They say when in Rome, do as the Romans do! The same applies to good old Arabia. But perhaps some visiting Western pop stars didn’t get that memo before jetting off to our end of the globe or referencing our region in their lyrics.
Although you can strut your stuff in a bikini on the beach in Dubai or a mini LBD on Beirut’s corniche, certain things just can’t be done in our fairly conservative countries. Yes, we’re talking to you Justin Bieber!
Don’t get us wrong, we love hosting international artists, especially when they’ve traveled land and sea to sing their souls out for us or to pop in at a glitz & glam red-carpet event. It’s just like, could they tame it down a little for our traditionalists?
We’ve got to give it to Lady Gaga, though. She was on her best behavior when she showed up to the UAE for her Dubai gig - no nudity or distasteful meat dresses were in her stage wardrobe - but she still managed to post some pics from her hotel room that made local fans blush.
We’re not here to name and shame these unenlightened stars, but maybe this can be a cultural lesson for all our future A-list guests from the West on what not to do in the Middle East if they want to keep the peace.
