The BRIT Awards 2021: Dua Lipa, Mabel and Maya Jama arrive on the red carpet

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Dua Lipa led the stars at the BRIT Awards 2021 on Tuesday night as she made a sensational arrival on the red carpet at London’s O2 Arena.  

The singer, 25, who is nominated for three awards, looked incredible as she joined Maya Jama, Mabel and Sheridan Smith at the star-studded ceremony – the UK’s first major indoor music event since the coronavirus pandemic. 

Also walking the red carpet were Little Mix, who are nominated for the best British Group award, with pregnant members Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock debuting their baby bumps. They were also joined by bandmate Jade Thirlwall, their previous fourth member – Jesy Nelson, quit the band last year. 

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Dua wowed in a tiny yellow mini Vivienne Westwood Couture corset dress with a deep plunging neckline and a dramatic purple fishnet train which commanded attention on the red carpet.  

Adding racy details, the Don’t Start Now hitmaker wore black suspenders and eye-catching statement purple heels. 

Dua oozed Hollywood glamour as she styled her signature raven locks into a beehive hairdo and added a slick of radiant make-up.

The singer appeared in great spirits as she posed up a storm on the star-studded red carpet and playfully smiled with a life-size BRIT Award.  

Elsewhere, Little Mix’s Perrie, 26, and Leigh-Anne, 29, looked radiant as they both cradled their blossoming baby bumps after announcing they were pregnant within a week of each other, they walked the red carpet with their bandmate Jade, 28.   

The trio, who are marking their first awards night since Jesy left the band, all coordinated in glamorous white ball gowns. 

Perrie and her boyfriend Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 27, announced they are expecting their first child together by sharing a series of stunning black and white images on Instagram on Monday. 

The wonderful news comes just six days after Perrie’s bandmate Leigh-Anne revealed she is also expecting her first child with fiancé Andre Gray.  

Elsewhere presenter Maya, 26, looked sensational as she displayed her toned curves in a plunging cut-out black mini dress adorned with dazzling diamond detailing. 

Adding some finishing touches, the presenter opted for statement eye-catching jewellery and sophisticated matching heels.

Maya styled her brunette locks into a sleek blow-dried hairdo, she added a slick of gorgeous make-up as she posed up a storm on the red carpet. 

Singer Mabel, 25, wowed in a vibrant neon green silk cut-out Tony Ward Couture gown which was adorned with diamond detailing and a racy thigh-high slit. She added matching long-sleeved gloves and barely-there heels.  

Mabel styled her curly blonde locks into a sweptback hairdo, she added a slick of gorgeous make-up and dazzling diamond earrings.   

Sheridan, 39, looked incredible in a tiny black velvet mini dress with a cut-out square neckline and lace detailing for the event.

The actress finished her look with strappy statement heels, a black manicure and dazzling diamond jewellery on the red carpet. 

Sheridan styled her signature blonde locks into a sophisticated high ponytail with a fringe, she added a slick of radiant make-up.  

High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star Olivia Rodrigo, 18, wowed in a vibrant neon yellow chiffon Dior dress which she cinched in with a black belt. 

The actress styled her brunette locks into a voluminous wavy hairdo and added a slick of radiant make-up. 

Pregnant Jessie Ware, who is nominated for two awards, looked sensational as she displayed her growing baby bump in a black sheer chiffon dress. 

The singer, 36, adding a matching choker and racy PVC long gloves which were adorned with diamonds. Jessie styled her brunette locks into a blow-dried hairdo, adding a slick of radiant make-up.   

It comes after Celeste put on a casually chic display in a red-and-white striped top and a chequered skirt as she arrived ahead of the ceremony at London’s O2 Arena on Tuesday. 

Her brunette locks were styled into curls, and she made sure to keep safe amid the coronavirus crisis by wearing a floral face mask upon her arrival at the venue.

Celeste appeared to be more than ready for the night’s event, as she pushed along a large suitcase while also carrying a small handbag.

Before heading inside, Celeste was keen to capture the moment and posed for a photo outside the arena. 

Elsewhere, the 2021 Brit Awards, hosted by Jack Whitehall, will mark the first major indoor music event in over a year as bosses released 2,500 free tickets to key workers. 

The Brit Awards are taking place in front of a live audience of 4,000 people at London‘s The O2 six days before the next phase of lockdown lifts. 

The ceremony, which will be broadcast live on ITV, will celebrate the return to live music and nominee Dua Lipa has promised those attending that it will ‘be a night to remember’. 

The indoor ceremony and live show will form part of the Government’s scientific Events Research Programme, and it will use enhanced testing approaches to examine how events can take place without the need for social distancing after all restrictions are lifted on June 21. 

Working closely with the Government to adhere to safety guidelines, this means The BRITs, will be the first live music show at The O2 in over a year, with 4,000 tickets being up for grabs- just one fifth of the venue’s 20,000 capacity. 

The BRITs 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. 

Audience members will not be socially distanced or required to wear face coverings in the arena, but they will be required to follow existing Government guidance when travelling to the venue and adhere to rules set out by the event organisers.

Among the rules, attendees must have proof of a negative lateral flow test result to enter the venue. 

As part of the wider scientific research on the trial events, attendees will also be asked to take a test after the event to gather further evidence on the safety of indoor settings, reduced social distancing and the removal of non-pharmaceutical interventions like face coverings. 

The show is set to award Taylor Swift – who will make history as the first ever female to be given BRITs Global Icon Award at the ceremony. 

The 11-time Grammy Award winner, 31, will join former winners Elton John, Robbie Williams and David Bowie in being given with the award in recognition of her impact on music across the world and incredible repertoire and achievements to date. 

In numbers provided by Official Charts Company, Taylor is the UK’s biggest selling artist of the year to date in 2021 and has sold over 114m albums worldwide with total global audio + video streams reaching 78b.

Taylor is the only artist in history to have four consecutive albums – Speak Now, RED, 1989 and reputation – sell over one million copies in their week of release.   

She is also the only artist to have nine albums each sell at least half a million copies in a single week, with Fearless, Speak Now, RED, 1989, reputation, Lover, folklore, evermore, Fearless (Taylor’s Version).

Taylor is nominated for a second BRIT award this year for International Female Solo Artist, her sixth BRIT nomination to date.  

The Icon gong is the highest accolade given and is reserved for truly exceptional artists – following on from Elton, Robbie and David. 

Nominations were unveiled in March, 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.

Confirmed to perform on the show are: Arlo Parks, Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Griff – this year’s Rising Star award winner – Headie One, Olivia Rodrigo, and Rag’n’Bone Man & P!nk with the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust Choir.