French jazz diva Ann Ducros set the stage alight with her performance at the closing gig of the Philips Dubai International Jazz Festival.
"I am always slightly scared when I go to perform somewhere and I don't know how my music will be received," said Ducros. "I have never been to this part of the Middle East before, but I really love Arabic music."
Ducros said she was impressed by the sizeable number of fans who knew the French songs in her repertoire and joined in to sing with her.
"I had no idea so many French speakers would be here. To have a whole audience sing Les Feuilles Mortes [The Dead Leaves, by Yves Montand] in Dubai is just amazing," she said.
Ducros, however, felt disappointed that no Arabic artists from the region took part in the festival.
"The only Arabic [performance] was [from] Kamal, a great guitarist who played with me. Hopefully, next year there will be a greater mix of artists, although everybody here was fantastic. I am so passionate about music," Ducros said.
"I think mixing music within different cultures is what it is all about especially in Dubai, which is full of so many different cultures. Music in the West or in the Middle East is all the same. Everybody gets something out of it," the jazz icon said.
The jam sessions held at Jam Base in Madinat Jumeirah have also been a popular haunt for jazz fans and musicians to enjoy after-hours music.
"The atmosphere is incredible. I knew most of the musicians and there's a real camaraderie between us. Everybody just gets on like we've played together for years. I tried to be reasonable the night before my show but it's like a playground really, it is a lot of fun," Ducros said.
Creativity draws on people's human side, said Ducros. She has been inspired by Dubai and its residents.
The public gave back and participated in her performance, she said.
"The best version of any song is the one you do on stage, and which people get into and take part in. There are no barriers when you are on stage with an enthusiastic public. Music is about vibrations it's in the air and people feel it," she said.
Dubai may see a lot more of Ducros taking centre stage because since her performance she has received many offers for concerts and even one from a music school.
"I would love to come back here and headline a concert. Taking part in a festival is also about discovering new things," the singer said.
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