The team at <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/fashion/2022/02/19/sawa-partners-with-that-concept-store-to-showcase-regional-design-talent/" target="_blank">That Concept Store in Dubai</a> marked <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/2022/08/28/emirati-womens-day-top-diplomats-share-their-stories/" target="_blank">Emirati Women's Day</a> on Sunday with a special event. The Mall of the Emirates department store hosted an intimate concert with performances by <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/music/after-now-united-auditions-emirati-singer-alya-is-going-solo-i-haven-t-looked-back-1.1109683" target="_blank">Emirati-British singer Alya</a>, Emirati singer Sachii and Emirati-Palestinian artist Casa Vince. The event was billed as an evening of fashion, music and fusion, taking place at Around the Block, organised by online music hub Musivv and <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/music/2021/08/09/how-us-music-producer-sean-barcoe-wants-to-evolve-abu-dhabis-live-music-scene/" target="_blank">The BarCoe Studio</a>, a recording studio in Abu Dhabi. Alya, who was close to being a member of the popular super-sized group <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/music/how-louvre-abu-dhabi-inspired-now-united-s-new-concert-we-have-similar-values-1.1250402">Now United</a>, performed a set wearing an eye-catching pink and white chequered jacket with a bright yellow smiley face pinned to her outfit. The teenage singer has a burgeoning solo career and has released a number of tracks, including last year's <i>Hung Up</i>, a winning slice of 1990s-era RnB. “I don’t want to be viewed as some kind of Disney act,” she previously told <i>The National</i>. “While I do act my age and talk about things we relate to, I want the song to be enjoyed by everyone.” London-born Casa Vince, meanwhile, draws inspiration from the West and Middle East to create his RnB-style tunes, and he made a special guest appearance at the event, supporting the two female artists. Sachii, an aspiring artist, also performed a set with a keyboardist, including never-before-heard tunes, wearing a shimmering, metallic dress with leather waistcoat and boots. Her first single, <i>Risk</i>, came out in May 2020 on all streaming platforms.
