English girl group Little Mix have landed in Dubai. Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jesy Nelson, will perform at a special invite-only event to launch the Middle East version of the reality singing show The X Factor. The Simon Cowell-created show, which previously aired on the pan-Arab channel CBC, was recently bought by the Dubai-based MBC Group.
“Off to DUBAI!!!! Cannot wait to see all of our beautiful mixers there!!!,” the girls tweeted from their group account on Monday night, with a video of them heading to the airport.
By Tuesday afternoon, they were already chilling in the city.
“Touch down in Dubai! Wearing my favourite bikini,” Pinnock posted, with a photo of herself lounging at an unspecified location.
Little Mix were the first group to win X Factor UK in 2011, and has since released two albums: DNA, in 2013, and Salute, in 2013. While their Salute Tour last year was a massive hit in the UK, the group cancelled a planned North American tour, saying they were going to focus on their third album instead. Edwards is also the fiancee of One Direction’s Zayn Malik.
The Arabic version of The X Factor, which premiered on Rotana and LBC in 2006, was taken off air after the second season. It returned in 2012 with CBC before it was recently acquired by MBC.
The show’s new judges, singers Elissa, Ragheb Alama and Donia Samir Ghanem will also attend the Dubai event, MBC confirmed to tabloid!.
The Arabic version of The X Factor premieres on MBC 4 and MBC Masr on March 14.
