Al Ain’s Al Jahili Fort will host a series of concerts starting with Memory of the Emirati Song on February 16, headlined by singer Majid Hamad Shebab. The event will feature Shebab and other performers play songs from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s while singing original Emirati poetry.
The UAE has rich artistic traditions in folk songs that emerged as accompaniments to traditional activities such as fishing and pearl diving (Al Khtfah or Al Nahma), general desert life (Al Wannah and Al Taghrooda) and celebrations to mark notable events (Al Ayyalah). In the late 1940s, distinctive modern Emirati voices began to emerge, producing songs with a modern flavour still rooted in the traditional singing styles of the Emirates, yet influenced by contemporary music from elsewhere in the region.
The Jahili Fort event is part of a full Al Ain programme or cultural and artist initiatives organised by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), curated to support the Unesco theme Protecting our Heritage and Fostering Creativity.
Entry is free. More at visitalain.ae
