Saudi pavilion hosts Oscar-winning Indian composer A. R. Rahman at Cannes Film Festival

The singer was spotted at the Saudi pavilion where he was welcomed with Saudi coffee. (Twitter/@MOCSaudi)
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Updated 24 May 2022
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Saudi pavilion hosts Oscar-winning Indian composer A. R. Rahman at Cannes Film Festival

DUBAI: Oscar-winning Indian composer A. R. Rahman jetted to Cannes this week to attend the 75th edition of the city’s renowned film festival. 

Besides walking the red carpet and attending film premieres, the singer and songwriter was spotted at the Saudi pavilion where he was welcomed with Saudi coffee. 

“Taking pride in the Kingdom’s legacy of generosity, Saudi coffee is being prepared at the Cannes Film Festival,” the Ministry of Culture in Saudi Arabia shared on Twitter, adding images of Rahman at the Saudi pavilion. 

Saudi coffee is heavily associated with generational hospitality and generosity, providing a close connection to the country’s customs and traditions.

In January, the Ministry of Commerce announced that the commercial name of Arabic coffee will be officially changed to Saudi coffee in the Kingdom’s restaurants, cafes, stores and roasters. 

The announcement, by ministry spokesman Abdulrahman Al-Hussein, is in conjunction with a Culture Ministry initiative in naming 2022 as the “Year of Saudi Coffee” as a way to strengthen the identity and culture of Saudi Arabia.

The record producer was spotted on the red carpet during Cannes Film Festival  opening ceremony. He attended the premiere of French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius’s zombie comedy “Final Cut (Coupez!)”


Lolo Zouai takes to Berlin’s Colors platform

Updated 42 min 4 sec ago
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Lolo Zouai takes to Berlin’s Colors platform

DUBAI: French Algerian singer Lolo Zouai took to the Berlin-based music platform Colors this week, delivering a live performance of her latest single “Desert Rose PT.II.”

The appearance comes as the track climbed to No. 1 on Algeria’s R&B chart within 24 hours of its release. A sequel to “Desert Rose” from her 2019 debut album “High Highs to Low Lows,” the new single features lyrics in Arabic, French and English, reflecting the cross-cultural influences that shape her sound.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Lolo Zouaï (@lolozouai)

Zouai marked the achievement on Instagram, sharing a series of posts including a photo of herself wearing an Algeria football jersey, alongside the single’s cover art and a screenshot showing its chart ranking. 

“Grateful for the love on this one. Can’t wait for you to hear the studio version and the rest of ‘Reverie’,” she wrote.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by COLORS (@colorsxstudios)

She also reposted a collage of fan reactions, including a TikTok video that read: “It’s 2026 and we still haven’t had another song like ‘Desert Rose’ out.” Others said: “Can’t wait for Desert Rose pt. 2” and “wdym desert rose pt. 2?!?!?!”

The single forms part of her upcoming third studio album, “Reveries,” due for release on April 24. She announced the date last month alongside the music video for “Holding On,” another track from the project.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by COLORS (@colorsxstudios)

Blending R&B with dance-pop elements, “Holding On” delves into themes of grief and memory. The video is dedicated to Zouai’s close friend, Hanna Rosa Hotchkiss, who died in 2021.

In a statement on Instagram, Zouai described the album as the product of a transformative period in her life: “This record was made through three years of grief, growth, and reflection. I had to lose myself to find myself again. I couldn’t have done it without my angel, Hanna. Thank you to my collaborators, my friends, and my Lo-riders who held me down through it all. I hope it heals you the way it healed me.”

Known for her blend of R&B, club-pop and hip-hop, Zouai has gained an international fan base for her dynamic stage presence and genre-blending music.

Zouai’s last release was in November, when she dropped a new single titled “3AM in San Francisco.”