Dubai was no random selection. After putting together the Once upon a Time World Tour 2026, Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and his team didn’t even think of London, Toronto or New York. It was Dubai. The concert will be held tonight (Sunday, July 5) at 8pm at the Coca-Cola Arena in City Walk.
Dubai is not simply a commercial decision, it’s also a cultural statement. There are over 3.5 million South Asian nationals residing all over the UAE. Many of these developed their voice with this. It’s not only about a booking choice, it’s a starting point for the tour. It’s a statement on the location of Rahat’s most loyal fans.
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A Voice That Needs No Introduction
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was born on 9th December 1974 in Faisalabad, Punjab. He started his formal classical training at the age of seven and his debut as a performer on stage was at the age of eleven when he was playing alongside his uncle Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in traditional qawwali concerts.
The name Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan has a tremendous legacy in the history of both South Asian and World music. Nusrat took qawwali to new frontiers where it had never been heard before and performed with artists such as Peter Gabriel, Eddie Vedder and Michael Brook. Both the lineage and the responsibility were passed down to Rahat.
He carries it in a different manner. Rahat developed a more melodic, more devotional voice which was easy to switch between the traditional qawwali, devotional Sufi music, ghazals and commercial Bollywood/Lollywood playback singing, whereas Nusrat’s voice was raw and seismic.
From songs of religious devotion, romantic longing and cinematic drama, Songs from Mann Ki Lagan to Zaroori Tha, Afreen Afreen, Sayonee, Garaj Baras, O Re Piya, Tery Mast Mast Do Nain, you will find it all contained within this. That’s why he tours arenas as large as Coca-Cola arena around the world.
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Concert: The Significance of Tonight
Tonight’s concert is not simply another stop on a touring schedule. It is the official global launch of the Once Upon a Time World Tour, presented by IM Live. More significantly, it is the first time Rahat is sharing a major international stage with his son, Shah Zaman Ali Khan.
The two are described as “a two generation show” and Shah Zaman is the next generation of a musical family that has continued for at least three generations. Rahat’s father Farrukh Fateh Ali Khan was a renowned classical musician.
Rahat’s uncle Nusrat revolutionized the perception of qawwali around the world. It is yet to be seen if Shah Zaman ever transcends into similar territory, but tonight he has a 17,000-seat stage to begin the answer.
The list of songs in the programme will include Sufi qawwalis, ghazals and classic songs and will not be announced beforehand. Traditionally, Rahat’s shows in Dubai last for 90 minutes to two hours and he is a showman who actively engages audiences, incorporates extended improvisatory moments in the qawwali parts and even repeats favourites if required by the audience.
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Concert: The Practical Details
The ticket price begins at AED 190 and varies for different seating sections. Patrons over 12 months old must be ticketed. Children under 16 years are not allowed to attend unless accompanied by a parent or adult 18 years or older.
E-tickets will be sent within 5 days after the event has been held – please look at the registered e-mail address before going out of town. Smoking, drugs and weapons are not allowed in the venue.
City Walk, Dubai is the address of Coca-Cola Arena. Take the Sheikh Zayed Road Exit #47 towards Al Safa Street and head towards City Walk by car. Metro: Red Line to Dubai Mall/Burj Khalifa station, walk for about 5 minutes.
With tonight being a Sunday evening in July it is likely that road traffic will slowly increase from approximately 7pm towards City Walk. If you plan to arrive at 7:30pm you will have a reasonable time to get in and at 8pm the doors will open.
Why Does This Matter Beyond the Concert?
It’s not necessary to explain to people who’ve already seen a concert by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan the very unique ‘feel’ of his shows, which many people simply cannot describe until they have been in the presence of one of the legends.
He plays music that a large part of this city’s population heard at weddings, at dargahs, when they were longing for a relaxing drive, when they were in a car with their music playing late at night.
For many South Asian residents of the UAE, his voice is not simply entertainment. It is a memory. It is home. Choosing Dubai to open this world tour is, in that sense, the most honest thing the tour could have done.
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