Clé Dubai, the famous Dubai restaurant known as celebrity hotspot roped in singer singer Tina Arena for Australia Day celebration. The Aussie singer had to make do on Thursday night with a makeshift stage positioned in a small nook of Clé Dubai, and considering her short stature, the show would have been almost impossible to witness for those at the back tables. Ever the professional, however, Arena clearly recognized the issue and strolled around Clé Dubai as she serenaded the crowd with some of her biggest hits.
It may have only been a brisk set, but the 47-year-old demonstrated why she remains one of the classiest singers operating today. Backed by only a keyboardist, she sang her popular tracks with bare-boned arrangements — a treat as it allowed the crowd to appreciate her soprano vocals.
The opener Sorrento Moon was a gentle nod to the Aussie crowd, with the song describing a holiday home on the Melbourne coast. It’s also a demonstration of why Arena is a songwriter from what is fast becoming another era. While the breezy 1994 song may be classified as pop, it sounds positively vintage due to a leisurely pace that allowed the notes to breathe without sacrificing any of the hooks.
Next up was Burn, another elegant ballad benefiting from the stripped-down arrangements. Arena’s experience was evidenced in her restraint. In lesser hands, the lovelorn lyrics would have been belted out, thus robbing the song of its brooding intimacy.
It was Arena’s biggest hit Chains that received the most reworking. Instead of reproducing the dramatic vocal fireworks of the 1994 track, Arena went on a different tip. The agony of the chorus was replaced with an almost angry grunt. The aggressive attitude throughout transformed what was a bit of a sappy power ballad into a blues song. Her performance at Clé Dubai is one of the most talked events in the city.
The songwriter and singer, Tina was very excited about the performance at Clé Dubai and mentioned that she loves trying out new things in life. Along with the program, she also mentioned that she visited few hot spots in Dubai including Jumeirah area.
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