Dubai: Filipinos from all over the UAE gathered at Meydan on Thursday evening for the Filipino Night of the Shoppiesta, a consumer lifestyle exhibition that encompasses an array of attractions.
Controversial all-women group Mocha Girls and R ’n’ B band South Border performed at the event, delighting the audience with their unique brand of entertainment.
The Mocha Girls, who rose to fame in part because of a blog authored by the group’s lead vocalist Mocha Uson that specialises in offering sensual advice to couples, got the crowd going with their sing-dance numbers, although they were obviously less aggressive with their usual adult-themed antics on Thursday night.
The Mocha Girls, who have released three albums (A Taste of Mocha, 2006; Mocha, 2007; and Deliciosa, 2008), also performed covers of various hits, including the Shakira’s infectiously upbeat Waka-Waka.
South Border, a band known for its originality and creative songwriting, closed out the night with several of their original songs, including Rainbow, which is one of the band’s biggest hits. The band also performed Kahit Kailan, the 1997 Awit Awards Song of the Year that propelled South Border to the top of the Philippine music industry.
Both acts were performing in Dubai for the first time.
Shoppiesta will run until September 4. Apart from the Filipino Night, Shoppiesta also features separate events for Arabic, Indian and Persian artists.
Jamaican pop and reggae star Sean Paul, American singer and former Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland, and rapper T-Pain, meanwhile, will be part of the Shoppiesta’s grand finale on Sunday. One of the highlights of Shoppiesta is a Guinness World Record Attempt for the biggest collage.
