DUBAI: On Friday, British singer Jorja Smith awed UAE fans with a soulful performance held at Dubai’s Burj Park against the sparkling backdrop of the world’s tallest building. The free concert, which also saw former One Direction star Liam Payne hit the stage, was Smith’s first time performing in the Middle East. The 22-year-old crooner wowed audiences with her daydreamy vocals, belting out some of her biggest hits from her second studio album, 2018’s ballad-filled “Lost & Found.” She hit the stage wearing a silky, mint-green pantsuit to perform her deeply personal tunes, including “Goodbyes,” "The One," “Be Honest” and “Blue Lights.” Hailing from Walsall in the UK’s West Midlands, the rising star began taking piano lessons when she was eight-years-old. By the time she was 15, she was uploading her own songs to YouTube. Three years later, she would move to London, where she worked as a barista to support her singing career. Her rise to fame came in 2016 when she dropped her “Project 11” EP that grabbed the attention of Canadian superstar Drake, who enlisted Smith on two tracks on his 2017 mixtape “More Life” and gave her a supporting slot on his tour. The singer, who has drawn comparisons to the late Amy Winehouse, went on to land a solo placement on Kendrick Lamar’s “Black Panther” soundtrack, a handful of collaborations, standalone singles and two Brit Awards, including Best British Female Solo Artist. It’s been a busy couple of weeks for the Grammy-nominated R&B star. Her performance in Dubai comes just days after she shut down the Global Citizen Prize at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Dec. 20. Smith’s mini concert on Dec. 27 was among a string of performances that marked the start of the Dubai Shopping Festival, which kicked off on Dec. 26, with live shows from iconic Algerian musician Cheb Khaled, Egyptian crooner Sherine Abdel Wahab, Emirati singer Hussain Al-Jassmi and British artist Liam Payne, formerly of One Direction. It was Payne’s second concert in the Emirati city. He previously performed in front of jam-packed audience at Global Village in 2018.