A mixture of heavy jet lag and being a father to a talkative toddler is not enough to quell Michael Bublé’s down-to-earth charm. The Canadian singer fronted the press at Jumeirah Beach Hotel on Wednesday, March 11, to discuss his upcoming performances this weekend, big fat family holidays and being friends with other Canadian pop stars.
The joys of fatherhood
“What you see right now is a guy who had three hours sleep, has a little one who is one year and six months old and whose teeth are just coming in. He never, ever stops talking. So all night all I hear is “pa, pa, pa, go, go, go.” It is the best and I can’t wait to have another. It makes me better at everything because he is what I live for and he puts everything in perspective.”
On pop music today
"When I was a kid I loved listening to the radio and especially seventies and eighties music. As it got to the nineties and 2000's so much of it became groove-driven and I think on the radio we lost a lot of great music and melodies. I love the fact that we are back to listening to great singer-songwriters now and the music is almost going back to the seventies. That's why I was so excited last year with Daft Punk's Get Lucky and people were saying how this was 'so new'. Well this actually sounds familiar and it's just that great music is back."
The most romantic thing he’s ever done
“It wasn’t for romance, but it was because I was in huge trouble for being an idiot and the girl didn’t want me around anymore. I ended up getting a shoebox and I found a pair of beat-up Converse shoes I had when I was seven. I put them in a box along with a bunch of Hershey’s Kisses and a note on top that said ‘I would walk a million miles for just one of your kisses”. (Buble elicits a chorus of awwwwws from the assembled journalists).
Craziest fan experience
"I was in Virginia years ago and when I came through the audience a man took a swing at me. When I came back on stage I was shaky because I knew what happened. Then on stage my security guy yelled "Michael" and the same guy was coming on stage to attack me and he was arrested. He was put in the back of the car and he even kicked out the window. Now I didn't know all of this because I was on stage singing Come Fly With Me at the time. When they eventually asked him why, he said he wanted me dead because I stole music from black people."
On the fraternity between Canadian pop stars
“I know it really sounds strange to say this, but Bryan Adams just texted me about a minute ago. I see people like Diana Krall at the Starbucks just down the street from me. I also see Sarah McLachlan. Canadians are a nation of observers. We are a mouse underneath an elephant and I think that brings us closer together.”
On Drake
“You know its funny because he is one of the few Canadians musicians I never met and I know he is playing here in a few days. It really makes me proud and I love that this dude represents me and my country in a totally different genre. He has credibility and he is so great at what he does.”
On his Dubai plans
“Today I am going to Chuck E Cheese and the Rainforest Cafe. That’s because I have got my little boy. My wife’s sister also has her one-and-a-half year old. My wife’s sister’s partner is also here with his, I believe six- and eight-year-olds, and I don’t think there is anywhere else that we could possibly go that would be as fun as those places.”
• Michael Bublé performs at Dubai International Stadium on Thursday, March 12, and Friday, March 13. Tickets from Dh295 at www.timeouttickets.com. Doors open 5pm on Thursday and 3pm on Friday
sasaeed@thenational.ae
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
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Law%2041.9.4%20of%20men%E2%80%99s%20T20I%20playing%20conditions
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Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Brief scores:
Toss: Northern Warriors, elected to field first
Bengal Tigers 130-1 (10 ov)
Roy 60 not out, Rutherford 47 not out
Northern Warriors 94-7 (10 ov)
Simmons 44; Yamin 4-4
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
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- Professional ethics.
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
