On the 12th day of Christmas, a rockstar sang to me.

A UAE-based community group is sharing the joy of the season with the gift of music for all

Last Friday marked the beginning of the popular carol - 12 Days of Christmas. The song, which builds up over time (and exhausts vocal chords in the process) tells the story of someone who receives gifts from his true love every single day leading up to Christmas. The gifts include gold rings, calling birds, French hens, turtle doves - and, of course, a partridge in a pear tree.
Obviously, the gifts are extravagant and nearly impractical, but a merry group of musicians in Dubai have decided: a gift is for everyone - no pipers piping involved. Home Concerts UAE is a music group that organises free concerts in people's homes. Christopher Rodrigues, one of the founding members of the group, said: "We are a community that's grown over the last six years from a mere 10-member group to over 4,000." The group is extremely active on the local scene and on social media, where they release videos and photos from their intimate music events.
Being part of a 'home concert' is a magical experience. As a musician myself, I can tell you it has a more laidback feel - almost like singing for your close friends. Each home concert is not just about the music but more so about the conversations and laughs that are shared between each set. Stepping inside someone's villa for a home concert is akin to entering a family home as everyone in the group greets newcomers with a smile.
But let's talk about what Chris calls the Christmas Project. Based off the classic carol, the group decided to give the gift of music every day - so, starting from December 13, they have been releasing a cover of popular Christmas songs performed by homegrown, UAE-based musicians. "We thought it would be a great idea to give the people residing in the UAE and across the world a little something," Chris remarked.
The idea first came to him during a practice session for a gig. "The whole project started with the thought of doing just one song for Christmas. One evening, while practicing for a gig, my bandmate and I thought it would be a good idea to have other musicians involved. As there is no dearth of talent in this country, we reached out to the members of Home Concerts UAE and almost immediately got responses from musicians interested in the project."
And right he was, for as soon as he put out the announcement, he was inundated with responses from musicians who were keen to take part. Ultimately, the first artists to express interest were chosen.
The final line-up is an excellent example of the wonder that is the UAE  music scene. There are both young and young-at-heart folks, multiple nationalities, bands and solo singers - all representing various musical genres. Suffice it to say, these aren't the Christmas ditties we're used to playing when the holiday season begins.
One less-spoken aspect of the whole project is how it affects the lives of expats in the country. With some of us having to spend Christmas far away from family, Chris said these music videos can be shared with family and loved ones even if they are halfway across the world - and this is specifically true for the project's participants. "The musicians involved could share these videos with their family and loved ones who may or may not be with them for Christmas this year," he concluded.

SING ALONG
Here's taking a look at some of the musicians who have been - and will be - serenading the UAE in the run-up to Christmas. Who will you be listening to?

December 13
Viviana - Green and Gold
Born in Italy, Viviana's repertoire is predominantly American country songs, giving them a fresh take with her crisp vocals. She also enjoys giving performances in a plethora of different languages. She ushered in the 12 Days of Christmas with her rendition of Green and Gold.

December 14
Siobhan - Last Christmas
Talented and homegrown singer Siobhan Dourado teams up with chef and guitarist Bradley Raphael on their first ever collaboration, putting their unique twist on a holiday classic, Last Christmas by WHAM!

December 15
July & Henry - Let It Snow
For July & Henry, creativity is boundless; love transcends differences. The two artists unite to perform Let It Snow.

December 16
Karyoke - Silent Night
Karyoke is a Dubai-based indie-folk duo comprising Karthik and Yohan. This year, they breathe new life to the classic Silent Night, one of the most melodious and soothing carols of all time. The melody envelopes you as a blanket would on a cold winter night.

December 17
Lea & Chris - Santa Baby
Lea Realon and Chris Rodrigues form the acoustic duo Lea & Chris. This year, they share their playful, bluesy take on the tongue-in-cheek holiday tune, Santa Baby.

December 18
The Viewing Party - Winter Wonderland
Born and raised in the UAE, Kasha Fernandes (singer), Nathan Rodrigues (guitar), Bentic Sebastian (keyboards) and Tesson Joe (bass) form The Viewing Party. They are former classmates who reunited to make music together. Amidst their many interests - which include road trips, stargazing, and late night chai breaks - they are on a quest to create captivating shows for their listeners. Their cover of Winter Wonderland celebrates the wonders of the season and reminds listeners of the beauty of love in winter.

December 19
Greyzie of Soultrip - Greensleeves
Greyzie is the vocalist of the Dubai-based band, Soultrip. In her dreamy rendition of the solemn Christmas carol, Greensleeves, she echoes Soultrip's unconventional and incomparable music.

December 20
Raheleh ft. Bafoory & Kurt - All I Want for Christmas is You
Raheleh has lived in the UAE her whole life. Being of Iranian-Arab background, she has been exposed to so many different sounds and genres. With her powerhouse vocals, she takes on Mariah Carey's timeless hit All I Want For Christmas is You, and performs it with the first Emirati rock artist Bafoory and fellow musician Kurt.

December 21
Haranero - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Haranero regularly plays at open mics all around Dubai and did a short residency gig with Yamaha Cafe in Boxpark. He is a busker who travels around the world to play music in the streets. He recently played in the streets of Georgia and Armenia.

December 22
Boye Henry - White Christmas
Boye Henry is a UAE-based singer-songwriter, jazz enthusiast and guitarist for the band STOIC. He believes that art isn't about perfection. He sings White Christmas as he calls on everyone to love and to cherish every moment with friends, loved ones, and the less privileged.

December 23
Jonathan Lobo - O Holy Night
Jonathan Lobo was born and raised in Dubai. A lawyer by day and a musician for life, he weaves together hits from not too long ago with chart toppers of today for that youthful vibe. He performs O Holy Night as the penultimate performer in the series.

December 24
F.I.S.H - Jingle Bell Rock
F.I.S.H is a 5-piece acoustic funk-pop group based out of Dubai made up of Thara Dhishay, Steve Zachariah Abraham, Alan Emmanuel Ebenezer and Allan Jonathan David. They are looking to spread joy through their shared love for music and vocal harmonies. Performing one of the most well-loved yuletide pop songs, F.I.S.H ends the 12 Days of Christmas with a bang.
keith@khaleejtimes.com