SADEQ ALKHOORI (ABU DHABI)

A six-year-old girl asked for the microphone, stepped in front of hundreds of people and sang. For Hamad Alshamsi, co-founder of Harmony Abu Dhabi, moments like this explain why the gathering exists.

“People are no longer simply attending,” he told Aletihad. “They’re contributing, giving back and taking ownership of what JALSA represents.”

A Modern Majlis
Created by Harmony Abu Dhabi, in partnership with Manarat Al Saadiyat, JALSA is a free cultural and musical gathering inspired by the openness of the majlis. It brings Emirati stories and values into a contemporary setting through live music, storytelling, set design, food, conversation and community participation.

“The majlis is less about what the room looks like and more about how it makes you feel,” Alshamsi said. “You enter, you’re welcomed, you listen, you contribute, and there is a place for you.”

That feeling has also been reflected by people who have attended and taken part. The last event was held at Manarat Al Saadiyat on August 29. Testimonials published on Harmony Abu Dhabi’s website describe JALSA as “warm and welcoming”, “part of the same community” and an experience that “felt like home”.

JALSA’s first season moves through four chapters: The Majlis, The Desert, The Sea and The Stars. Each carries a value from the UAE’s story: belonging, resilience, connection and aspiration. Together, the chapters form what JALSA calls “From Majlis to Mars”.

For Alshamsi, the journey is about growth without disconnection.

“We should never be afraid to grow wings and fly as high as we can, as long as we remain grounded in the roots that allowed us to take off in the first place,” he said.

JALSA was founded by Hamad Alshamsi, Abdullah Alshamsi and Preston D’Costa, three friends whose relationship with music and one another began around a decade ago. Hamad’s role centres on storytelling and cultural framing, Abdullah brings a contemporary Emirati creative voice, while Preston helps shape the music, sound and audiovisual experience.

For Abdullah Alshamsi, known as Not.So.Human, the strength of JALSA lies in making culture feel close rather than distant. “Young audiences want to have fun, and JALSA gives heritage a welcoming, creative setting,” he told Aletihad.

He said music, humour and digital storytelling allow people to enter cultural conversations naturally. “The easiest way to connect with people is to be relatable,” he said. “People don’t come to JALSA only to watch something; we want them to recognise parts of themselves in what they’re experiencing.”

That recognition is not limited to Emiratis. Across its first chapters, JALSA has brought together UAE-based artists and audiences from different ages, backgrounds and nationalities, with music spanning Arabic sounds, jazz, rock, Indian music and other traditions.

“Appreciating this culture doesn’t have to depend on where you were born,” Abdullah said. “A home is what you make it.”

An experience, not only a show
From the production side, Preston D’Costa said each chapter is designed as an experience, not simply a show. “The theme becomes the foundation for everything,” he told Aletihad. “Every artist should be able to bring their own identity while contributing to the larger story.”

That balance is especially important in an open-mic setting, where unplanned moments can become the most memorable parts of the night. “You can’t plan everything in a live show,” D’Costa said. “Often, those spontaneous moments become the best parts.”

As JALSA grows, its founders say the challenge is to protect the intimacy that made it special. The platform has already welcomed more than 1,500 attendees and more than 40 UAE-based artists from over 20 nationalities across its first chapters.

“The production can become bigger,” D’Costa said, “but the feeling should always remain personal".