If there was one thing that the pandemic could not put a stop to, it's live music. Video conferencing technology and live-streaming platforms have enabled artists around the world to perform for fans – from empty arenas or intimate living room sets.
On Sunday, however, the biggest live-streamed performance to date took place, as K-pop group Blackpink teamed up with YouTube to perform a number of songs from their debut album, The Album.
It was the first time these tracks were performed live after the album's October 2020 release.
Access to the live stream was available to buy on the Blackpink YouTube channel, and the four-piece girl group, which comprises Jisoo, Jennie, Rose and Lisa, dazzled their fans.
Fans screen-grabbed moments from the show, sharing them on social media, along with their abundant praise for the K-pop girl group.
Fans were truly waxing lyrical about the show:
However, it was the individual performances that were truly the highlight.
New Zealand-born Rose gave a debut performance of her solo single, Gone, while Jisoo performed a cover of Habits by Tove Lo, and Lisa performed a cover of Doja Cat's Say So. Jennie also went solo with a new rap verse in the aptly named 2018 track, Solo.
The live performance was originally scheduled to take place on December 27, but was postponed to January 31.
"Postponing to January 31 allowed us to add a special stage that would have been difficult if it had been originally carried out as scheduled," Blackpink told Billboard. The group described the concert as a "special gift to fans".
In October, shortly after the release of The Album, a documentary about the group was released on Netflix.
Blackpink: Light Up the Sky covers the journey from the band's formation in 2016 to their explosive performance at 2019's Coachella Festival in the US. As well as the fun and fame of pop-stardom, director Caroline Suh shows the emotional and physical strain that comes with the job.
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Read more:
Five must watch K-pop documentaries: From Blackpink and BTS to Nine Muses
Meet Winter, the first member of anticipated all-girl K-pop group Aespa
K-Pop group Shinee to host live broadcast for fans
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Forwards: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck
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Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
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- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
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- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
