Rihanna's New Year payday

Nov 25, 2009, 9:05 GMT

Rihanna will earn $500,000 to perform at a New Year's Eve party.

The 'Umbrella' singer has been asked to sing at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi to help revellers see in 2010 in what will be her first performance in the Middle East.

A source told the New York Post newspaper: "She was supposed to perform back in May but she cancelled in the aftermath of the assault. This is a make-up date."

Rihanna had been due to perform in Dubai earlier this year, which would have been her first show since she was attacked by ex-boyfriend Chris Brown in February.

However, she cancelled the concert as she felt she wasn't ready to return to the stage.

Rihanna will not be the first star to earn a vast amount of money for a one-off concert.

On New Year's Eve 2006, George Michael was paid $2.6 million to perform 13 songs at a party for Russian nickel magnate Vladimir Potanin and a few months later was given around $2.5 million to sing at the 55th birthday party of Sir Philip Green, the owner British fashion chain Topshop.

Last year, it was revealed Amy Winehouse was paid $1.6 million to perform in an old Russian bus garage for Daria 'Dasha' Zhukova - the girlfriend of Chelsea Football Club owner, billionaire Roman Abramovich.

The Rolling Stones were paid around $7.3 million for playing at the 60th birthday bash of billionaire David Bonderman.