Pricey gigs: High notes, big bucks

While most of us can only dream of being serenaded by a star, for a wealthy few it can be a reality. Amy Winehouse and Christina Aguilera have pocketed millions of dirhams to perform at private parties, but there are others too. We look at some other stars who have performed for fat fees.

Amy Winehouse: Pay packet: Dh7.3 million

Earlier this month Amy made a whopping £1 million (Dh7.3 million) when she performed an exclusive show at an art gallery. The singer performed at the launch of The Garage gallery in Moscow, which was set up by Daria Zhukova, the girlfriend of Chelsea FC’s Roman Abramovich.

Christina Aguilera: Pay packet: Dh14 million

The Dirrty singer was apparently paid a tidy $2 million (Dh7.34 million) for performing at the wedding of Russian Andrei Melnichenko. The diva reportedly made the cash for singing just three songs.

Melnichenko also paid Jennifer Lopez more than a million dollars to sing at one of his parties.

Usher: Pay packet: Dh365,000

Finding a special present for his girlfriend’s birthday was no problem for multi-millionaire internet whizzkid Andrew Michael, who paid the R&B icon singer a sum of £50,000 (Dh365,000) to croon Happy Birthday to his partner Katy Teague at the London club Paper. Usher also cut the cake and danced with the birthday girl.

George Michael: Pay packet: Dh11 million

Last year George Michael was thought to have made a small fortune for performing at a Russian billionaire’s New Year’s Eve bash. The unnamed businessman paid the former Wham! star £1.5 million (Dh11 million) to entertain his 300 guests with an hour-long concert held at the businessman’s Moscow estate.

Rod Stewart: Pay packet: Dh3.68 million

Rod Stewart got a fat pay packet when he played at US billionaire Stephen Schwarzman’s 60th birthday party last year.

The Wall Street tycoon splashed out $1 million (3.67 million) to get the British singer to perform for his extravagant celebration.