Timeframe: When Lady Gaga landed in Dubai to an ecstatic reception

The singer performed at Meydan Racecourse ten years ago as part of her fourth world tour

Lady Gaga arriving in Dubai to perform at the Meydan Racecourse in September 2014. AFP

On the evening of September 8, 2014, Lady Gaga arrived at Dubai International Airport to a boisterous welcome. Her arrival was supposed to be a secret, precisely so that fans wouldn’t swarm the terminal.

But Gaga didn’t get the memo. The Poker Face singer posted photos on her Instagram ahead of her flight from London Heathrow Airport and it was just enough for fans to begin their sleuth work, scouring flight timetables to pinpoint when Gaga would be arriving in Dubai.

By the time Gaga's plane landed, a crowd had formed behind police cordons, merrily chanting her songs. The singer, clad in a sequinned sheer jalabiya, spoke to the press at the airport’s VIP lounge before going outside to greet her fans. The star had come to the emirate as part of her fourth world tour, ArtRave: The Artpop Ball Tour, performing at Meydan Racecourse on September 10.

“I am here for four days,” Gaga said. “I’d like to see as much of Dubai as possible. I have heard amazing things about it and I am really looking forward to seeing my fans. I have had a strong heartache about not being able to be near them.”

The singer also spoke about how she had curated her wardrobe to respect local traditions. “I respect the culture here,” she said. “The show will be appropriate for all the fans here in Dubai. I was told there were some restrictions. I know some artists are very strict about their policies, that they cannot adhere to their art by compromising, but I actually believe it is important to respect other cultures and not force them to adhere to the beliefs of your own country. In fact, it is a better way to connect with the ­ ­people.

“Most importantly, while I’m here, I would like to leave a message of light, happiness, creativity and freedom with the fans and that is more important than my clothes.”