British singer John Newman — playing on your radio these days as the singer on Calvin Harris’ hit Blame — will give a free public performance in Dubai on April 2 to launch the Dubai Design District, also known as d3.
Newman will perform at Meet d3 on April 2, the first of three days of public events to celebrate the launch of the creative hub, with live music, dining, retail and design events. Newman last performed in Dubai in an energy-packed set at RedFest in February 2014.
“Dubai is a stylish place, such luxury, high fashion and culture all in one amazing city,” said Newman in a statement released on Sunday. “The last time I played in Dubai it was a brilliant experience and I can’t wait to come back. I’m really looking forward to playing Meet d3 and it’s great that there is a now dedicated venue in Dubai that will cater to and nurture creative talent.”
The singer is currently in Los Angeles recording his second album, and revealed he’s keen on design himself — with hopes to have his own fashion line one day.
“Music and fashion have always gone hand in hand and designing my own clothes is part of the creative process that I really enjoy. I often have a vision of what I want to wear but can’t find it in store so I love bringing my ideas to life.”
Other performers at Meet d3, which starts at 6pm and continues on April 3 (from noon) and April 4 (2pm) include Talvin Singh, Mashrou’ Leila and Narcicyst.
Other events at the design hub’s opening include restaurant pop-ups and design installations. For fashion lovers, there’s a look at both the modern and the traditional, with the first 3D printed dress made in Dubai (an experimental project by Bint Thani x Inter | Act) and an exhibition, the Evolution of Emirati Dress.
The d3 area, which is still under development, aims to be a hub for creative industries in Dubai, and will also feature hotels, a pop-up shop area and an amphitheatre. Read tabloid! design guru Pratyush Sarup’s guide to d3 here.
