RedFestDXB 2017: The biggest acts and when to catch them

A lowdown of what’s on hand at this year’s RedFestDXB.

Thursday

The Veronicas

The Aussie pop twins are back with the luscious new single In My Blood. Expect plenty of energy as they deliver their infectious hits You Ruin Me and Cruel

• 6.40pm

Thursday

Daya

Soulful American singer Daya, who released last year's debut album just weeks before her 18th birthday, is a ferocious talent who scored a recent Grammy nomination as the voice of The Chainsmokers's smash hit, Don't Let Me Down.

• 7.30pm

Thursday

Sean Paul

Fresh from a headline slot at Abu Dhabi's Beats on the Beach in November, perennial UAE favourite Sean Paul returns to top the opening-night bill. With 15 years in the game, and hits with Beyoncé (Baby Boy), Rihanna (Break it Off), Sia (Cheap Thrills) and, most recently, Clean Bandit (Rockabye), the Jamaican hitmaker had plenty to share.

• 8.30pm

Thursday

G-Eazy

Making his UAE debut after years in the underground, California-born rapper G-Eazy burst into the public consciousness with 2015's multi-platinum smash Me, Myself & I, a duet with Bebe Rexha.

• 9.30pm

Friday

Alessia Cara

A childhood YouTube sensation, Cara hit the big time when she signed to the iconic Def Jam Records for 2015's debut album Know-It-All, which was propelled by single Here, as well as last year's follow-up smashes Wild Things and Scars to Your Beautiful.

• 6.30pm

Friday

Tove Lo

A welcome sense of reflection and perspective will come from unlikely Swedish star Tove Lo, dubbed the "saddest girl in Sweden", who balances intimate autobiographical lyrics with irresistible melodic ear worms. Recent set lists suggest we can expect a closing crescendo of breakout hit Habits (Stay High).

• 7.40pm

Friday

Mike Posner

As well as writing hit tracks for Justin Bieber (Boyfriend) and Maroon 5 (Sugar), Mike Posner has made a name for himself as a solo artists with the smash hit I Took a Pill in Ibiza and Cooler Than Me.

• 8.40pm

Friday

Demi Lovato

Body-NoIndent: Former child-star Demi Lovato is taking this year off from work – but even the relentless media glare could not put the pop princess off the chance to headline RedFest's second day. Expect hits including Made in the USA, Let It Go and Heart Attack to battle the sound of hyperventilating teenagers.

• 9.40pm

The language of diplomacy in 1853

Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)

We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.

Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale