For Majid-Jordan, the grind never stops – whether in a Dubai hotel room or a Toronto studio.
Jordan Ullman, one half of the Canadian-Bahraini R&B duo, is moving aside production gear – including a turntable and keyboard sprawled on a chair – to make space for our interview, only hours before their recent Dubai Opera performance.
"At the end of the day, we are music heads and we have recorded many of our works away from the studio, from tour buses to hotels," says Ullman, a producer and multi-instrumentalist. "Even with the growing success, we don't really want to lose that approach of being able to create anywhere we go. Just last night I did a mix here in the hotel."
This nomadic creative process stems back to their earliest days. In 2010, Ullman and Bahraini singer Majid Al Maskati were college students making music in their dorm room when they were discovered on SoundCloud under the name Good People.
Their sound – moody production, reverb-heavy vocals and introspective lyrics about connection and isolation – became a hallmark of what would be known as SoundCloud RnB, a movement spearheaded in Toronto alongside acts such as The Weeknd and PartyNextDoor.
"We were just a couple of guys making music in our dorm, so we really had no frame of reference regarding what we were doing," Al Maskati recalls. "But I do remember we were hanging with fellow artists who were operating at a very high level, so we learnt a lot from that experience."
One of those artists was Noah Shebib, who would change their trajectory entirely. Impressed by the group's debut 2011 EP After Hours, Shebib signed them to Ovo Sound, the label he co-founded with Drake. It all came at a crucial moment for Al Maskati, who had just finished his university degree.
"That man gave me a life in Canada and literally helped me immigrate there," he says. "At the time, I was alone in Toronto with no family. He was the one who took responsibility, sponsored me, and even gave me my first laptop, microphone and access to resources."
The investment paid off with Majid-Jordan releasing four well-received albums, the newest of which is Good People. Named after their former moniker, it's no mistake.
Their latest release intentionally returns to their roots – both musically and geographically. The album, which features the languidly catchy Waiting For You (with Sade-inspired vocals from Naomi Sharon) and the cinematic Violet, was deliberately split between two recording locations: Toronto, where their journey began, and Manama, Bahrain, where Al Maskati's family lives.
Doing it this way, Ullman remarks, was to present a more fully rounded release transcending their Canadian roots. "A lot of the time you put music out in the world and it takes a shape that you didn't initially envisage," Ullman explains. "For example, us being spoken about as a Toronto R&B duo somehow became the accepted reality, even if it wasn't the full picture. So we intentionally started the album in Toronto and finished it in Bahrain to tell our complete story."
For Al Maskati, returning to Bahrain is deeper than just making music.
"We wanted to shine a light on Bahrain and this part of the world, so people could hear more about it. You hear things in the news, but it's really a simple characterisation or general summary of the place, but you can’t summarise a country, an area, or a region – let alone a person,” he says. “So we just wanted to show that music is being made here. There’s energy here, there’s creativity here, and there are resources."
Al Maskati confirms the band will spend the rest of the year in Bahrain to rejuvenate ahead of another year of recording and more concerts. Reflecting on how the region's cultural landscape has evolved since he left for Canada as a student more than 15 years ago, he sees an opportunity for further championing the region.
"There are a lot of great things happening here and more artists from this region are stepping up and proudly representing who they are," he says. "I think it's important for me to be here and connect with people. It's a responsibility and a blessing I've had my whole life. Now I'm making sure that I show up for the region in the way that so many people here showed up for us."
These adventures will also not be lost in the mix. "We have our recording equipment everywhere we go," Jordan says. "Everything we do together is made with the intention of sharing it with the world."
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More coverage from the Future Forum
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Results
6pm: Dubai Trophy – Conditions (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner: Silent Speech, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby
(trainer)
6.35pm: Jumeirah Derby Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (T)
1,800m
Winner: Island Falcon, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
7.10pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Dirt)
1,400m
Winner: Rawy, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
7.45pm: Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Desert Fire, Hector Crouch, Saeed bin Suroor
8.20pm: Al Fahidi Fort – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Naval Crown, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.55pm: Dubawi Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Al Tariq, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watsons
9.30pm: Aliyah – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Dubai Icon, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor
Biography
Favourite Meal: Chicken Caesar salad
Hobbies: Travelling, going to the gym
Inspiration: Father, who was a captain in the UAE army
Favourite read: Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter
Favourite film: The Founder, about the establishment of McDonald's
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
WORLD CUP FINAL
England v South Africa
Yokohama International Stadium, Tokyo
Saturday, kick-off 1pm (UAE)
BANGLADESH SQUAD
Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim (wicketkeeper), Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan (vice captain), Mohammad Mithun, Sabbir Rahaman, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Jayed (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
Pari
Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment
Director: Prosit Roy
Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
Three stars
Leaderboard
63 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)
64 - Rory McIlroy (NIR)
66 - Jon Rahm (ESP)
67 - Tom Lewis (ENG), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)
68 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
69 - Justin Rose (ENG), Thomas Detry (BEL), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Danny Willett (ENG), Li Haotong (CHN), Matthias Schwab (AUT)
MATCH INFO
Day 1 at Mount Maunganui
England 241-4
Denly 74, Stokes 67 not out, De Grandhomme 2-28
New Zealand
Yet to bat
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
MATCH INFO
AC Milan v Inter, Sunday, 6pm (UAE), match live on BeIN Sports
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The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
Honeymoonish
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
