BLUEWATERS AND THE BEACH, DUBAI
ON THE SLY worked with SKYMAGIC to create the music for two large-scale drone shows presented nightly during the Dubai Shopping Festival 2023 residency across Bluewaters and The Beach.
Running throughout the festival season, audiences gathered along the waterfront each evening to experience two distinct story-led aerial productions. Each show explored a different narrative about Dubai through light, movement and music in the sky.
The first show charted the story of Dubai, from its pearl diving origins to the international hub it is today. Sometimes referred to historically as the ‘Pearl of the Gulf’, the narrative followed the transformation of the city across generations.
Drone formations traced moments from the region’s maritime heritage through to the modern skyline, unfolding as a visual fairytale that connected the past and present of the city.
To support this narrative we developed a cinematic orchestral score built around melodic storytelling and evolving themes. The music guided the pacing of the show as the aerial choreography shifted from intimate moments of heritage to larger, celebratory sequences reflecting Dubai’s growth.
The result was a story-led performance where music helped translate the city’s history into an accessible visual and emotional journey for audiences watching along the shoreline.
The second show looked forward, presenting a vision of Dubai as a global city defined by innovation, technology and ambition.
Here the drone choreography focused on dynamic geometric patterns and forward-moving visual sequences that reflected the pace and scale of the modern city.
In response we created a more electronic, synth-led soundtrack designed to emphasise momentum and energy. Rhythm and texture played a central role, helping drive the movement of the drones while reinforcing the futuristic tone of the piece.
Working closely with the aerial choreography, the soundtrack helped translate complex formations into a clear narrative arc that built towards a bold and optimistic vision of Dubai’s future.
Across both productions, music played a central role in shaping narrative, emotion and pacing, helping transform large-scale drone choreography into clear storytelling moments for audiences gathered along the waterfront.
These productions form part of our growing body of large-scale live experience work across the Gulf region.
ON THE SLY creates soundtracks for fireworks and drone shows around the world.
CREDITS
BROADCAST
Dubai
