Iraqi-Canadian singer Ali Gatie gears up to perform at Wireless Festival Middle East

Iraqi-Canadian singer Ali Gatie gears up to perform at Wireless Festival Middle East
The Iraqi-Canadian singer was born in Yemen and raised in Abu Dhabi. (Supplied)
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Updated 09 March 2023

Iraqi-Canadian singer Ali Gatie gears up to perform at Wireless Festival Middle East

Iraqi-Canadian singer Ali Gatie gears up to perform at Wireless Festival Middle East

DUBAI: Ali Gatie is in reflective mood, and it’s easy to see why. The Iraqi-Canadian singer, born in Yemen and raised in Abu Dhabi before emigrating to Toronto, Canada, is about to come full circle, performing as a marquee name at the first Iraqi-Canadian singer Ali Gatie gears up to perform at Wireless Festival Middle East, 20 years after he and his family last set foot in the UAE’s capital city.  

“I keep thinking back to the kid I was when I lived here. The kid who would sing along with Arabic songs on the radio; who loved to sing but never dreamed he would become a singer,” Gatie tells Arab News. 

“You forget so much about how you grew up, but I’ve never forgotten Abu Dhabi. I’ve never forgotten where I came from,” he continues. “I’ve been spending all week trying to figure out how this makes me feel, but I don’t know how to process it other than looking at my younger self and just telling myself how proud I am of me, you know? It’s crazy.”  




Ali Gatie on stage at Coachella in April 2022. (Getty Images)

There’s plenty to be proud of. The Ali Gatie of 2023 is not just a singer on a huge festival line-up, he’s a viral phenomenon; his 2019 breakout song “It’s You” has been streamed well over a billion times, not to mention its continued popularity on TikTok. With nearly 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Gatie has followed that first big splash with hit after hit, honing an R&B pop sound full of soulful yearning and heartache that has made him Gen Z’s go-to crooner.  

There was a time, though, when Gatie had to hide his own desire to express so much emotion in song.  

“I remember when Ed Sheeran’s song ‘The A Team’ first started to blow up, I thought it was so cool,” he says. “But my friends were a bunch of immigrants who thought it wasn’t cool at all. They liked T.I., 50 cent and Lil Wayne. In Toronto, it was all hip-hop and rap. Ed Sheeran became my little secret. I listened on the low, not telling my friends that I was doing a deep dive on this style of music that really blew me away.” 

While his nights may have been filled with Ed Sheeran, his days were still full of hip-hop, a developing skill much more acceptable to his social circle.  

“When I was 17, I would freestyle at school, while people would play beats and throw me words. It was a good way to make friends, honestly — by rapping, I found I could really impress people, and people wanted to join in with me,” says Gatie. 

Gatie would sit in his friends’ cars as they searched for beats online, recording voice notes on his phone as he freestyled over them. 




Gatie (L) performing 'Butterflies' with Max for 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' in August 2021. (Getty Images)

“Eventually, a friend of mine said I should go to the studio and try this, saying he knew a place we could pay only $50 per hour. I booked two hours with all the money I’d saved up from working at McDonald’s, and that first session was so fun,” he says. “It became like an addiction — I’d make money just to go to the studio and make songs. I released my first song — I ended up deleting it later, but even the little attention it got made me say, ‘This is cool. People are listening. I should keep going.’” 

Between 2016 and 2017, Gatie released around 15 rap tracks, without paying much attention to developing his own sound. But when he started university, he realized that he was now headed in a completely different direction, one in which music could be only a hobby. If this was something he was to truly pursue, he would have to do so with more intention. 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Ali (@aligatie)

“I started paying more attention to what I was doing, and I realized I had to pursue the sound I’d always been hesitant to pursue,” he says. “I had to transition from trying to be a rapper, which was cool in Toronto, to becoming a singer, because I knew I would actually be better at that. By the end of 2017, I’d made the call. I knew deep down I’d always wanted to be a singer, and I never really wanted to be a rapper. I stopped focusing on what sound I thought would fit in with my group or in my city, and instead focusing on what I wanted to do. I thought, ‘How do I create my own sound?’ And by the beginning of 2018, I released the first track with that sound — ‘Can’t Lie.’”  

Soon, Gatie wasn’t just focused on his sound, but on his message. In May of that year, Gatie wrote a song called “Losing You,” — and for the first time he started to think deeply about the lyrics he was writing. 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Ali (@aligatie)

“I was, like, ‘Let me write something meaningful, take it from my own experiences.’ But it started developing more into a story I was telling — something outside myself. And even though it didn’t go viral, people started asking me about it, telling me they’d connected to it. I realized I’d written a story — and then I wondered if I could beat it. I started writing better stories — getting more sophisticated — inspired by movies I’d seen or something friends had gone through, or writing a response to another song I’d connected with. Sometimes, I didn’t know where it would come from — some would say it came from god,” says Gatie. 

At home, his parents saw all this as no more than a hobby — that he was deluding himself to think it could be anything more. When he finally told them he planned to drop out of university and pursue it full-time, Gatie says, his father told him bluntly he would never succeed, and would likely end up homeless, as he wouldn’t be allowed back home.  

Undeterred, Gatie pressed on, and quickly proved he had what it took. Within months, his songs started picking up more and more steam, and soon he was releasing one platinum record after another.  

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Ali (@aligatie)

Five years later, as the 25-year-old singer heads back to Abu Dhabi, he’s finally reaching the heights he once dreamed of — heights that, because of his background, he was told would never be possible. 

“I used to tell my parents, ‘I can do this.’ And they’d say, ‘How many other Muslim Arab kids are doing this and succeeding?’ I was, like, ‘No one.’ They said, ‘Well, why do you think you could?’ 

“The best part of playing this festival in Abu Dhabi is the fact there’s going to be a kid in that crowd that wants to make music and can use me as an example to his parents. They can go home that night and say, ‘This kid started from nothing. He’s Arab just like me, or he’s an immigrant just like me. And he just played a huge festival with A-list celebrities,’” Gatie says. “I hope there’s one kid that realizes that this could be them next year.” 


Bella Hadid launches affirmations hotline through Kin Euphorics brand

Bella Hadid launches affirmations hotline through Kin Euphorics brand
Updated 10 June 2023

Bella Hadid launches affirmations hotline through Kin Euphorics brand

Bella Hadid launches affirmations hotline through Kin Euphorics brand

DUBAI: US Dutch Palestinian supermodel Bella Hadid has launched a hotline through the brand she co-founded, Kin Euphorics.  

A collaboration between Kin Euphorics and The Mayfair Group led to the launch of a hotline that provides callers who dial into +1(332)-222-4444 with daily positive affirmations dreamt up by Hadid herself.  

“Getting to connect @kineuphorics and @themayfairgroup for this special collaboration is a blessing for me — our angels on speed-dial crewneck is live now! The affirmations on our hotline came straight from us - I hope they inspire you to spread kindness and be someone's angel today. If you see this sweater on the street , please go do one thing to make someone’s day. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Bella (@bellahadid)

Thank you @samabrahart @devonnemcfarland and the Mayfair team for your love, connection, patience and heart. I adore you. Thank you to my partner in heart crime and kin @jenofkin and our magical team. I feel lucky. I love you all,” Hadid posted on Instagram.  

Brooklyn-based Kin Euphorics, founded by Saudi Arabia-raised Jen Batchelor, boasts non-alcoholic tonics that were “made to transform the world’s oldest social ritual, drinking, into a conscious act of better being,” according to the beverage brand’s official website. 

The name Kin Euphorics is a nod to the Greek word “euphoros” – meaning a state of well being. 

The brand claims that many of its key ingredients, such phenylethylamine and rhodiola rosea root extract, improve cognitive function and increase energy levels. Kin drinks will also soon be infused with lavender grown on the Hadid family farm in Pennsylvania. 

“Throughout my whole life, I have only wanted to promote products and business’ that I wholeheartedly stand by,” wrote Hadid on Instagram following the announcement of her new role as co-founder in 2021. “If it feels unauthentic to me, it’s hard for me to do what I do best. That’s why I am so passionate about sharing with you my newest endeavor, so we can help bring happiness back into the world, through brain health.” 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Bella (@bellahadid)

Since starting her meteoric career at the age of 17, the Palestinian-Dutch model has suffered with social anxiety and depression, which she has been transparent about with her fans.  

“Since I was 14, I had tried everything to help myself feel better… so I searched and scoured for anything holistic that would help with my chronic exhaustion, depression and anxiety… This is THE drink to make you feel good. Before anything, I was a passionate consumer. It has benefited me for over a year now,” Hadid claimed on social media. 


Lindsay Lohan opens up about life in Dubai

Lindsay Lohan opens up about life in Dubai
Updated 10 June 2023

Lindsay Lohan opens up about life in Dubai

Lindsay Lohan opens up about life in Dubai

DUBAI: US actress Lindsay Lohan has opened up about her life in Dubai, telling Allure magazine the city “gives me that space to have my own vision of what I need to do next.”

Lohan, who has lived in the UAE for almost eight years, spoke to the American magazine about her pregnancy and life in Dubai.

“Do I want to build my own brand? Do I want to relaunch a new production company? All of these kinds of things I can take time to think about.” Dubai, she said, “gives me that space to have my own vision of what I need to do next.”

Every morning brings tea, breakfast, and a workout. “Sometimes, I call it “The Truman Show,” because it’s the same thing every day,” she joked with the magazine, referring to the Jim Carrey-starring film. “But I love it. I really love structure because I don't think I had that when I was young. Everything was coming so fast and I had so many things happening. My only structure was filming and being on set.” 

The actress lives in the emirate with her husband, Kuwaiti financier Bader Shammas.

Shammas, whose Instagram is on private mode, previously worked as an associate at BNP Paribas Wealth Management up until 2017, according to Elle magazine. Educated in the US, he reportedly holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Florida and a Bachelor of Science in Finance degree from John H. Sykes College of Business, which is connected with the University of Tampa.

The couple announced Lohan’s pregnancy in March.


Saudi artist Nujood Al-Otaibi to take McLaren F1 x Vuse studio residency in Dubai

Saudi artist Nujood Al-Otaibi to take McLaren F1 x Vuse studio residency in Dubai
Saudi artist Nujood Al-Otaibi. (Supplied)
Updated 10 June 2023

Saudi artist Nujood Al-Otaibi to take McLaren F1 x Vuse studio residency in Dubai

Saudi artist Nujood Al-Otaibi to take McLaren F1 x Vuse studio residency in Dubai

DUBAI: Saudi artist Nujood Al-Otaibi says she feels lucky to have become one of the first artists to be awarded a residency at Dubai’s Studio Thirteen – a special initiative led by the McLaren F1 team and Vuse to help underrepresented artists. 

“I'm still in the process of creating my own style as well as my identity. And because I have changed my style from hyper realistic to abstract, I feel that luckily that change came at the right time in my life to help me extend my knowledge,” the 35-year-old told Arab News.

“Every artist, in their emergent time, needs a mentor to support them and to guide them. Especially in residency, there will also be a community of partners who will help one open my eyes and I will be able to gain more knowledge. Being a part of an artist community is amazing,” she added.

Through the residency, Al-Otaibi will have access to the funded studio space housed in Studio Thirteen, the home of artist Rabab Tantawy, who designed the McLaren car livery at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Tantawy will mentor other artists in the residency.

With affordable studios becoming rare, this studio space aims to provide a creative hub for artists like Al-Otaibi to hone their craft over the next five to six months.

For Al-Otaibi, who is known for her work inspired by her own hearing loss at the age of five, the residency is also a platform for her to affect change and inspire others to live in their own truth.

“I feel like the more people go out and talk about themselves and the challenges they face, the more it inspires others. So, I feel like other people would understand and be like, ‘Oh, yeah, we have to help people who have challenges. I want to encourage creatives with disabilities to step out and not be ashamed or scared of people’s judgements,” she said.

“After expressing my emotions and telling my story, everyone was very supportive. I was not expecting that. I thought no one would support me, no one would understand. But once I let it out, it was amazing. So, now, I wish I can tell everyone that you can do it, too.”


Miss World 2023 to be held in India, not UAE

Miss World 2023 to be held in India, not UAE
Updated 09 June 2023

Miss World 2023 to be held in India, not UAE

Miss World 2023 to be held in India, not UAE

DUBAI: The Miss World 2023 event has found itself a new host country.

Only four months after announcing the UAE as its host for this year, organizers of the beauty pageant have returned with a new host country: India.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Miss World (@missworld)

The announcement was made at a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday in the presence of Julia Morley, chairperson and chief executive of Miss World Organization, with Miss World 2022 Karolina Bielawska from Poland and Miss India World 2022 Sini Shetty in attendance.

“The decision to award India with this prestigious honour recognises the nation’s rich cultural heritage, its commitment to promoting diversity, and its passion for empowering women,” the Miss World Organization said in an Instagram post.

The 71st edition of Miss World is expected to take place in November this year. The final dates are yet to be revealed.

“India has the greatest hospitality in the entire world. It is my second time here … and you make me feel like home,” said Bielawska at the announcement.

India last hosted the Miss World pageant in 1996, in Bangalore, where Greece’s Irene Skliva won the title.

The country has also produced six Miss World winners: Reita Faria in 1966, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in 1994, Diana Hayden in 1997, Yukta Mookhey in 1999, Priyanka Chopra in 2000 and Manushi Chhillar in 2017.

Miss World 2022 was held in March last year in Puerto Rico, where Bielawska was crowned, beating runners-up Miss USA Shree Saini and Ivory Coast’s Olivia Yace.


Dubai restaurant Ossiano makes it to World’s 51-100 Best Restaurants list

Dubai restaurant Ossiano makes it to World’s 51-100 Best Restaurants list
Updated 09 June 2023

Dubai restaurant Ossiano makes it to World’s 51-100 Best Restaurants list

Dubai restaurant Ossiano makes it to World’s 51-100 Best Restaurants list

DUBAI: In anticipation of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 ceremony, to be held later this month in Valencia, the list unveiled its 51-100 ranking, including the award-winning Ossiano located at Atlantis The Palm in Dubai.

Helmed by chef Gregoire Berger, Ossiano entered the global list for the first time at No. 87, making it a brand new entry for Dubai.

Chef Berger said in a statement: “We are incredibly honored to be included in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 extended list. To be considered as one of the top 100 dining experiences in the world and to be amongst so many amazing professionals is such a fantastic achievement and showcases the team’s relentless hard work. At Ossiano, the entire staff, from the kitchen to the restaurant floor, always strive to serve an extraordinary experience and we look forward to continuing to raise the bar to drive Ossiano forward as a truly unique culinary destination.”

The announcement marks another milestone for Ossiano this year, which was ranked No. 4 and the highest new entry in the 2023 Middle East and Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

The renowned restaurant also retained its star at the Michelin awards ceremony held at Atlantis The Royal last month and was awarded Restaurant of the Year in the second edition of the world-leading restaurant guide Gault&Millau in April.