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29 March 2024

Natalie Cole wows audience in Abu Dhabi

Published
By Staff

Nine-time Grammy Award winner Natalie Cole wowed the audience in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday with her performance as part of the Abu Dhabi Festival. The singer, songwriter and performer thrilled the audience with a packed repertoire of famous favorites from a career that has spanned more than three decades.

Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research President and Patron of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation was amongst the thrilled audience who attended this unforgettable performance.

As one of the most beloved performers of all time, Cole captivated the audience with her flawless performance which included an effortless blend of jazz and pop with her ever-soulful approach. One of the night’s highlights was Cole’s emotional duet of ‘Unforgettable’ with her father – the legendary Nat King Cole and her heartfelt performance of Mona Lisa. Along with Smile and LOVE, Cole delivered classics such as Frank Sinatra’s Route 66 and a breathtaking rendition of Fever.

Speaking directly after the concert, Mrs. Hoda I Al Khamis Kanoo, Artistic Director and Founder of the Abu Dhabi Festival, said: “The Abu Dhabi Festival is committed to attracting the best international talent to Abu Dhabi each year.  I am utterly delighted to welcome Natalie Cole to the Abu Dhabi Festival for her first performance in the Middle East. I am sure I speak for the entire audience when I say that this was an enchanting evening of music. The sincerity and power of Natalie’s unique talent shone through in what was a poignant evening of music and song.”

An artist whose work has been making an impact on the music world since her 1975 debut album, Inseparable, (which went gold and won two Grammy awards) Cole brings a career rich in achievement and accomplishment to Abu Dhabi. The 1991 Unforgettable…With Love album, featuring a duet with her father Nat King Cole as the title track, spent five weeks at the number one spot in the American pop charts selling over eight million copies in the US alone. The album, a jazz collection set a new standard for reinventing the Great American Songbook, earned her six Grammy awards including Album and Record of the Year. Almost two decades later, in 2008 Natalie released her second tribute album ‘Still Unforgettable’ earning herself a further two Grammys.

Over the last three weeks the Abu Dhabi Festival has captivated audiences across the United Arab Emirates with a packed programme covering Education and the Community, as well as attracting international talents to Abu Dhabi. The Festival will culminate on Friday, 6th April with a concert from the tour de force of Arabic song, Fadel Shaker who will pay homage to the icons of Arab music in a concert entitled ‘A Night of Legends’.