Cancellation of Two Concerts by Shakira and Christina Aguilera in Abu Dhabi
Two festivals in Abu Dhabi, one featuring Colombian pop star Shakira and the other singer Christina Aguilera, along with a host of global stars, have been canceled, organizers announced without citing reasons, amid the ongoing war in the Middle East, albeit at a lower intensity than in recent months.
The UAE has come under Iranian attacks during the war, which also targeted several other countries in the Gulf region, in retaliation for the US-Israeli strike on the Islamic Republic. The UAE announced it intercepted approximately 3,000 missiles and drones, while others struck various facilities.
Organizers of "Ooflimets," which was to feature Shakira, the Jonas Brothers, and singer Nicki Minaj, wrote on the festival’s official website: "Ooflimets has been canceled. All ticket values will be automatically refunded through the original ticketing platform from which they were purchased. Ticket holders will receive additional information regarding the refund process directly from the original ticketing platform, and our team will provide necessary support for this process when needed. We look forward to reorganizing Ooflimets again in 2027."
Ticketmaster, the organizer of Aguilera’s concert, also announced similar measures without specifying a future date for the event, according to UAE media.
This is not the first time these festivals have been canceled; they had previously been postponed as part of a broader wave of event delays due to the war’s impact on security and air travel.
The "Ooflimets" festival in Abu Dhabi was originally scheduled for April 4, 2026, then moved to November 21, 2026, before its current year’s edition was canceled.
Aguilera’s concert was set to take place at Etihad Arena, a major entertainment venue in the UAE capital, on April 24, and was postponed to September before being canceled.
The Iranian strikes on Gulf countries were part of the Middle East war, in response to the start of a US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28. These strikes shook the image of stability that the UAE had worked hard to build over the years. Although diplomatic efforts succeeded in ending the intense strikes on April 8, the war continues at a slower pace. Nevertheless, authorities are struggling to restart cultural and tourism events, which form one of the pillars of the country’s economy.
