Rihanna once again wowed the crowd at du Arena much like she did back in 2013. Courtesy Flash Entertainment
Rihanna once again wowed the crowd at du Arena much like she did back in 2013. Courtesy Flash Entertainment

Review: Rihanna shines bright at F1 in Abu Dhabi



Abu Dhabi was the unlikely scene of the final pages, of perhaps the most engaging chapter, in the storied evolution of one of pop’s most vibrant, creative flames.

Rihanna's much delayed eighth album Anti — which, after smashing out seven LPs in eight years, broke the long lull since 2012's Unapologetic — finally emerged in January. It revealed the restless talent had been busy with an artistic reinvention, unveiling an expansive and fertile embrace of new colours and flavours, from a singer who previously had no difficulties troubling the charts.

The accompanying Anti World Tour spectacle bewitched and beguiled critics with its pointed iconography and sparse sets, unlocking streams of breathless rapt praise from even the stuffiest broadsheet writers.

And then on Sunday, November 27, that tour’s dynamic arc ended with a final, triumphant show at du Arena, which also served as the closing concert of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix’s musical festivities. What a coup.

Where to begin? Rihanna’s oeuvre is packed with such an embarrassing raft of riches, she could simply have performed straight takes of her 14 US billboard number ones, and no one would have left unhappy. Yet this was not a greatest hits show, but instead an artistic reappraisal of a colourful decade-long career — which prophecy holds began the day, 11 years ago, that an unheard of 17-year-old Barbadian waltzed into Def Jam’s offices and bowled over Jay Z sufficiently to walk out with a six-album contract on the very same day.

Like the kind of pop theatre which chameleons Prince or David Bowie might be proud — yes, really — the Anti tour is presented as a conceptual suite, divided into neatly themed acts, offering fresh continuity and coherence to a scattershot career which has at times cynically embraced a sweeping spectrum of styles and musical personalities.

So the fragile, emotional catharsis of unlikely openers Stay and Love the Way You Lie (Part II) are quickly contrasted by the sassy, strutting hip-hop queen of early big-name collaborations Live Your Life (T.I.), Run This Town (Jay Z) and All the Lights (Kanye). Limb-flailing EDM excursions — We Found Love (Calvin Harris), Where Have You Been — are playfully delivered with all the conviction of a confused karaoke punter, the mic barely reaching RiRi's lips as the crowd picks up the slack.

For all the talk of her cold exterior, the ice cracks mid-set with Umbrella, an inevitable crowd singalong Rihanna does little to hide her enjoyment. Perhaps she was smiling at the two fans near the front of the stage, who brought along their own red umbrellas to wave on cue.

Despite the rumours, Drake didn't show to guest on this year's intoxicating Work — just as he failed to make it to VIP Room's pop-up the night before — but the Canadian was little missed, the song's intoxicating swagger capping a Caribbean-infused medley with Man Down and Rude Boy, the star flanked by a cast of seven dancers, three singers and a six-piece band comfortable stuttering between moody R& B minimalism, dance hall funk and big rock spectacle in seamless segues.

"I don't want to see anybody on their cell phones," commanded Rihanna, "unless they're taking pictures of me", a request flipped on its head when she called for the lights to come out for Diamonds, that most infuriating 2012 earworm.

In a calculated bid to showcase Rihanna's timeless artistry, the night ended as it began, dialled down for the Earthy gospel-blues vamp FourFiveSeconds — recorded alongside Paul McCartney and Kanye West, no less — and the glorious, Muscle Shoals soul of last single Love on the Brain. Channelling the torment and talent of 1960s legend Etta James, this blatant appeal for her place in the pantheon served its purpose well.

Not just a set of songs, but a stunning summation of a life and career which has remained in steady flux, Rihanna’s Anti World Tour is a knockout contender for pop spectacle of the year — not just in the UAE, but anywhere on the globe.

Or, as one witty front row fan put it on a placard waved at the show’s close, “I love you more than free Wi-Fi”.

In 2016, that sounds like diehard devotion.

rgarratt@thenational.ae

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only. Readers are encouraged to seek independent legal advice. 

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In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter

Price: From Dh2,099

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

Company%20profile
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Singham Again

Director: Rohit Shetty

Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone

Rating: 3/5

COMPANY PROFILE

Company: Bidzi

● Started: 2024

● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid

● Based: Dubai, UAE

● Industry: M&A

● Funding size: Bootstrapped

● No of employees: Nine

Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eco%20Way%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20December%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Kroshnyi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electric%20vehicles%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bootstrapped%20with%20undisclosed%20funding.%20Looking%20to%20raise%20funds%20from%20outside%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Company%20profile
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher:  Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5

The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
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Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)

Company%20Profile
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Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest

Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.

Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.

Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.

Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.

Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.

Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
Anxiety and work stress major factors

Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.

A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.

Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.

One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.

It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."

Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.

“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi. 

“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."

Daniel Bardsley

Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

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LOVE%20AGAIN
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