Miami DJ duo GTA have been chosen by Rihanna as her official support act for her Diamonds World Tour. Matt Toth and Julio Mejia talk about being part of one of the year’s biggest concert tours.
You guys are arguably part of the biggest pop tour this year. How has the experience been supporting Rihanna?
MATT: It has been unbelievable! We've traveled most of the the world with her opening up to some of the biggest crowds we probably might ever see! It has truly been a once in a life time experience and we are so grateful to her and her team.
How did you GTA get involved in the tour?
MATT: We basically got on the tour through our management, who happen to work in the same offices as Rihanna's management (Roc Nation). While we were on our first tour in Europe by ourselves, we got a call from our manager saying that 10 days later, we'll be going on a two month tour through Europe with Rihanna! After we did that, Roc Nation asked us to do the rest of the world (Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East and Caribbean) with her and we agreed!
On the GTA website there is a statement saying Death to Genres? Is that the group's mission statement?
MATT: Yes it is. We love to listen to and make all kinds of music, and we don't want to end up like some of those artists who get cornered into making one kind of sound. So we try making all kinds of different music, and we let our fans know to expect different stuff from us (DJ sets and productions alike).
How did you guys form?
JULIO: We actually met through a mutual friend on Facebook! He showed us each other's music and we we're both really interested in learning from each other. We met up one day to try and work, and everything just clicked. That's pretty much how we formed.
What in your opinion makes a great remix track?
MATT: A great remix track to us is simply a cool groove. We also think less is more, so simplicity in a track really helps with that.
How would you describe the GTA live experience?
JULIO: We'd like to say we are very hype. We try to get the party started and make sure everyone is nice and buzzing.
Finally, what are the group's future plans? Is there an album on the horizon.
JULIO: Yes! We have a lot of original productions and collaborations with some bigger artists in the works that we're really excited about. Also we're working on an album that we're aiming to put out sometime next year.
GTA will perform before Rihanna at the du Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, on Saturday. Tickets from Dh250 at www.ticketmaster.ae. Visit www.thinkflash.ae for ticket packages sasaeed@thenational.ae
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How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
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More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
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Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
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Specs
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Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
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Overall head-to-head
Federer 6-1 Cilic
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Grand Slams titles
Federer 18-1 Cilic
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Federer: Winner (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012)
Cilic: Final (2017*)
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APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
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Based: Riyadh
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UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
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Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
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