Wireless Festival, Europe’s biggest celebration of urban music and pop culture, will light up the UAE’s music scene on November 23, bringing with it an eclectic selection of incredible artistes. 

 

Taking place at Etihad Park on Yas Island, this magnificent event will unfold an unparalleled musical extravaganza that will leave all music fanatics spellbound. Proudly presented by Live Nation Middle East, the show promises an electrifying day of entertainment, showcasing an otherworldly fusion of sounds and styles.

 

After its epic sold-out debut in 2023 with over 25,000 attendees, Wireless Festival Middle East has earned its place as a must-attend event on the UAE’s music calendar, captivating audiences with a whole host of stellar performances from world-famous stars across hip-hop, urban, rap, R&B, grime, dance, and many other genres. With the date for the 2024 edition and the first list of performing artists now unveiled, the anticipation is off the chart with this year’s festival set to be larger than ever, with even more acts and new exciting additions.

 

List of the artistes

SZA

A distinct force in contemporary R&B, SZA has set herself apart with a poetic songwriting style and a voice conveying a multitude of emotions with subtle twists and turns. SZA, who will be making her long-awaited debut in the region, established herself with a trio of spaced-out Eps and collaborations with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, and Rihanna.

 

She received five Grammy nominations for her “Ctrl” album, followed by even more nominations the next year by assisting Kendrick Lamar with “All the Stars”, a Top Ten hit. Her “SOS” album went straight to number one on the Billboard 200, produced four Top Ten pop singles – including the chart-topping revenge fantasy “Kill Bill” – and earned the artist three Grammy awards. The versatile R&B singer is set to play her first Glastonbury performance this summer as a Pyramid headliner, epitomising her dramatic rise to fame.

 

21 Savage

Born in London, 21 Savage quickly rose to fame with his debut mixtape “The Slaughter Tape” in 2015, earning him the title of "underground hero in Atlanta" by Interview Magazine. His unique sound, blending Atlanta's trap and Chicago's drill, caught the attention of industry giants like Metro Boomin', leading to collaborations that topped charts and garnered significant sales.

 

21 Savage’s recent album, “American Dream”, debuted in 2024 at number one on the Billboard 200 with 133,000 units, marking the artist’s sixth top ten entry and his fourth consecutive album to top the charts. An ever-popular figure, 21 Savage will be making his first appearance in the region at the highly anticipated return of Wireless Middle East.

 

Yeat 

Since bursting onto the scene in 2015, Yeat has quickly become one of the most exciting and enigmatic rises of his generation in music. Born in 2000, Yeat’s low-fi melodies, clever cutting lyrics, distinctly mysterious persona, and the explosive popularity of his “Gët Busy” song, have all contributed to his unique brand.

 

Earlier this year, Yeat hit a massive career milestone with his highest charting album to date, 2093, debuting at #2 on the Billboard 200. Within its first week of release, the blockbuster project reached over 150M global streams and sold 70,000 equivalent album units. Soon to take the stage at this iconic festival, Yeat will perform his inaugural show in the region captivating his fans and taking the Middle East by storm.

 

Karan Aujla

Jaskaran Singh Aujla, known professionally as Karan Aujla, is an Indian singer, rapper, and songwriter based in Canada who is widely known for mastering Punjabi music. After relocating to Canada in 2014, Karan’s reputation preceded him as he saw some of the leading artists from India calling on him to write their hits, including “Range”, written for Jassi Gill, which became a smash back home. In 2021, he released his debut album, Bacthafucup, amassing over a hundred million streams across platforms and securing his first Top 10 on Spotify’s Global Chart.

 

Karan’s latest album ‘Making Memories’ has cemented him as the fastest-growing artist from India, in recent times, while his recent collaborative project with DIVINE secured numerous spots in the Billboard chart. Karan also recently made history at the Juno Awards 2024 as the first Punjabi artist to win this prestigious accolade. 

 

Other incredible artistes

Promising to wow the audience with every performance, Wireless Festival Middle East’s stellar lineup includes artists from all over the globe, ensuring that every music fan has something to enjoy. Attendees can expect some lyrical witticism from Fridayy, a Haitian-American singer and songwriter known for his 2023 hit single “When It Comes To You.” Renowned for his unique musical journey from singing at church to selling out arenas, Fridayy has collaborated with a whole of stars including Lil Baby on “Forever,” DJ Khaled for his album “God Did,” and Chris Brown on Fridayy’s 2023 single “Don’t Give It Away.”

 

Festivalgoers can also look forward to the eclectic flows of Flo Milli, an American rapper nominated for Best New Artist at the 2020 BET Hip Hop Awards who rose to prominence after her songs “Beef FloMix” and “In the Party”, went viral on the social media platform TikTok. 

 

Sure to move the crowd, she will perform an array of her biggest hits, including the smash anthem “Never Lose Me,” which reached the Billboard Hot 100. Raf Saperra, a grime and road rap aficionado known for his Punjabi folk covers on social media, will be making an appearance too, looking to impress fans with the refined, rustic purity of his vocals.

 

The rest of the confirmed lineup includes a range of other talented performers such as Pakistani rapper and songwriter Faris Shafi, “Hummer” singer Dina Ayada, and the Egyptian-American rapper, producer, and songwriter Mazen, Lancey Foux, a British rapper and singer known for his expressive lyrics, and Seedhe Maut, an energetic hip-hop duo from New Delhi, India, consisting of Siddhant Sharma and Abhijay Negi.

 

Homegrown talents

Bringing some local flair to proceedings, Stick No Bills, a collective curated by DJ Jeff and Aaron Ferns for the third-culture South Asians who were born and raised in the melting pot that is the UAE. DJs Jeff & GT will be showcasing their unique blend of South Asian & Global sounds. 

 

The group has been on a journey of discovery since they initially organised exclusive invite-only events that drew in remarkable crowds of 650 attendees. Following the launch of a series of dynamic collaborations earlier this year, the group have been filling their calendar with electrifying performances at diverse venues like Al Quoz Arts Fest at Alserkal Avenue to sharing the stage with Indo Warehouse, IYKYK at Iris and hosting nights at 25h, Electric Pawn Shop and Soon DXB.--TradeArabia News Service