DUBAI: Fans of Michael Jackson will get the chance to relive the King of Pop’s iconic performances when tribute show “This Is Michael” comes to Jeddah for one night at Abadi Al-Johar Arena on Aug. 21.
Ahead of the show, Spanish director Javi Fernandez told Arab News that authenticity — not imitation — sat at the heart of the production. Brazilian performer Lenny Jay, who is based in Milan, leads the show as Jackson.
“Lenny Jay has an extraordinary natural connection with Michael Jackson’s voice, movement and stage presence,” Fernandez said. “At the same time, he brings his own energy, sensitivity and personality to every performance.”
The aim, he added, was to “honor the details that audiences know and love while keeping the show alive, emotional and genuinely performed in the moment.”
Jay said he was looking forward to his first performance in the Kingdom. “I’m incredibly excited to perform in Jeddah for the first time.
“Bringing Michael Jackson’s music to Saudi Arabia is a dream for me, and I can’t wait to share the energy and emotion of the show with the audience there. I’m sure it will be a very special night,” he said.
Fernandez said Jackson’s legacy endured because his music travelled beyond “language, geography and generations,” carrying “universal messages about love, unity, injustice and personal change” that continued to draw younger listeners alongside longtime fans.
Everything in the show is performed live, which he described as both the “greatest challenge” and “the greatest joy.”
The musicians, dancers, technical team and creative departments all needed to “work as one,” he said, with rehearsals timing every lighting cue, visual and costume change while preserving the spontaneity of a concert.
Bringing the show to Saudi Arabia was “genuinely a dream,” Fernandez said, describing Jeddah as a meaningful new destination at a time when the Kingdom was welcoming major international productions “with genuine enthusiasm and curiosity.”
He expects the local audience to bring its own energy and identity to the night.
Asked to name a single Jackson track, Fernandez chose “Smooth Criminal,” praising its blend of “music, rhythm, storytelling, choreography and visual identity.”
He cited Queen, The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Prince as reference points — artists who understood that a concert “could become a world of its own.”
“That philosophy strongly influences how we approach ‘This Is Michael,’” he added.
The show has toured Latin America and played Spain, Portugal, France and Singapore, with Sri Lanka set for 2026 and further European dates, Japan and the US planned for 2027.
