Plug in, folks, because Time Out is about to crank up the volume.
‘BestMusicVideo’ is trending on Twitter right this second, and we know the question has crossed your mind. What are the best music videos that have been shot right here in the UAE?
We’ve sorted through our playlists to being you the top ten, right here.
Bowdak Yellow by Cardi B
The New Yorker uses all of Dubai’s attractions for her breakthrough single. From riding a camel in the desert to throwing up cash in Dubai’s nightclubs (as well as chilling with a cheetah at a villa) Cardi B shows that she is making money move in one of the most-watched music vids shot in the UAE.
Cookin by Fat Joe
Lambos, men riding camelback through the desert, an entourage risking heat exhaustion by running out into the dunes in full tracksuit, music videos don’t come more ballin’ than Fat Joe’s visual experience of Cookin. There’s a snippet of the Dubai skyline and streets (just to confirm the rappers co-ordinates and give those Lambos some tarmac to tear up), plus a tiger and plenty of seemingly unattended pyrotechnics. Fire for your playlist and retinas.
Jopping by Super M
The K-Pop megastars went on all out for this glitzy shoot in the summer of 2019. Shot in Dubai, Happiness Street in Business Bay, Al Khail Road and Meydan Bridge make an appearance with Taemin throwing shapes against the backdrop of the city’s skyline.
New Look by Rita Ora
The Hot Right Now singer gets behind the wheel in this shoot as she races down the Bur Dubai. When she isn’t testing the torque of her vehicle, she is putting in some slicks moves at Meydan Bridge and Al Seef in 2019.
Lean On Me by Now United
Emirates Palace hotel takes a starring role in this music video from Now United. Comprising 16 members from 16 different countries, the group settled on a shoot at the luxe five-star destination for its authentic Arabian décor.
One Night in Dubai by Arash, featuring Helena
When Iranian singer Arash dropped his One Night in Dubai hit in 2019 (it has more than 21 million views on YouTube) there wasn’t any prize for guessing where the whole thing would be shot. Jumping between desert expanses (musicians love the stuff) and the city’s glittering skyline, capturing the best of both worlds.
Shine Your Light by Jay Wud
Rocker Jay Wud proved that Dubai isn’t just a destination for musicians clad in chains worth more than our house. The producer / guitarist picked selected the city’s skyline as the backdrop for his black and white music video for Shine Your Light, giving the skyscraper-emblazoned skyline a punky new edge.
So Much by Wiz Khalifa
Flitting from poolside sunlounger to penthouse pad to the depths of the desert and back again (repeatedly), rapper Wiz Khalifa completes a whistle-stop tour of Dubai in his video for So Much. He even finds time to get up close and personal with a pair of giraffes, which we very much need to see more of in our music videos, thank you very much.
Thunder by Imagine Dragons
Hailing from Las Vegas, the rockers are not used to doing things by half and in their Thunder video, fans are treated to a different viewpoint of Old Dubai and Sheikh Zayed. Dubai Design District gets a major promoting with dancers of all beings adding to the area’s quirky and unique vibe.
Zillionaire by Flo Rida
There are defiantly a few big spenders in the UAE, and Flo Rida used them as the inspiration for his Zillionaire video. Yacht parties, a fleet of supercars, a safari park’s worth of wild characters, and unlike the other videos in this list, a skim down the slopes of Ski Dubai. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Flo Rida vid without some muscle pumping in the gym. If you’ve got it…
Wala Kilma by Freek
Escaping Dubai for a moment, Somali rapper shows a different side to the UAE that isn’t just skyscrapers, fast cars and camels. For his video Wala Kilma, Freek visits Umm Al Quwain and chills in an abandoned Soviet-era aircraft. Nothing too freaky about that.
