Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards Abu Dhabi taps Elyanna, Bader Al-Shuabi to perform

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DUBAI: Palestinian Chilean singer Elyanna will hit the stage at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards Abu Dhabi 2023 alongside Now United, dubbed the world’s first global music group, Saudi pop artist Bader Al-Shuabi and Jordanian singer-songwriter Issam Alnajjar.

The first set of musical acts to perform at the event, scheduled to take place on Sept. 16 at the Etihad Arena, was announced on Monday.

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Event organizers Paramount and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi handpicked Dubai and Los Angeles-based internet personality Osama ‘Ossy’ Marwah to co-host the event.

“Growing up, I watched all my favorite stars take this very stage! I cannot wait to make this KCA the best one yet,” he said in a released statement.

Elyanna recently became the first artist to perform a full set at California’s Coachella music festival in Arabic. The musician is known for her songs “Ghareed Alay,” “Ala Bali,” “Ana Lahale” and the recently released “Mama Eh,” among others.

The Los Angeles-based musician has been normalizing Arabic lyrics in the Western world throughout her career, taking inspiration from artists including Lana Del Ray and Beyonce, as well as Middle Eastern legends such as Fayrouz. In a previous interview with Arab News, she said: “We are introducing a new culture and we are making sure that everybody hears us, everywhere from all around the world.”

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Elyanna’s music is a mix of Arabic and Western beats, something that the singer attributes to her multinational upbringing.

Meanwhile, Now United has been dubbed the world’s first global music team. Singers and dancers from 18 countries make up the group. This year, Zane (US), Savannah (Australia), Nour (Lebanon), Desiree (Brazil), Lamar (UK) and Melaine (Ivory Coast) will perform at the 2023 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards Abu Dhabi.

For his part, Saudi star Al-Shuabi started his career in 2002 and went on to gain fame in the GCC and the Arab world. He has collaborated with K-Pop star Alexa in the past.

The show’s co-host Ossy Marwah is a Syrian Canadian content creator known for his light-hearted and funny videos that often also involve his friends and family. Ossy has amassed over 12 million followers across all platforms, making him one of the region's top YouTube stars.