{
  "id": 8286339,
  "title": "Sing to your own tune: Fafa on why UAE artists need to back their original music",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/sing-to-your-own-tune-fafa-on-why-uae-artists-need-to-back-their-8286339",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-18T18:01:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/music-stage/2026/09/18/fafa-fatima-emirati-honduran-singer-hidden-bar-abu-dhabi/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Fafa, the Emirati-Honduran singer, performed at Abu Dhabi's Hidden Bar in April, playing original neo-soul, jazz, and R&B material. The show led to a follow-up, which sold out, and was released as a live album, The Veiled Essence Experience: Live at The Hidden Bar. This performance was part of the Music in the City initiative by the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, aiming to showcase the city's diverse music venues. Fafa, whose real name is Fatima bin Safwan, emphasizes the importance of local artists creating and performing their original work, stating that it is time to normalize the idea that creativity already exists in the UAE. The upcoming royalty rules, set to take effect on December 1, will provide a more formal route for songwriters and rights holders to receive royalties when their music is used commercially, offering two sources of income for artists. However, Fafa cautions that artists should not be driven by commercial success when creating original music. Instead, the change should demonstrate the value of artists creating and performing their own work, encouraging venues and promoters to recognize and support original content. Fafa stresses the need for artists to be assertive in playing their own work, as venues should not dictate the type of music performed. She believes that venues should hire entertainers to provide entertainment, not merely as a musical director. Fafa's time in New York and Los Angeles has shown her the benefits of open mics and small stages for artists, and she hopes that the UAE's music scene can benefit from similar opportunities.",
  "summary": "When Fafa performed the first of two planned shows at Abu Dhabi’s Hidden Bar in April, she faced the usual questions asked of a local musician: was there enough space, enough time and, most importantly, would people show up? The gig, featuring Fafa and her band playing original material spanning neo-soul, jazz and R&B, left her with more welcome problems. The buzz around the show led to a…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Sing to your own tune: Fafa on why UAE artists need to back their original music",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/sing-to-your-own-tune-fafa-on-why-uae-artists-need-to-back-their",
        "published": "2026-09-18T18:01:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}