The memo was stern in its brevity: Lady Gaga’s arrival in Dubai on Monday night was strictly confidential and under no circumstances was anyone to mention it on social media.
But someone forgot to tell Gaga.
As she merrily posted photos on Instagram announcing she was leaving London Heathrow on the next leg of her flight, fans were already consulting timetables, scouring the arrivals terminal and mapping out a plan of attack.
They started arriving at Dubai International Airport at 7pm on Monday. By 10pm, there was a crowd of about 30. By the time she finally appeared in public two hours later, the crowd had more than doubled behind a police cordon, with many spontaneously erupting into renditions of GUY and Just Dance.
Before she braved meeting her Little Monsters – many of whom were beside themselves with excitement – Lady Gaga spoke for 10 minutes in the airport’s VIP majlis about her delight at finally making it to Dubai for her concert tonight, her first in the Arabian Gulf.
Dressed in a flesh-coloured and bejewelled sheer jalabiya by an unnamed UAE designer, with a skin-coloured leotard underneath, coupled with a blue sequinned headband and long, platinum-blonde locks, she trod a fine line between revealing and demure.
“I am here for four days,” she 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.”
But the burning question was whether she would be getting naked on stage during a costume change, as she has done during previous shows on the ArtRAVE: ARTPOP Ball tour.
“No, I will not be,” she said. “I respect the culture here. 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.” She added that while she was in Dubai she hoped to “support art and creativity” by visiting local fashion designers – some of whom will be involved in working on the wardrobe for her show – listening to regional music and getting a feel for the art scene in the UAE.
She was less forthcoming about rumours that only about half of the tickets for the gig have sold – despite selling out dates in the United Kingdom and United States – and quickly moved on to the next question.
Despite the five-hour wait in 40°C heat, her fans were ecstatic when she spent a few minutes posing for selfies with them and signing CDs and T-shirts before leaving for her hotel in a white SUV.
Khaled Al Najdi, 19, an accounting student, flew in from Kuwait to camp outside the airport majlis for a glimpse of his heroine.
“I love everything about her,” he said. “She will be happy to see us. I have only had two hours’ sleep because I have been so excited, but it will be worth it when we see her.”
The Iranian Milad Ahmadi, 17, was sitting an exam at his school in Dubai the following day – but was given permission to go and see the singer by his mother Mona, 37, who waited in the crowd with him until Lady Gaga came out just after midnight.
His patience paid off when he managed to get a selfie with her – and the singer put the photo on her Instagram page.
“I gave her a drawing I did of her,” he said. “Being here was a priority over my exam. I just love her.”
Salem Al Kathiri, 18, and four of his Emirati friends from Al Dahmaa school – Rashid Al Shamsi, 18, Abdullah Ali, 17, Gaith Saeed, 18, and Ahmed Al Shamsi, 17 – drove from Al Ain to meet their pop idol.
“I will be a Monster for life,” Al Kathiri said. “I love her message, her look, her sound – everything.”
Ali Al Zadjali, 20, was ecstatic after winning a dancing contest in Mall of the Emirates – with the top prize being a meet-and-greet after the concert at Meydan Racecourse – and he was there to give Lady Gaga a preview of his moves.
“I am really looking forward to meeting her and telling her how much I love her,” he said.
He was not alone. One of the airport security staff on duty in the majlis where Lady Gaga was speaking furtively sidled up beside her while his colleague took pictures.
And when one of the Arab journalists asked to take a picture with the star, she instead gamely suggested doing a group selfie à la Ellen DeGeneres at the Oscars.
The love was apparently mutual. Lady Gaga later tweeted pictures of her fans and the private pool in her deluxe hotel suite with the message: “My fans were so sweet at the airport, I was so choked up! What a wonderful welcome from Dubai Monsters. I have been dreaming of coming to the Middle East ... what a privilege to be here.
“I had chills the whole time we were with the fans. I can’t tell you how much it means to be welcome to the Middle East. I hope during this trip I can show my true self, with a message of acceptance, tolerance, a respect for individuals of all cultures.”
Not everyone was impressed, however. Police sergeant Farooq Al Moani, 36, who was keeping an eye on the crowd alongside Lady Gaga’s burly bodyguards to prevent fans from mobbing the star, was nonplussed.
“I have never heard of her and would not recognise her even if I did see her,” he said. “I’ve never heard her music either. I would not say I am a fan.”
• Tickets for Lady Gaga’s show at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai tonight cost Dh495 for general admission, Dh750 for grandstand seating and Dh1,295 for a Golden Circle Pass. Visit www.ticketmaster.ae to book. Doors open at 6pm and the show is scheduled to start at 9pm
artslife@thenational.ae
MATCH INFO
FA Cup final
Chelsea 1
Hazard (22' pen)
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nicola%20Coughlan%2C%20Luke%20Newton%2C%20Jonathan%20Bailey%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Rain Management
Year started: 2017
Based: Bahrain
Employees: 100-120
Amount raised: $2.5m from BitMex Ventures and Blockwater. Another $6m raised from MEVP, Coinbase, Vision Ventures, CMT, Jimco and DIFC Fintech Fund
The lowdown
Badla
Rating: 2.5/5
Produced by: Red Chillies, Azure Entertainment
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The biog
Place of birth: Kalba
Family: Mother of eight children and has 10 grandchildren
Favourite traditional dish: Al Harees, a slow cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled cracked or coarsely ground wheat mixed with meat or chicken
Favourite book: My early life by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah
Favourite quote: By Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father, “Those who have no past will have no present or future.”
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
MO
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
