An interview with Dubai’s rising rock band on “Pretty Psycho,” “The Fate of Ophelia,” and ambitions for world domination.
I enjoy my job here at Rock the Joint Magazine. It may not make me rich, but every day opens up new music and artists I can listen to. The teenage me who would listen to music in my bedroom has matured into an adult me listening to music all over the place!
This is a new band that is emerging from the Dubai rock scene called Ark Angels, and we are happy to be around at the start of things, because we really feel that these guys can make a big impact in the next year or two. At the moment they are known for a couple of cover songs, and with their own material being written and increasing interest from beyond Dubai itself, the road is open and the future is dancing. This is an interesting piece because I learned about the Dubai scene as well, which I knew so little about. I remember Kiss doing a pay per view event during COVID from a Dubai hotel that year, but I enjoyed myself with this piece!
Allow me to share the press release with you before dipping into our interview. I’ll finish by reviewing a few of their songs.
“Fresh off winning Jack Daniel’s Battle of the Bands, Ark Angels are Dubai’s hottest live act. This powerhouse four-piece — Georgia, Gaby, Yara and Scott — brings a versatile setlist blending pop and rock. Big vocals, tight musicianship, on-stage chemistry that turns any venue into a full-throttle party. There’s nothing quite like them in the region. Building a rock band in a city better known for DJs, luxury hotels and electronic music came with its challenges. As one of Dubai’s first female-fronted rock bands, the Ark Angels often found themselves having to prove they belonged in rooms where few expected them to be. Yet that determination became part of their
identity, earning them a loyal following and a reputation for emotionally charged performances, powerful musicianship and an undeniable connection on stage.”
Our exclusive interview:
Can we start by asking for a band name check – who does what!
Lead Vocals – Georgia
Drummer – Scott
Guitar & Bass – Gaby
Guitar & Bass – Yara
I did a second take when I read “emerged from the Dubai rock scene” – I know I am a music journalist, but that raised as much an eyebrow as “emerged from the Greenland rock scene!” – I will show complete ignorance – Dubai rock scene? What is going on over there and are you emerging from it now to look toward world domination?
Georgia: Dubai’s rock scene definitely surprises people! Most people associate the city with DJs, luxury hotels and huge pop events, but there’s a growing underground community of rock musicians, original artists and venues packed with talent.
For original music especially, it’s still relatively young compared to places like London, Los Angeles or Nashville, which makes it an exciting place to be. We’ve been lucky to grow alongside that scene, and initiatives like the ‘Jack Daniel’s Battle of the Bands’ have given emerging artists a platform to be heard. Winning that competition helped us take the next step and record our debut single, “Pretty Psycho.”
We’re proud to be part of what feels like the beginning of something special for rock music in the region.
And yes… world domination is very much on the agenda. 😉🤘
Covers are a terrific way to gain attention, Andreea Munteanu from Iron Cross we have covered and she is a classic example of building momentum from covers. But why “The Fate of Ophelia” and how did you approach it to make it distinctively in your style?
Scott: Actually, The Fate of Ophelia was a very spontaneous decision.
We were approached by a videographer from Switzerland who was visiting Dubai and wanted to collaborate with us, so we needed to come up with something fairly quickly. Our lead singer, Georgia, suggested “The Fate of Ophelia” by Taylor Swift and, almost before we’d had time to overthink it, we were in the studio recording it the very next day.
As for making it our own, that happened quite naturally. We’ve spent the last four years playing together several nights a week across Dubai, so we’ve developed a sound and chemistry that tends to find its way into everything we play.
Honestly, we never expected so many people to connect with our version of the song, but we’re incredibly grateful that they did. Seeing people from all over the world discover the band through that cover has been a wonderful surprise.
That looked a crazy place to film for the Ophelia video! The road just disappears into sand -where is that and did you have loads of fun making it (your guitarists rocking away was great!)
Georgia: Haha, it’s quite literally called “The Road to Nowhere!” It’s a stretch of road in the middle of the desert that doesn’t lead to anywhere, which felt pretty fitting for the atmosphere of the song. It definitely came with its challenges, but we had an amazing time filming there. Rocking out in the middle of the desert isn’t something you get to do every day! There’s something surreal about standing in complete silence in the middle of the desert and then suddenly blasting a rock song into the landscape.
I know that you are under the commercial rock umbrella but vocally you reminded me of Jen Rezavi of LA pop punk band The Bombpops, – Georgia have you always been into singing? Were you the girl in school singing in the school musicals? Seriously…I could absolutely see you in the musical “Six” as Anne Boleyn!
Georgia: Oh wow, you must have a good ear! I grew up listening to a lot of pop punk, I was utterly obsessed with Avril Lavigne, so I’m sure those influences find their way into my singing whether I mean them to or not. And yes, I was absolutely that kid in school musicals! I spent a lot of my childhood performing in theatre productions, with my first lead role being the Scarecrow in The Wiz at the Devonshire Park Theatre.
It’s funny you should mention “Six,” because our previous bass player actually went on to perform in the show! So there’s definitely a strange Ark Angels connection there.
As much as I love musical theatre, and it’s definitely helped shape me as a performer, being part of a band was always the dream. There’s something really special about creating music with your best friends and sharing that energy on stage
What plans are afoot (sounding Sherlockian there) for the rest of 2026?
Georgia: 2026 is already turning out to be such an exciting year! We’re currently working on new original music, which is something we’re incredibly excited about, and we’re looking forward to sharing more of that side of Ark Angels with the world.
Alongside that, we’ll continue doing what we love most—playing live. Whether that’s festivals, new venues, or opportunities further afield, we’re always looking for ways to take the band to new audiences.
I read you performed at Formula One Abu Dhabi – that must have been great?! What did you perform and what are your memories of that one?
Georgia: It was our first time performing at Formula One Abu Dhabi, so it was super exciting.
That said… it was far from glamorous! We were performing on multiple stages throughout the day, so there was a lot of travelling between locations, carrying gear, rushing to soundchecks and trying to stay on schedule. I remember it being unbearably hot. At one point we were so sweaty that we had to change outfits before the next set!
It’s definitely a memory that will stay with us forever and who knows… maybe we’ll be on the main stage next time!
Fun Question -It is a hard winter’s night (this is your tour of the Scottish Highlands and not in Dubai lol).. The tour van/bus has broken down and a harsh wind blows through the night. Nearby you see a small house, it seems abandoned, yet there is a fire burning, food on the table and working electricity. While you wait for morning – what book and what film will get you through the night?
Ark Angels: This is such a great question and sounds like something that could actually happen to us!
Honestly, since we all have such different tastes in films, we’d probably spend the whole night arguing over what to watch! 🤣
If everyone got a vote, I think the selections would look something like this:
Georgia: “Freaky Friday”
Gaby: “Forrest Gump”
Yara: Harry Potter and the “Prisoner of Azkaban”
Scott: “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” (or probably the entire trilogy if we’re being honest!)
We’d probably opt for a card or board game if that was an option! Hitster, Monopoly and Heads Up! are few band favourites
My Review:
“The Fate of Ophelia” is the most recent release, and after watching the video I found myself wishing I had been there. That’s usually a good sign. Ark Angels have the rare ability to make a performance feel like an event you don’t want to miss. I can see they have all the elements required to deliver slick, polished pop-rock with confidence and style. There are echoes of Kiss during their “Unmasked” album era, while Georgia’s vocal delivery also brings to mind the pop-punk energy of The Bombpops‘ Jen Razavi. This is a band that oozes confidence, and Georgia leads from the front superbly.
“Pretty Psycho” was the earlier release and is accompanied by a really slick video that would make these girls my Dad’s favourite band in a moment! Joking apart, they deliver a confident, upbeat sound with a modern edge and genuine commercial appeal. There is an infectious energy running through the track, and it demonstrates why winning the Jack Daniel’s Battle of the Bands competition generated such interest. I will be very interested to hear what happens when the group presents a wider collection of original material, because this release certainly leaves me wanting more.
“Toxic” is a renewed version of the Britney Spears classic, which you can find on YouTube. What strikes me most is that, even performing live, Ark Angels remain effortlessly cool. Scott anchors everything from behind the drum kit, the guitars drive the songs forward with real purpose, and Georgia delivers a blisteringly good vocal performance. Rather than simply reproducing a well-known hit, the band injects enough of their own personality and style to make the song feel fresh.
The phrase “one to watch” is often overused in music journalism. Here, it feels entirely justified. Ark Angels have all the ingredients required to make the jump from local success to something much bigger. Keep an eye on them—because I suspect the rest of the rock world soon will.
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Artist website here
Stream music by Ark Angels here
By Anna-Louise Burgess
and
Mark C. Chambers
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