Paul Akiki is a celebrity of sorts in the UAE. He is not quite well known enough for mobs of fans to chase him down the street but is well known enough for people to go up to him and profess their appreciation of his talent and music.
Sitting down with tabloid! after concluding a successful rock style opening act, Paul discusses what lead him up to this point.
"It all started in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where I was living after I left Beirut. Because I had a lot of free time on my hands, I bought a small studio and began working on my music – some of which I had already written before – but I took it much more seriously after I cam back to Lebanon," he said.
After purchasing a larger studio in Beirut, he set out looking for bandmates with his publisher and friend, Moe Hamsi.
"I was very lucky in that when I moved to the UAE, the same band I recruited in Beirut ended up here as well – the same guitarist and drummer from when I launched my first album," he said.
The one thing that appeals to him about venues in the UAE is that they aren't very big, which makes it a 'cozy' experience for both the audience and the performer. He also acknowledges that he has yet to receive anything other than positive reactions from any audience that he has played for, which is something that he is proud of.
When asked about his relationship with his fans, he quickly points out that they are made up of friends and colleagues, which he believes is something that doesn't exist in many other places, which is something that he is thankful for.
