'Did life hurt you?', Jason Derulo gets real in Dubai about love, marriage, heartbreak and re-invention

Dubai: “Did life hurt you?” I ask Jason Derulo, half-teasingly. He reacts instantly—eyebrows raised in mock shock, leaning back as though I’ve just psychoanalysed him without warning. He had just finished unveiling his latest club anthem 'Who Hurt You' at a plush hotel in Dubai's Business Bay district.

Dressed in a black plunging V-neck blazer with intricate neck embroidery by Dubai-based designer Varoin Marwah, Derulo may be in full superstar mode, but his guard isn’t up. If anything, he’s ready to talk and agrees that he's someone who can 'roll with the punches'.

“I think that's one of my gifts, to be able to roll with the punches. Like you said, I'm the kind of person that always sees a glass half full as opposed to half empty.”

That sets the tone. Jason Derulo isn’t here to moan about life’s hits —he’s here to turn them into chart-toppers.

Why Dubai is his chosen stage

There was zero hesitation when I asked why he chose Dubai to launch his new single, Who Hurt You.

“Are you kidding me? Of course, I'm really excited to be here, as always… this is my favourite place in the world. So I was like, why not come do it in Dubai?”

Dubai, he says, isn’t just a stop on the global tour circuit—it’s the future.

“When you talk about architecture, when you talk about future, when you talk about luxury, when you talk about safety… it literally has everything.”

This isn’t marketing speak. It’s a strategic alignment. Derulo sees Dubai not as a fan base, but as a cultural epicentre — a place where global music shifts.

On his new single: Flirty, clubby and caribbean-infused

So what exactly is Who Hurt You?

“It's a fun song. It's taking a twist on the hashtag people utilise… It’s a story telling this young lady, like, whatever happened, like, I'm gonna be that person, that shoulder that you can lean on. It’s very flirty, very club, very party. You want to get up and dance.”

And in a nod to his roots:

“It has a merengue vibe… I’m from Haiti, and the Dominican Republic is an island that we share. I love that.”

On Turning pain into power

When I circle back to the original question—who hurt him—Derulo gets real.

“Anytime something negative happens in my life, I'm trying to figure out what the positive is… whether it's a lesson… whether it's gonna take me to the next level… If I have a bad breakup, I'm gonna go to bed that evening and figure out how to become a better version of me. It's almost like… the sweetest revenge.”

Derulo doesn’t crumble. He recalibrates.

On modern love in a swiping world

Dating culture today, I suggest, is so noncommittal, people won’t even commit to a burger.

He laughs, then turns reflective.

“Don't close yourself off to anything… I'm not necessarily looking for a relationship, but I'm also not closing myself off to it. Life is very short. I want to protect my peace… But if I feel like a situation brings me more good than bad, I'm going to try to work on that.”

He’s not chasing love, but he’s not running from it either.

Will 2025 be the year Jason Derulo puts a ring on it?

“You never know. You never know. God willing, I find that perfect person.”

Classic Derulo: open, but not overcommitted.

2026: The year of The Last Dance World Tour

“2026 begins with my world tour. It's called The Last Dance World Tour, and there's going to be a lot of music leading up to it… This is the beginning of me dropping song after song after song and a full-length project.”

In other words: brace for a Derulo takeover.

On his Bollywood ambitions

He’s already collaborated with Nora Fatehi, and he’s not stopping there.

“I definitely want to figure out more things to do in that region… it's something that’s become near and dear to my heart. I want to continue to cultivate that market and create more splashes.”

So yes—Bollywood is on notice.

On AI and the future of creativity

“I definitely think they're gonna take over the majority of jobs… People that don't embrace the future always get left behind. For me, AI has become a really large part of my life… how I see marketing, how I see making music, how I see business. AI is integrated into everything I'm doing today.”

This isn’t an artist resisting the tide. This is one riding it.

On how Dubai Is Derulo’s Beat

“I'm really excited… this is my favourite place in the world.”

And as long as Jason Derulo keeps choosing Dubai as his stage, his heartbreak, hustle, and hits will continue to echo across its skyline.