15 February,2017 08:12 AM IST | | Shilpi Sampad
It's official, finally. This summer, Grammy winner Justin Bieber will set out on his maiden trip to India. A charity concert at Navi Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium will be put together on May 10
Justin Bieber
It's official, finally. This summer, Grammy winner Justin Bieber will set out on his maiden trip to India. A charity concert at Navi Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium will be put together on May 10, White Fox India, sole official promoters of the global pop icon's Purpose World Tour, tell us. Like the name suggests, the tour is in support of his fourth studio album, Purpose, which had more experimental electronic sounds and debuted at No.1 in over 100 countries.
Sources close to the organisers inform top guns from Bollywood, corporate houses and the sports world will attend the concert. Contrary to earlier reports that claimed Bieber's Mumbai tour will be a one-night affair, we hear he will be here for a longer duration. "India has been a dream destination for Bieber and he is aware of his fan following here. He has always wanted to visit the country from the time he was 18 and has, therefore, decided to spend quality time in Mumbai," says a source.
While the 22-year-old pop star may not know much about Bollywood, he does appreciate Indian music, adds the source. "So, the organisers will try to inculcate desi elements in his tour for him to get a taste of Indian culture and performing arts."
A special indigenous outfit will be gifted to Bieber, who won his first Grammy last year for Where Are U Now (best dance recording category) and recently broke the Beatles' 1964 record by topping the American Billboard 17 times. "Multiple designers have been approached to craft a trousseau," the source says.
Arjun Jain, director of White Fox India, is confident that Bieber's Purpose tour will be bigger than last November's Global Citizen Festival featuring Coldplay. "Anyone who has experienced the Justin Bieber Believe Tour internationally will be able to comprehend the magnitude of the event. It's phenomenal how India will be viewed as the next big destination for pop acts of this stature," he adds.
Beliebers, as Bieber fans are known, can pre-register on a popular entertainment events ticketing website; concert tickets, priced upwards of Rs 4,000, will be put up for sale from February 22. With Mumbai being the only Indian city where the international star has zeroed in to perform, the organisers are expecting music lovers from across the country, especially Pune, Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad, to land up here.
Bieber's tour kicked off in March 2016 in Seattle and will conclude this September in Toronto. Apart from Mumbai, the Asia leg includes Tel Aviv and Dubai.
Prior to his arrival, Bieber sends a message to fans through hitlist: "India, see you soon". We can't wait!
