While the crowds had roared to celebrate as His Highness Shaikh Mohammad, Vice- President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, lifted the Dubai World Cup earlier in the evening, another cheer was reserved for the raindrops that fell to the sounds of the US R&B star. Only in Dubai — but after a long day in heels and suits, the downpour wasn't going to put off the revellers still around at 11pm.
Braxton took the stage a little later than planned (due to the re-running of the interrupted Gold Cup) and started off slowly, with her hit Man Enough For Me — not quite belting it out, but leaving the work to her two backing singers, who also happen to be her sisters. They were accompanied by a soundtrack and a live pianist, and for a moment, I had concerns Braxton might not put her all into the show. I shouldn't have — she was in fine voice and looking fantastic to boot, as she moved into You're Making Me High, more recent track Yesterday and mega-hit Breathe Again.
"They told me I only have half an hour," she said. "But I'm going to try for 40 minutes. There are so many great songs to sing," added Braxton, after testing out the Arabic she'd been learning during her stay in the UAE. She arrived with her sisters and children last Wednesday and wasted no time in enjoying the city's highlights.
The raceday had been a long one, and this reporter for one harboured a hope that she'd play one of her biggest hits during the concert, and not save it for the encore. We were lucky — as she said "sing this one with me" and the slow strains of Un-break My Heart began, leading many of the quite merry crowd to sing along, fists in the air, power-ballad style.
Things got more pumped with her new single, I Heart You, a club-style thumper. Braxton's on track to release a new album, and with enough radio airplay, that track could rival her younger R&B competitors — she's certainly still got the musical chops (and voice) to hit the charts again.
