Dubai commuters flock to see Metro Music Festival

Local and international musicians are performing for free at Burjuman, Union, DMCC, Mall of the Emirates and Burj Khalifa metro stations until Saturday

Dubai Metro Music Festival runs until Saturday. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office

Commuters from across the city will have the chance to hear 25 local and international artists. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office

There are Arab, jazz and Arabic language performers, among others. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office

Artists are performing at some of the busiest stations - Burjuman, Union, DMCC, Mall of the Emirates and Burj Khalifa Metro. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office 

The performances are already attracting crowds and a creating a buzz on the city's metro network.  Courtesy: Dubai Media Office

A performer plays a pipe before a busy crowd this week. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office

Metro stations across Dubai are being taken over by up-and-coming musicians for the week-long Dubai Metro Music Festival.

Free performances by 25 local and international musicians are taking place at Burjuman, Union, DMCC, Mall of the Emirates and Burj Khalifa metro stations until Saturday.

Arab musicians featured in the festival include UAE artist Khadija Salem, Lebanese musicians Talia Lahoud and Habib Khalil, Egyptian Medhat Mamdouh, Saudi Taher Al Bahrani, Jordanians Omar Hamdan and Khaldun Al Baz, Syrian Rami Kanjou, and the Syrian band Basita.

“It was really encouraging to see large numbers of people thronging to the musical performances at Dubai's metro stations,” said Shaima Al Suwaidi, city branding manager for Brand Dubai.

“Apart from metro commuters, there were music lovers who came to the venues just to attend the performances.”

Musicians performing at the music festival come from a range of styles and genres.

Emirati musician Salem started playing the piano three years ago when her uncle bought her a keyboard. She cultivated her passion for playing the instrument by practising daily for about six hours.

Lebanese artist Lahoud, 16, is a promising singer and guitarist who started out at an early age as a cover artist on YouTube. She has thousands of followers on social media.

Khalil, a popular accordion player also from Lebanon, was drawn to play the instrument from watching cartoons.

After learning the instrument, he went deeper into folk, tango, waltz and polka, and now performs all over the world.