Lady Gaga Lands In Middle East, Promises Not To Bare The Flesh
Lady Gaga arrived in the Middle East Monday night with the promise that she wouldn’t be donning any revealing costumes when her ArtRave: The Art Pop Ball tour hits Dubai on Wednesday.
Speaking at a short press conference shortly after landing at Dubai International Airport, the singer — renowned for her headline-grabbing outfits — answered questions about whether she would be baring any flesh on stage for her first performance in the Arab world.
“No, I will not be,” she said. “I respect the culture here, and this show will be appropriate for all the fans here in Dubai.”
Gaga arrived wearing a floor-length gown that she said had been made by a Dubai-based designer, in stark contrast to the near-naked jumpsuit she wore at Tokyo’s Narito airport last month. She also confirmed that some parts of the show had been modified to reflect local customs.
“I know there are some artists that are very strict about their policies of adhering to their art and not compromising, but I actually think it’s important to respect other cultures and not force them to adhere to the beliefs of your own country,” she said. “In fact, I think it’s a better way to connect with the people and to connect a message.”
Gaga’s gig at Dubai’s Meydan Racecourse on Wednesday is the star’s first performance in the United Arab Emirates. However, despite the fact that her shows sold out in the U.S. and U.K., the local media have been reporting that only half of the tickets have been bought.
The next stop on Gaga’s ArtRave tour will be Tel Aviv on Saturday. The singer confirmed in a video that the concert would be going ahead despite acts such as Lana Del Rey and Neil Young canceling their shows following the recent conflict in Gaza and calls for a cultural boycott of Israel.
The Hollywood Reporter
Alex Ritman