Photo credit: Dave Meyers with art direction by Pilar Zeta
The BRIT Awards 2021 with Mastercard today announce that Coldplay, one of the world’s biggest bands with over 100million album sales worldwide to date, will be opening this year’s show on 11th May.
This UK exclusive - their first TV performance in over a year - will see the band performing on a pontoon on the Thames near The O2, and will follow the release of their new single ‘Higher Power’ which is out this coming Friday (7th). Coldplay join an incredible line-up of performances alongside the already-announced Arlo Parks, Dua Lipa, Griff - this year’s Rising Star winner, Headie One, Olivia Rodrigo and Rag’n’Bone Man & P!nk with the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust Choir. Coldplay last performed at the BRITs in 2017 with Chainsmokers, and before that in 2016. Along with countless hit singles, eight No. 1 albums, over 20 billion global streams and one of the biggest tours of all time (for 2016/17’s ‘A Head Full of Dreams tour), they currently hold the title of being the most nominated group at The BRITs, with 28 nominations in total and nine award wins.
The BRIT Awards last month announced that it will be the first major indoor music event to welcome back a live audience – with 2,500 tickets gifted by the recorded music industry to frontline heroes and their guests via a ballot (which has now closed). The indoor ceremony and live show will form part of the Government’s scientific Events Research Programme, using enhanced testing approaches to examine how events can take place without the need for social distancing, which means The BRITs, working closely with the Government to adhere to safety guidelines, and as the first live music show at The O2 arena in over a year, will play an important role in paving the way for the return of live music at scale as the UK emerges from the past year’s restrictions.
This year’s BRIT Awards will take place 11th May at The O2 arena, exclusively broadcast on ITV and ITV Hub and hosted by award winning comedian and actor Jack Whitehall.
Nominations were unveiled last month with Celeste, Dua Lipa, Joel Corry and Young T & Bugsey joining Arlo Parks in receiving three nominations each, and Jessie Ware, J Hus, Bicep, AJ Tracey up for two awards as with Headie One.
Griff has already been named as this year’s Rising Star award winner.
Mastercard return as headline partner for the 23rd year, having supported The BRITs for over two decades, bringing cardholders closer to music through a range of priceless experiences - from tickets to the BRITs, or Priceless Surprises with some of the UK’s best loved artists. This year, Mastercard will continue to sponsor the much sought after Mastercard Album award, as well as British Single with Mastercard for the first time and is proud to carry on connecting people to priceless possibilities. Amazon Music is the Official Digital Music Partner for a second year and will host the Official BRIT Awards 2021 playlist as well as sponsor the Male and Female Solo Artist categories.
