Know your artist: From Ruby, El Esseily and Pousi to Sonu Nigam — 5 acts hitting the UAE to book soon
From Egyptian pop to Bollywood icons, a packed UAE live calendar
The UAE's live music calendar is heating up this August and September, with a lineup that spans Egyptian pop, Bollywood nostalgia, Punjabi energy, and stand-up comedy. Ruby, Mahmoud El Esseily, and Pousi join forces in Abu Dhabi for a night of Egyptian favourites, while Sonu Nigam launches his global Revolution Tour right here in the capital. Dubai gets its own share of star power, with Jasmine Sandlas bringing her Dream Girl Tour to Coca-Cola Arena and comedian Mina Nader taking over Dubai Opera for a night of audience-driven laughs. Here's your guide to five acts worth knowing and booking, before tickets run out.
1) Ruby, Esseily, and Pousi in Abu Dhabi
Three of Egypt's most recognisable voices share the stage at Etihad Arena on 28 August, giving fans a single night that spans pop, romantic ballads, and shaabi grit. Ruby headlines with her catalogue of dancefloor staples, Hetta Tanya, Leh Beydary Keda, Enta Aref Leeh, and Alby Plastic, tracks built around hooks crowds already know by heart. Mahmoud El Esseily follows with a set that swings between high-energy numbers and softer, more emotional material, drawing on hits like Helm Baeed,Doum Doum, Ya Nas, and Fi Heta Tania. Rounding out the bill is Pousi, whose raw, vocals anchor her shaabi-leaning sound on songs such as Ah Ya Donia, Oyouno Hatdamaa, We Nensa Ele Kan, Zayyo Tani, and El Selk Lames. Together the three acts cover very different corners of the Egyptian music scene, making for a night that shifts constantly between sing-along pop, tender ballads, and street-rooted rhythm.
Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
Friday, 28 August
Doors: 19:30 | Start: 21:00
Tickets from: Dh125
2) The Revolution Tour - Sonu Nigam in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi gets the honour of kicking off a genuinely global moment on 21 August, when Sonu Nigam's Revolution Tour launches its worldwide run right at Etihad Arena, courtesy of Blu Blood Entertainment. It's a fitting choice of city for the first stop , the Padma Shri-winning vocalist has spent three decades building a songbook that Bollywood fans across the world grew up on, and this show promises a full sweep through that catalogue in one sitting.
Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
Friday, 21 August
Doors: 19:30 | Start: 21:00
Tickets from: Dh150
3) Jasmine Sandlas Live at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai
Coca-Cola Arena hosts one of Punjabi music's most celebrated voices on 13 September, as Jasmine Sandlas brings The Dream Girl Tour to Dubai courtesy of Pantheon Presents. Known as much for her fearless stage presence as her chart-topping catalogue, Sandlas has built a devoted global fanbase over the years and Dubai should expect the same high-voltage show she's known for delivering everywhere she plays. The night is built around her signature Gulabi fan moments, a nod to the loyal following that's travelled with her music from the start.
Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
Sunday, 13 September 2026
Start: 20:00
Tickets from: Dh149
4) Ahmed Saad & Disco Misr Live at Space42 Arena in Abu Dhabi
Space42 Arena pairs two very different strands of Egyptian sound on 19 September, bringing soulful hitmaker Ahmed Saad together with genre-blending electronic trio Disco Misr for one night that swings from heartfelt vocals to dance-floor energy. Saad's set draws on a catalogue built for emotional impact — tracks like Mekassarat, El Youm El Helw Dah, Aleky Eyoun, El Melouk, Kol Youm, Ya Bakhto, Resala, Basra," and 100 Hesab showcase the distinctive, lively voice he's known for. Disco Misr takes things in a different direction entirely, reworking Arabic classics through funk, disco, and modern groove on releases like Ahla Wahda (featuring Aziz Maraka), Fe Eineh, El Donia Risha F Hawa, and Moshakes (featuring Ahmed Basyoni).
Space42 Arena, Abu Dhabi
Saturday, 19 September 2026
Doors: 19:30 | Start: 21:00
Tickets from: Dh150
5) Mina Nader at Dubai Opera
Egyptian comedian Mina Nader brings his crowd-driven brand of stand-up to Dubai Opera on 5 September, courtesy of Prime Partners Event Management. What sets his show apart is that it isn't scripted in the traditional sense, Nader builds the evening around audience interaction, spontaneous exchanges with the crowd, and real-life storytelling, which means the comedy takes shape in the room rather than following a fixed routine. The approach has served him well: with more than 16 years in comedy and over 500 sold-out shows across the Middle East, Europe, and Canada, he's become one of the leading names in Arabic stand-up. Whether it's your first time seeing him or you already know what to expect, the format guarantees the night plays out a little differently than the last.
Dubai Opera, Dubai
Saturday, 5 September 2026
Tickets from:Dh195
