BRIT Awards 2021: Dua Lipa plays medley as she pays homage to Geri Horner in Union Jack outfit

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Dua Lipa hit the stage in scintillating style when she hit the stage at the 2021 BRIT Awards on Tuesday night.

The singer, 25, entertained fans as she ran through a medley of some of her biggest hits at the ceremony, held at London’s O2, while donning an eye-catching ensemble that included a Union Jack-print wrap skirt.

Levitating hitmaker Dua’s choice of ensemble hearkened back to Geri Horner’s headline-making patriotic minidress, which she wore as she performed at the same awards show some 24 years ago, back in 1997.

Dua teamed her skirt of choice with a matching blazer – which she swiftly removed – a white blouse and black cravat, while a gold waistcoat with a scooped neckline complemented her look.

Adding a racy touch, the star retained her black stockings and suspenders from her red carpet ensemble, while patent buckle heels rounded out her head-turning look.

The chart-topping star oozed Hollywood glamour as she styled her signature raven locks into a beehive hairdo and added a palette of impeccably-applied makeup.

Also taking to the stage on the night were Elton John and Years & Years, who teamed up to perform the Pet Shop Boys classic It’s A Sin, after teasing the surprise collaboration on social media ahead of the show. 

The Rocket Man hitmaker, 74, took to the stage with Years & Years frontman Olly Alexander, 30, after becoming a huge fan of Olly’s performance as Ritchie Tozer in Channel 4 drama It’s A Sin.

And the joint performance was heavily hinted at on social media, with Elton, Years and Years and The Brit Awards’ Instagram accounts all sharing words that spell out ‘It’s Sin.’

Sir Elton got the rumour mill going on Monday night by posting the word ‘It’s’ on a brightly coloured background, before Years & Years dropped the word ‘A’ in an identical font.

Fuelling the speculation further, the official Brit Awards page then posted the word ‘Sin’, getting fans excited for what will no doubt be an epic performance.

Their cover of It’s A Sin was a fitting choice, as, it shares its name with the critically acclaimed series which starred Olly.  

Elton was a huge fan of It’s A Sin when it aired on TV earlier this year and even shared his appreciation on social media.

Olly starred alongside a cast of rising stars and celebrated favourites including Keeley Hawes, Stephen Fry and Neil Patrick Harris and It’s a Sin has been universally praised by fans.

Coldplay opened the BRIT Awards with an incredible pre-recorded performance on London’s River Thames.

The band, fronted by lead singer Chris Martin, 44, performed their new single Higher Power from a barge in front of the O2 ahead of the live event.

Going on all out for the opening act, Coldplay opted for futuristic dancing holograms and sparkling fireworks for the showcase, which was filmed in the heart of the capital last month.

Chris was ever the showman in the band’s performance as they took to the barge situated outside the O2 Arena. 

The performance included the use of jaw-dropping holograms, adding to the sci-fi theme after the band unveiled their new single last week by streaming it on board the International Space Station. 

It was a performance that kicked off a stellar return to live music, which also included performances from The Weeknd and Headie One.

Higher Power features on Coldplay’s new album which is called Music Of The Spheres, another reference to space and life beyond Earth.

The track was produced by music mastermind, Max Martin, who is known for making numerous hit records including Britney Spears’ Baby One More Time and Backstreet Boys’ I Want It That Way.

Elsewhere, the 2021 BRIT Awards, hosted by Jack Whitehall, marked the first major indoor music event in over a year as bosses prepare to release 2,500 free tickets to key workers. 

The Brit Awards took place in front of a live audience of 4,000 people at London’s The O2 on Tuesday- six days before the next phase of lockdown lifts. 

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

The indoor ceremony and live show formed 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 were not socially distanced or required to wear face coverings in the arena, but they were 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 were 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 awarded Taylor Swift – who will make history as the first ever female to be given BRITs Global Icon Award at the ceremony on Tuesday. 

The 11-time Grammy Award winner, 31, joined 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.