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Serena Williams On The Runway In Gucci At Milan Fashion Week: Photos
Music

Serena Williams On The Runway In Gucci At Milan Fashion Week: Photos

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Serena Williams made a striking impression at Milan Fashion Week, turning heads at Gucci’s Spring/Summer 2026 show held at the historic Palazzo Mezzanotte.

The tennis legend and fashion icon arrived in a dramatic semi-sheer black gown, complete with feather trim embellishing the neckline, sleeves, and hem—an ensemble that effortlessly blended elegance with bold flair.

The event not only featured Gucci’s latest runway looks but also premiered The Tiger, a short film co-directed by Spike Jonze and Halina Reijn, underscoring the fusion of fashion and cinematic artistry.

Williams later took to Instagram to share a carousel of images from the evening, captioning the post with her signature wit: “Only playing the cards I was dealt. @gucci.”

A regular front-row fixture, Serena joined fellow A-listers Gwyneth Paltrow, Lila Moss, Alia Bhatt, and BTS’ Jin at the show.

Her deep-rooted ties to fashion include launching her own clothing line, Serena, in 2018, walking for Balmain in 2022, and making history in 2023 as the first athlete to receive the CFDA Fashion Icon Award.

From opening the Vogue World show in NYC in 2024 to attending Paris Fashion Week’s top labels, Williams continues to redefine what it means to be both a champion and a fashion trailblazer.

VIBE gathered a collection of Serena Williams’ finest looks from Gucci’s Spring/Summer 2026 show.

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Lakshya Lakshya Lakshya
Bollywood

Photos: Lakshya Snapped At The Airport Rocking A Cool Outfit

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Lakshya, who is currently riding the wave of success from his recently released web series, The Ba***ds Of Bollywood, was recently spotted at the Mumbai airport. He looked cool and comfortable in a casual yet stylish airport outfit.

 

Lakshya sported a simple white T-shirt paired with light blue jeans. He added oomph with a black jacket for a sporty touch. He completed his look with white sneakers and dark sunglasses, giving off a relaxed vibe.

 

His performance in The Ba***ds Of Bollywood as the ambitious outsider Aasmaan Singh has been widely praised by both the audience and critics, further cementing his place as an actor to watch out for. 

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Best Moments From Africans For Africa Global Launch Affair: Photos
Music

Best Moments From Africans For Africa Global Launch Affair: Photos

by jummy84
written by jummy84

On Sept. 24, 2025, the Renaissance NY in Harlem hosted the Africans For Africa Global Launch Affair, a prestigious evening dedicated to uniting Africa with its diaspora through progress, cultural empowerment, and global collaboration.

Hosted by Andre Roberson, Vice Chairman of the Global Council, and Mark Bullock, CEO of Africans for Africa, the affair combined elegance with purpose. Guests were welcomed with hors d’oeuvres, complimentary drinks, and soft music, creating a refined yet inspiring atmosphere.

Distinguished attendees included His Excellency Moses Engadu, Harry Kimtai, Dr. Vincent Amu, Simon Nkom, author and activist Sunil Robert, business leader Nicole “Nikkie” Bubb, Autumn Fabian, Ethlyn Frempong, television personality Bevy Smith, Hip-Hop entertainer DJ Webstar, and fashion legend Dapper Dan.

The event was not just a celebration but a call to action, reinforcing Africans For Africa’s mission to uplift communities, foster economic empowerment, and strengthen global ties. Leaders, innovators, and cultural icons came together in unity, embodying the vision of a shared future rooted in collaboration and empowerment

VIBE shares photos of the key players and moments spotted at the Africans For Africa Global Launch event.

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Wicked
Hollywood

First Trailer, Release Dates, First Photos and More – Hollywood Life

by jummy84
written by jummy84




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Ariana GrandeAmerican Music Awards, Show, Los Angeles, USA - 20 Nov 2016WEARING BAJA EAST
Ariana Grande poses surrounded by natural beauty to launch her new fragrance “God is a Woman”. Inspired by “the power of nature”, God is a Woman is composed of 91% naturally derived clean ingredients and is 100% vegan and cruelty free. In the first two weeks after its launch, a contribution from every qualifying purchase of the fragrance will be donated to global ocean clean up initiatives. Ariana said: “I’m beyond thrilled to celebrate the release of our first ever clean fragrance. “We have, of course, been cruelty free but taking this next step moving into clean, with responsibly sourced materials and vegan ingredients, is something we are all very proud of. “I really adore this fragrance and hope it makes everyone wearing it feel beautiful and empowered.” Ariana launched her first fragrance in 2015 and has since achieved unprecedented retails sails of more than $750 million. God is a Woman launched exclusively on Ulta.com and is now available at Ulta Beauty stores across the United States, with suggested retail prices from $45 (USD) to $65. It will be released globally later this year. The fragrance comes in a translucent lavender glass, with the bottle set inside a stone-like holder. *BYLINE MUST CREDIT: LUXE Brands/Mega. 02 Aug 2021 Pictured: Ariana Grande launches her new fragrance"God is a Woman", BYLINE MUST CREDIT: LUXE Brands/Mega. Photo credit: LUXE Brands/MEGA TheMegaAgency.com +1 888 505 6342 (Mega Agency TagID: MEGA775863_002.jpg) [Photo via Mega Agency]
Ariana Grande performs a medley at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards, in Los Angeles 62nd Annual Grammy Awards - Show, Los Angeles, USA - 26 Jan 2020
Image Credit: Universal Pictures

Something Wicked has already arrived — and there’s more to come. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo brought the iconic roles of Glinda and Elphaba to life in the first Wicked movie, which hit theaters November 22, 2024. Now, audiences are gearing up for the second chapter: Wicked: For Good, set to sweep into theaters November 21, 2025. Director Jon M. Chu first teased fans back in April 2023 with photos on Instagram of Cynthia in Elphaba’s legendary green and Ariana in Glinda’s pink, captioning it, “Green & Pink. It always starts with green and pink.”

The movies are based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway show, which is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz. A Wicked movie was announced way back in 2016, but it took until 2021 for the process to really get going. From the talented cast to the release dates, the expectations were very high for these two films. Here’s everything you need to know about the two Wicked movies.

‘Wicked’ Movies Release Dates

The first Wicked movie, titled Wicked Part One, was released on November 22, 2024. The sequel, titled Wicked Part Two, comes out exactly one year later on November 21, 2025.

The runtime for Wicked Part One is about 2 hours and 40 minutes.

Wicked
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in the ‘Wicked’ poster. (Universal Pictures)

Jon explained why the project was split into two movies back in April 2022. “As we prepared this production over the last year, it became increasingly clear that it would be impossible to wrestle the story of WICKED into a single film without doing some real damage to it,” Jon wrote on Twitter. “We decided to give ourselves a bigger canvas and make not just one WICKED movie but TWO!! With more space, we can tell the story of WICKED as it was meant to be told while bringing even more depth and surprise to the journeys of these beloved characters.”

Wicked: For Good Trailer

‘Wicked’ Movies Cast & Crew

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were cast as Glinda and Elphaba, respectively, on November 4, 2021. Both actresses shared the news of their casting on Instagram. Ariana shared a photo of her hands over her face as she sat in front of an Apple MacBook after learning the news. The pop star also shared screenshots of a three-way call between herself, Cynthia, and Jon, followed by just a call between the ladies.

In Cynthia’s post, the British actress held her hands over her mouth and was in tears as she found out she got the role. Ariana and Cynthia also sent each other flowers with heartfelt notes where they congratulated each other on the new job.

Ariana is taking over the role of Glinda the Good Witch, which was originated by Kristen Chenoweth in the Broadway show. Cynthia is playing Elphaba, who was originally portrayed by Idina Menzel on Broadway. Both Kristen and Idina congratulated Ariana and Cynthia on snagging the iconic roles.

The rest of the cast for the Wicked movies is pretty epic. Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey is playing Fiyero, Elphaba’s love interest. Jon Chu confirmed Jonathan’s casting in September 2022. “He’s perfect, they’re perfect. They’d be perfect together. Born to be forever….. I am too excited to pretend this hasn’t been happening. We have a Fiyero!!!! #JonathanBailey #Wicked,” he wrote on Twitter. 

Jonathan Bailey
Jonathan Bailey is playing Fiyero in ‘Wicked’ movies (Photo: James Veysey/Shutterstock)

The role of Fiyero in the Wicked movies was a top role for musical actors. Nick Jonas confirmed in June 2023 that he did audition for the role of Fiyero. “Yes, it’s true. Joe and I both went out, and we didn’t get it. But that’s the life of an actor,” Nick told Variety.

He added, “I think it went really well. I was very happy coming out of the room. I’m a huge fan of the show, and that’s a role I always thought it would be fun to play. But I think Jonathan [Bailey] is going to do a great job, and I’m sure the movie is going to be great.”

Michelle Yeoh is playing Madame Morrible, the headmistress of Crage Hall at Shiz University. Jeff Goldblum is confirmed to be playing The Wizard. Saturday Night Live star Bowen Yang is playing Pfannee, Elphaba and Glinda’s classmate at Shiz University. The Greatest Showman star Kaela Settle is playing Miss Coddle. The cast also consists of Ethan Slater as Boq, Marissa Bode as Nessarose (Elphaba’s sister), Bronwyn James as ShenShen, Aaron Teoh as Avaric, and Colin Michael Carmichael as Professor Nikdik.

Jon M. Chu is directing the Wicked movies from a screenplay written by Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz. Stephen is also doing the music, which is set to include some of the musical’s most classic songs such as “Defying Gravity” and “Popular.” Marc Platt, who is Ben Platt‘s father, and David Stone are producing the films. Alice Brooks is the cinematographer, Nathan Crowley is the production designer, and Paul Tazewell is the costume designer.

Production Trivia

Rehearsals for Wicked Part One began in August 2022. Both Ariana and Cynthia gave fans some behind-the-scenes glimpses into their rehearsals in October 2022. The duo posed for a cute mirror selfie during a break in the rehearsal studio. Ariana underwent a blonde hair makeover that month to play Glinda. Jon Chu confirmed on December 9 that filming had begun three days earlier, in London.

The cast and crew were supposed to shoot Wicked Part One and Wicked: Part Two back to back. However, the SAG-AFTRA strike put production on hold in July 2023 when the cast and crew just had a few days left of filming. Once the strike was over, filming resumed and wrapped up in January 2024.

In March 2024, director Jon M. Chu revealed to Vanity Fair that Cynthia and Ariana insisted on singing live while filming. “When we were shooting it, those girls were like ‘F**k the pre-records. We’re going live,’” he said.

What We Know About the Plot Of the ‘Wicked’ Movies

Wizard of Oz
‘Wicked’ is a prequel to ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (Photo: everett collection)

The Wicked films are expected to closely follow the plot of the Broadway show, which is actually based on Gregory Maguire‘s 1995 novel. The story takes place before and after Dorothy Gale arrives in Oz from Kansas and explores the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda. The pair start off as unlikely friends but eventually, they become adversaries after The Wizard casts a spell on Elphaba which turns her into the Wicked Witch.

Cynthia previously teased how the films are going to be even better than the musical. “I think it’s going to be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before,” Cynthia told Entertainment Tonight at the 2022 SAG Awards. “I think we’re going to enjoy the magic of it. We’re going to try and put our own spin on what we know already and show you a story about two women [who] are sisters,” she added.

Stephen Schwartz confirmed in a June 2022 newsletter that there will be new songs in the films. “There are two new songs in the second movie that are complete songs in themselves, and then there are new sections in some of the existing songs in both movies. All the new material, of course, is to meet the demands of the storytelling,” he said.

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PHOTOS: BTS' Jin Attends Gucci's Show at Milan Fashion Week
Bollywood

PHOTOS: BTS’ Jin Attends Gucci’s Show at Milan Fashion Week

by jummy84
written by jummy84

BTS’ Jin recently attended the premiere of the Gucci short film The Tiger at the Milan Fashion Week. The short film showcased the brand’s new La Famiglia collection at the Palazzo Mezzanotte.

The singer wore a La Famiglia ensemble. His ensemble comprised a satin white buttoned-down shirt with black trousers. He accessorised the same with a neck chain. Jin also chose a buckle belt with the Gucci logo, along with black shoes. Desi ARMYs were elated to see him at the show, as he sat on the front row with Alia Bhatt.

This isn’t the first time Jin attended a Gucci event. He became the brand’s global ambassador on August 7, 2024. The announcement of his ambassadorship with Gucci had come after the completion of his military career. In fact, Gucci’s creative director Sabato De Sarno had previously opened up about the star. He noted, “His warm and kind personality is truly magnetic, and his style is simply unique. He is a generous and extraordinary artist who is able to move people with his music, which makes us even more honoured to share this journey with him.”

Take a look at Jin’s latest clicks:

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Riot Fest 2025 Was a Celebration with Green Day, Blink-182: Review + Photos
Music

Riot Fest 2025 Was a Celebration with Green Day, Blink-182: Review + Photos

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Last week, Coachella dropped its 2025 lineup and, unsurprisingly, it sparked quite a bit of discourse. Echoing sentiments lobbed at Lollapalooza in previous years, many felt like Coachella’s three pop star headliners marked a shift away from the festival’s alternative roots. Luckily, there’s a festival in the Windy City that has dug its feet into the ground, remained independent, and kept the ethos of its founding days intact: Riot Fest.

The punk-leaning event celebrated its 20th anniversary this past weekend at Douglass Park in Chicago, boasting a pop punk holy trinity of headliners in Blink-182, Weezer, and Green Day, as well as an impressive undercard consisting of both scene veterans and exciting newbies. The whole shebang was certainly grander in scale than Riot Fest’s earliest editions, but its spunky core remains — RIOT FEST SUCKS, as they say. Acts like The Effigies, Alkaline Trio, Smoking Popes, Bad Religion, and a host of others were even ripped right from lineups of Riot Fest’s past; say what you want about punk rockers, but if Riot Fest has proven anything over the past two decades, it’s that they’re remarkably consistent.

Get Weezer Tickets Here

With a deep lineup, an everlasting spirit of rebellion, and the final payoff for years of John Stamos jokes, this year’s edition was a celebration to be proud of. Better yet, it was a celebration that was damn fun to take part in.

For those looking to relive the three days of festivities, or who missed out on all of the hoopla, here’s everything that went down at Riot Fest 2025 (plus, scroll on for a photo gallery of action shots).

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Aryan khan
Bollywood

Photos: Unseen BTS Stills of Aryan Khan From The Sets of The Ba***ds of Bollywood

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Aryan Khan made his much-anticipated directorial debut with The Ba***ds of Bollywood. The show has been receiving a lot of praise and appreciation. Some behind-the-scenes stills have gone viral that show the young director in action – guiding scenes, interacting with the cast, and bringing his focus and flair to every moment.
In one of the stills, he is seen sitting beside his lead actor, Lakshya and looking at a scene on the monitors. Another photo shows Aryan focused on his job as he is surrounded by his other crew members. In a separate click, he is seen smiling at the monitor while checking a scene.

The director also posed with some of his actors and his co-writers, Bilal Siddiqui and Manav Chauhan. The Ba***ds of Bollywood stars Lakshya, Sahher Bambba, Bobby Deol, Raghav Juyal, Anya Singh, Mona Singh, Manoj Pahwa, Gautami Kapoor, Rajat Bedi, Manish Chaudhari and Vijayant Kohli, among others. It is currently streaming on Netflix.

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John Legend Honored At 2025 Black Music Action Coalition Gala: Photos
Music

John Legend Honored At 2025 Black Music Action Coalition Gala: Photos

by jummy84
written by jummy84

The 2025 Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) Gala brought musicians, executives, journalists, and activists together for a common cause. For the fifth annual event, hundreds gathered at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, CA., to recognize the important work done by the organization as well as to fund and empower its future efforts. BMAC was founded in 2020 and, since its inception, has distributed over $4 million in direct economic relief, established over 200 paid internships and job placements, reached more than 5,500 students, and mentored over 500 emerging music artists and industry professionals.

“Many would think that the work and the progress that happened in 2020 was not effective, but it’s actually the complete opposite. The reason why we are feeling this sort of federal attack on diversity and inclusion is because of the impact that was made in 2020. So this is not the time to retreat, but the time to double and triple down on those commitments, and the music industry has always challenged this country and the world to live up to its potential, and so that’s what inspires us,” explained BMAC cofounder and CEO Willie “Prophet” Stiggers on the red carpet ahead of the event.

“BMAC might have formed in 2020, but we come from a long tradition of the entertainment industry being able to be a powerful platform to advance these conversations, and over the next five years, we are going to be as committed as we ever been,” as he continued to relay organization plans to expand its advocacy into global territory.

In all its elegance, the 2025 Gala added John Legend, Irving Azoff, Sherrese Clarke / HarbourView Equity Partners, Kai Cenat and Apple & Apple Music, and Primary Wave Music to its growing list of esteemed honorees in its five-year history. The event kicked off with a four-course dinner and musical selections performed by the 1500 Or Nothing musical ensemble. After a call for donations at the fundraising event, with the largest public commitment being $10,000, host Mickey Guyton took the stage to perform “Black Like Me.”

She was then joined by her co-host, Kenny Burns, who shifted attention to current events with lighthearted quips about Jimmy Kimmel being suspended indefinitely at ABC, accompanied by a brief snippet of YG and Nipsey Hussle’s politically-charged “FDT.” While the event featured first-time introductions, well overdue reunions, dancing, and a performance by Earth, Wind & Fire, all in attendance were united on the mission. Guests included Tyrese, Cash Cobain, Estelle, Eric Benét, and more.

During his time on stage, John Legend shared a passionate speech, bringing Burns’ opening remarks full circle.

“Progress isn’t guaranteed. Power doesn’t give itself away, and truth-telling doesn’t come without a cause. We’re watching it happen in real time. Our government is kidnapping and disappearing our friends and neighbors. People [are] taking their kids to school, serving food in the park. And then they’re flooding our streets with militarized soldiers, war fighters, to silence those who dare to speak out. We’re watching the richest people on earth get richer while our government takes from the poorest children in the world,” remarked the Ohio native as he accepted the BMAC Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award presented by Babyface.

“We’re watching journalists, truth-tellers, get punished for doing their jobs. Just this week, the Washington Post fired a black woman journalist, Karen Attiah, for simply quoting the exact words of the President’s favorite podcaster,” in reference to Charlie Kirk.

He continued, “We are living in a time where truth-telling comes with consequences, a time where progress is reversed, facts are distorted, and those who dare to speak up are punished. But every step forward we’ve ever taken in this country, every single win began with somebody telling the truth,” adding, “That’s what Nina Simone understood in 1963 when she sat down at her piano in a moment of fury and courage. And that’s the tradition I choose to walk in.”

Take a look at the 2025 BMAC Gala below.

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Alia Bhatt Enjoys Quality Time With Friends In Alibaug - See The Fun Photos | Glamsham.com
Bollywood

Alia Bhatt Enjoys Quality Time With Friends In Alibaug – See The Fun Photos | Glamsham.com

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Alia Bhatt has finally given herself some much-needed time off from her hectic routine to spend some idle time with close friends at Alibagh. The actress was seen heading off to the seaside town on Thursday, escorting her husband Ranbir Kapoor along. Wearing a simple yet elegant white dress, Alia cut a fashionable figure, and social media immediately took notice.

Snapshots and clips of the getaway, posted by Instant Bollywood, quickly turned viral. Fans invaded the comment areas with heart emojis, complimenting Alia’s natural look and sunny aura.

Social Media Buzz: Deepika Reacts to Alia’s Look

Prior to leaving, Alia also posted a series of glam pictures on her Instagram. Looking elegant in a white Gucci cut-out dress and holding a high-end bag, she captioned the picture: “the good, the bads and the glam @gucci ⭐ All ready for the #TheBadsOfBollywood!”

The post won appreciation from numerous people, including actress Deepika Padukone, who said, “STUNNING!” Bhumi Pednekar and Alia’s mom Soni Razdan were also among the others who appreciated her style and demeanor.

Google Gemini’s “Hug My Younger Self” Trend Takes Over

While Alia’s vacation trended, another pattern is trending on the net — Google Gemini’s “Hug My Younger Self” image reimagination, driven by its AI tool Nano Banana.

This feature allows users to create realistic, polaroid-type images of themselves hugging their younger versions, producing emotionally charged images with just one prompt. Although many netizens have welcomed the feature for its originality, others say such AI features are likely to dilute original human creativity.

Also Read: Alia Bhatt Steals the Spotlight in a Daring White Gucci Cut-Out Dress at The Bads of Bollywood Premiere

Nevertheless, the emotional pull of this trend has been felt far and wide, with many creations spreading on various platforms and demonstrating how AI is further remaking the manner in which we express identity and nostalgia.

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Dua Lipa's "Radical Optimism Tour" MSG Review + Photos
Music

Dua Lipa’s “Radical Optimism Tour” MSG Review + Photos

by jummy84
written by jummy84

During the first of her four nights at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, September 17th, Dua Lipa stopped and took it all in. From a raised platform about 20 feet in the air, the pop star reflected on her love for the city and its premier venue, expressing gratitude to be back headlining The Garden once again. She had been in the exact position — literally — in 2022, on a raised platform high in the air that weaved back and forth throughout the arena as she performed “Levitating” during her “Future Nostalgia Tour.” Three years later, there she was again, high above us all, commanding us to dance. Has anything changed?

Quite a bit, but at the Dua Lipa show, it’s all relative. The star’s “Radical Optimism Tour” is an advancement from her prior US outing in some ways, but certain tent poles of the Dua Lipa live experience remain unchanged. For one, it is every bit a showcase of her catalog as it is an ecstatic, celebratory dance party, each song somehow groovier than the last. Certain songs were presented in similar fashion as her prior outing: “One Kiss,” “Electricity,” and “Hallucinate” were center stage club moments, while “Physical” was once again an energetic ’80s workout video come to life.

Get Dua Lipa Tickets Here

But above all, Dua Lipa continues to be tastefully extra. A lot like the tour before it, this concert had all the bells and whistles of a great pop show — and then some. I counted six costume changes and just as many confetti explosions. There were moments of casual pyro, not always at the climax of songs but sometimes straight in the middle of one. The songs’ movements were elaborate, the choreography gripping and occasionally silly (the ‘lets all hold hands and skip in a circle’ dance moment at the conclusion of “Electricity” was both hilarious and strangely moving). The “Future Nostalgia” run remains supreme, but this new “Radical Optimism” endeavor is its own beast entirely — a more confident, more playful, and somehow even more joyous celebration.

Related Video

Perhaps the biggest variable in the mix this time around are Lipa’s various crowd engagements and cover renditions. The latter has been a particularly rewarding move for her, using each city as an opportunity to honor its rich musical output while also just trying something new and risky.

For last night’s show, Lipa seemed genuinely nervous to bust out her nightly cover, telling the audience that her choice was personal (while also being a generally challenging song to sing) and revealing that it would be Alicia Keys’ “No One.” She then played a video of her singing “No One” as an adolescent before launching into her cover, which was a treat; Keys and Lipa have settled on very different styles of music, but they both have a powerful, commanding range and an unmistakeable touch of rasp. It would have been extra special to see Keys join her for the rendition, but alas, maybe for Night Two.

The main unpredictable segment of the concert, however, was a mid-show moment where Lipa made her way to the B-stage and stopped to chat and take selfies with fans at the barricade. So many artists do fan interactions during their show, but it’s often during a song or off-handedly from the stage. I couldn’t have been the only one who felt slightly nervous watching Lipa stroll through the crowd and engage with her most enthusiastic fans for not just a minute, but a full 10-15 minute segment. No music, no security guard dividing Lipa and her audience; just a barricade, a camera man, and Lipa’s casual charm.

You have to be so utterly confident to open yourself up to the unpredictable mid-show, to let others speak directly into your microphone and essentially say anything. It’s impressive from a social level that she’s been doing this so publicly at every stop of the tour, and luckily, her faith in her fans was endearing last night; when Lipa spoke to one incredibly enthusiastic fan and asked how she was enjoying the show, the woman responded “I CANNOT HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING” (yes, in all caps), and the arena erupted with laughter.

It was a sweet, wholesome moment that stuck out within a concert that had a lot of highlights. When watching Lipa’s show, it’s easy to see her as an enigma, a symbol of beauty and prowess, so magnetic that she feels like a fictional character in a TV show about a great pop star. But this segment with her and her fans was a really lovely reminder that of course, she’s human, she’s funny, and she shares the same passion as her most devoted audience members.

There were several other aspects to the production that really worked in Dua’s favor. The lighting was generally outstanding; a large infinity-shaped ring of light wrapped around the stage, with it forming the crest of a wave right at the center. It led to some dazzling visuals, especially as the aesthetic themes that accompanied each song transformed from one into another.

What didn’t exactly work, however, was the show’s intro. There was definitely an aquatic theme at play, in line with the Radical Optimism album cover and the aforementioned ‘wave of light’ streaking across center stage. But the show began with a particular long and meditative into, where lush, watery tones and images of waves crashing in slow motion played for almost a full 10 minutes before Lipa started singing. It was as if we started the show at the Whale Room from the Museum of Natural History, and even as the pre-show soundtrack grew in dynamics, it still felt like we were supposed to be closing our eyes and imagining ourselves in the middle of the ocean.

I’m all for an immersive opening, but then Lipa finally arrived onstage and began the show with “Training Season,” which was totally incongruous (both musically and thematically) to the whole ocean vibe being cultivated. She had to play “Training Season,” of course, but it was not the strongest opening track either; it’s at such a high part of her voice, and she performed the first verse so slowly, that it set us off on the wrong foot for the start of the show. Also, this aquatic-style theme totally disappeared throughout the concert, never to be reprised for the various Radical Optimism tracks she performed.

Eventually, as the show’s movements unfolded and Dua found her stride, the evening transformed into what a Dua Lipa concert should be: an absorbing spectacle and a hell of a lot of fun. By the time she was back on that elevated platform, confetti cannons blazing and the crowd dancing below, it was clear that while plenty has changed since 2022, her ability to turn Madison Square Garden into her personal dance floor remains wonderfully, reliably intact.

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