a-half-hour set with an equally epic performance next door at O1ne Yas Island moments after leaving the stage. That’s what you call stamina. Delores Johnson / The National

Ragheb Alama is grateful. Leave it to Ragheb Alama to round off this year’s Beats on the Beach in a heartwarming fashion. The Arab pop world’s Mr Smooth played a greatest-hits set and asked the crowd to reflect on a fun-filled weekend. “It is beautiful to be part of an event that brings happiness and love to people,” he said. “I would like to thank the UAE government and the city of Abu Dhabi for setting up this event. Just as they inspired love in us for these wonderful evenings, we should give them some love back.” Courtesy Flash

Rita Ora dressed the part. She is the kind of singer you want to party with. British pop star Rita Ora returned to the UAE with a big show featuring a band and backing dancers. With her almost-soprano voice on great form, Ora also looked the part on Grand Prix weekend with an onstage outfit consisting of a sparkling chequered flag and blue hair – or was it a very convincing wig? Courtesy Flash

Pharrell Williams helped to be Happy. The man in the hat was going to sing that Happy song no matter what – even if his voice was gone. Pharrell Williams cut a slightly forlorn figure towards the end of his Saturday show at du Arena, chewing throat lozenges as he tried to keep his voice from blowing out before his biggest hit. Then he appealed to the crowd for help, who responded by singing along to the chorus and dancing. Delores Johnson / The National

Abu Dhabi rocked to the sound of some of the world’s top musicians over the past four days, as the stars flew in for another incredible Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend. And between the star-studded after-race concerts on Yas Island and the free Beats on the Beach gigs at the Corniche, there was no shortage of highlights for fans. As the stars pack up and prepare to go home, we round up a few of the most memorable moments from the first three days.