Taylor Swift, BTS, Dua Lipa and Billie Eilish are among 20 acts that will take to the Grammy Awards 2021 stage in what promises to be an epic three-and-a-half-hour show.
The ceremony, which is scheduled for Sunday, will be held without an audience at an undisclosed location in Los Angeles, featuring several stages. Comedian Trevor Noah will host the show.
The move comes after a similar show planned for January 31 was postponed because of ongoing safety concerns amid the pandemic.
Despite the circumstances, event producer Ben Winston promises a stirring evening full of heart and optimism for a struggling industry.
"It will be a bespoke night of music that I don't know if we'll ever be able to repeat," he told Rolling Stone.
“It’s about taking a camera into a room, and making an amazing musical moment by filming it quite simply and elegantly.”
Here are a few of the biggest acts performing on pop music’s most important night.
1. Taylor Swift
A huge night could be in store for the pop star, with Swift up for six Grammy Awards, including the prestigious Album of the Year (Folklore) and Song of the Year (Cardigan).
Swift also received a nod for Beautiful Ghosts, taken from the Cats soundtrack.
2. Dua Lipa
It will be a pop battle royale this year, as Dua Lipa matches Swift's tally of six nominations.
Her hit single Don't Start Now is up for three gongs, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year, while Future Nostalgia is up for Album of the Year.
3. BTS
A lot is riding on BTS nabbing their one and only nomination for Dynamite (Best Pop Duo / Group Performance).
If they seal the deal, not only will it confirm they are the biggest pop band in the world, but that K-pop is also a force that's here to stay.
4. Billie Eilish
Will she do it again? After making a clean sweep of the major awards in 2020, Eilish returns to the Grammys with four nominations.
Three of them are for the single everything i wanted (including Record of the Year and Song of the Year) and a Best Song Written for Visual Media nod for the theme tune of the new James Bond film No Time to Die.
5. DaBaby
The hard work is paying off for the talented rapper.
After nabbing two nominations in genre-specific categories in 2019, DaBaby is up for three awards for breakout single Rockstar, including Record of the Year, as well as Best Rap Performance for Bop.
If he wins, it confirms his leading status in the hip-hop game.
6. Bad Bunny
The Puerto Rican rapper and singer continues to lead the charge in Latin pop's crossover to the US mainstream. He is up for two awards on the night, including Best Latin Pop or Urban Album for YHLQMDLG.
7. Post Malone
Will this be the year for Post Malone?
The rapper has received nine nominations over the past three years only to come home empty-handed.
If he wins any of his three nominations this year, it will be for important categories, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for Circles. Post is also up for Album of the Year for Hollywood's Bleeding.
8. Chris Martin
It will be a solo performance from Coldplay. Frontman Chris Martin will hit the stage to perform a track from 2020's Everyday Life, a nominee for Album of the Year.
9. Harry Styles
Harry Styles confirmed his crossover from boy band star to serious artist by nabbing a trio of Grammy nominations.
The ex-One Direction singer is down for Best Pop Vocal Album for Fine Line, Best Pop Solo Performance for Watermelon Sugar and a Best Music Video nod for Adore You.
10. Cardi B
After a stunning 2018 victory for Best Rap Album (Invasion of Privacy), Cardi B returns to the Grammys to perform Clout, which is also up for Best Rap Performance.
The full list of performers and nominees is available on the Grammy Awards website.
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Don't get fined
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4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
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'Young girls thinking of big ideas'
Words come easy for aspiring writer Afra Al Muhairb. The business side of books, on the other hand, is entirely foreign to the 16-year-old Emirati. So, she followed her father’s advice and enroled in the Abu Dhabi Education Council’s summer entrepreneurship course at Abu Dhabi University hoping to pick up a few new skills.
“Most of us have this dream of opening a business,” said Afra, referring to her peers are “young girls thinking of big ideas.”
In the three-week class, pupils are challenged to come up with a business and develop an operational and marketing plan to support their idea. But, the learning goes far beyond sales and branding, said teacher Sonia Elhaj.
“It’s not only about starting up a business, it’s all the meta skills that goes with it -- building self confidence, communication,” said Ms Elhaj. “It’s a way to coach them and to harness ideas and to allow them to be creative. They are really hungry to do this and be heard. They are so happy to be actually doing something, to be engaged in creating something new, not only sitting and listening and getting new information and new knowledge. Now they are applying that knowledge.”
Afra’s team decided to focus their business idea on a restaurant modelled after the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Each level would have a different international cuisine and all the meat would be halal. The pupils thought of this after discussing a common problem they face when travelling abroad.
“Sometimes we find the struggle of finding halal food, so we just eat fish and cheese, so it’s hard for us to spend 20 days with fish and cheese,” said Afra. “So we made this tower so every person who comes – from Africa, from America – they will find the right food to eat.”
rpennington@thenational.ae
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
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The specs
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Number of tracks: 11
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● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
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Initial investment: Dh10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month
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- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
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When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
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