Pop royalty Emeli Sande will join superstar DJ Paul Oakenfold on the bill for Sandance NYE, alongside the previously confirmed Axwell.

The British-born singer will bring her soulful tunes to the sand on December 31 in what is yet another major coup for Dubai’s biggest beach party.

The 26-year-old, who has worked with the likes Rihanna and Cheryl Cole, as well more urban stars like Wiley, Labrinth and Professor Green, previously performed in the UAE in 2009.

Sande’s hits include  ‘Next To Me’ and ‘Beneath Your Beautiful’, while her list of appearances include the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games in London, as well as the White House for President Obama. She has won numerous awards, including two BRITs and two Ivor Novellos.

The piano ballads will provide the perfect parallel to the work of Oakenfold, one of the Godfathers of dance music after more than three decades in the industry.

The Perfecto Records boss, 50, has not released any original material for more than five years, but remains a leading figure in the genre. Since ‘Not Over’ hit the shelves in 2008, Oakenfold has worked on numerous projects, including film scores collaborations with Cher and Madonna.

Confirmation of the two acts came as revealers danced to the tunes of Jamiroquai, Rudimental, Basement Jaax and more during November’s edition of Sandance.

The event, which takes place on Nasimi Beach, right outside Atlantis, The Palm, will be headlined by Swedish mix king Axwell, the four-time Grammy-nominated producer who spent the last five years as part of the Swedish House Mafia, alongside Sebastien Ingrosso and Steve Angello. His biggest hits include Don’t You Worry Child (featuring John Martin), Save The World and In My Mind.

The Swede was also part of the line-up at the 2010 NYE celebrations in Dubai, and has since gone on to make a name for himself as a remix-extraordinaire, churning out monster hits for Usher, Pharrel, and even Madonna.

Last year Ellie Goulding and Rita Ora took to the stage, while Roger Sanchez, Paul Van Dyk and BBC Radio One legend Zane Lowe also performed.

As well as the live music, organisers of the event have claimed they will “light up the sky with the most spectacular fireworks display Dubai has ever seen”.

More acts for the 12-hour spectacular on December 31 will be announced imminently, though tickets are already on sale priced at Dhs395 (advance), Dhs 450

Sandance Beach, Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai
Taxi: Atlantis, The Palm
December 31, 3pm-3am
Dhs395
sandance.ae