Dubai has quietly become a gathering place for global music and culture, but on February 28, 2026, this rhythm was suddenly interrupted.
By Albert M. Carter, co-owner of Wave Sound Studio and founder of AudioSwim Agency
The night before the war started, I was in the studio with New York rapper Lil Tjay. This was one of those sessions where everything felt good. The atmosphere in the room was great, the music was flowing and the record we made felt special. When he left, he was excited about what we had created. In my opinion this is some of the best music he has recorded in a while. He planned to leave Dubai the next day and carry on as an artist. None of us knew that less than twenty-four hours later, the region would be talking about a war between Iran, the United States and Israel.
My name is Albert M. Carter, partner of Wave Sound Studio in Dubai and founder of the AudioSwim agency. My life here revolves around music. Artists come to the city from all over the world to record, collaborate, and take a break from their daily lives. Over the years we have worked with artists such as Jason Derulo, Rick Ross, Central Cee, Offset, Mohamad Ramadan, Lil Tjay, Lacrim, Yo Yo Honey Singh and many more. Dubai has quietly become a meeting place for global music and culture. Artists from all over the world come here to vacation, they come here to work, they come here to create something new. But on February 28, 2026, this rhythm was suddenly interrupted.
I remember that moment clearly. I was walking into a conference venue when I heard a loud bang. I didn’t think much of it at first. In a busy city, you hear all kinds of noise—delivery bikes, construction, traffic echoing between buildings. I thought it was something mechanical. Then my phone started ringing. It’s my girlfriend, and her voice sounds different than usual. She said people were saying the UAE was under attack and I needed to go home. I stayed in the meeting for a few extra minutes with my phone on silent, thinking it could be confusion or rumours. When the meeting ended, I finally looked at my phone. There were dozens of messages waiting—friends, family, group chats all asking the same question: “Are you okay?” People said there had been an attack on the Fairmont Palm.
When I got home, I opened Instagram like everyone else. My timeline was suddenly filled with footage of explosions and smoke rising in the distance. But when I walked out of the building and looked up, the sky above me was very calm. The sun was starting to set and everything seemed peaceful. It’s one of the weirdest feelings I’ve ever experienced, watching something serious happen online while the street outside your house still feels quiet. Later that night we booked the artist in the studio. They are from Sweden and traveled to Dubai specifically to record. When they walked in, you could see they were shocked. Dubai has always been known as one of the safest places in the world, so to suddenly be here when the news is talking about missiles and attacks is difficult for them to handle. We talked for a while, trying to understand what was going on and what it might mean for the city. Eventually someone said, “Let’s get back to work,” and that’s what we did.
It’s been almost two weeks now and everyone is still speculating on what will happen next. One thing I realized during this time is that you never get used to those rumbling sounds. I grew up in Philadelphia. I’ve been in communities that people call war zones. I experienced street fights and tense situations where things could get serious at any time. I’ve been through shootouts, fights, things that anyone who grew up in Germantown, Philadelphia, has been through. However, nothing can prepare you for the real-life explosions associated with missiles or military defense systems. It’s a feeling I’ve never felt before. When this happens, your body freezes for a moment, your heart skips a beat, and you start trying to figure out your next move. Even though the sky above you still looks calm, something inside you knows this is different.
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What makes this moment even more unusual is that it occurs during the holy month of Ramadan. Normally, Ramadan is already a slow time for many businesses as the pace of life changes. After people fast during the day and families break their fast and pray, the activities shift to nighttime. The city developed in a calmer, more reflective way. But Ramadan feels heavier. Traffic seems smoother than usual, and some artists who live here are still working and recording, but international travel has slowed and many are keeping a close eye on the news. Dubai has quietly become a home for artists from around the world. It’s a place where musicians from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East meet and collaborate. Now the entire community is waiting to see what happens.
Part of the tension comes from the alerts we receive on our phones. We have received official information about possible drone, missile and ballistic threats. Before you read the words, the sound of the alarm itself can get your heart racing. A message told residents to stay away from windows and open areas and seek shelter in secure buildings because of the potential missile threat. This was followed by another message assuring everyone that the situation was safe again and normal activities could resume with caution. These alerts remind you that the situation is real, but they also show how quickly the government is communicating with people here.
For businesses like mine, this time brings uncertainty. Tourism slows down. Artists reconsider travel plans. A studio like Wave Sound relies on musicians flown in from all over the world to create, collaborate and focus. When the region appears in international headlines due to conflict, it naturally affects the movement. But the truth is life doesn’t stop here. Shops are open, malls are open and restaurants are still packed with families breaking their fast every night. Mosques are overcrowded during Ramadan prayers. My recording studio is open. In fact, during one of these incidents, the building next to one of my business partners was hit by falling debris, which is a reminder of how real these events can feel even as cities continue to function.
We sometimes hear explosions. We’ve seen videos circulating online of people who know people who have been directly affected. None of this is good for business, and it’s not something anyone wants to experience. But there’s also a resilience here. The UAE is known for its stability and preparedness, and even in stressful times like these, you can see systems working hard to protect people and keep daily life running smoothly. At Wave Sound Studio, we have contingency plans in place in case the situation escalates. This is simple responsibility.
The bigger question now is what happens next. Dubai has spent years establishing itself as a global center for culture, tourism and creativity. Music is part of the story. Artists from all over the world come here to live, work and create new things. From where I stand, there are still reasons to be hopeful. The studio lights are still on, artists are still recording, and families are still sitting together every night to break their fast. Even in uncertain times, life goes on. The real question now is not whether the region can survive such a moment. The real question is what we build after it.
For more information, visit @studiowavesounddubai
