Mail Online

Gay champion, but Dua’s dad tried to get her Qatar gig

By Padraig Flanagan

WHEN pop queen Dua Lipa shut down rumours she was to perform in Qatar, her duet partner Sir Elton John – an LGBT champion – no doubt applauded.

Yet emails show her manager father, Dukagjin Lipa, had been negotiating with the Qataris for two years to get the chart-topping star to play at the World Cup.

The documents detail Mr Lipa first approached Qatar in March 2020. He wrote: ‘I represent my daughter Dua Lipa and am keen to discuss plans for artist performances for World Cup 2022.’

By January 2021, the 53-year-old still hoped to persuade organisers to give his daughter a spot, saying: ‘I wanted to follow up on my email and discuss any opportunity arising where we can be of help?’

By April 2021, Mr Lipa expressed his anxiety over negotiations, saying: ‘I was approached… with a specific request for the opening ceremony and wanted to touch base and make sure we are not talking to the wrong person.’ The Mail on

Sunday’s disclosures cast doubt on the singer’s statement, released to her 87million Instagram followers last month, claiming a performance in Qatar was never on the cards.

The London-born 27-year-old said: ‘There is a lot of speculation I will be performing at the opening ceremony. I will not be performing and nor have I ever been involved in any negotiation to perform.’

Her comments were applauded by human rights activists amid controversy over Qatar’s criminalisation of same-sex relationships.

Last night, Mr Lipa claimed Dua was unaware of his contact with the Qataris.

He said: ‘I had several email exchanges with the World Cup team.

‘Dua was not involved or aware of those conversations.’

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2022-12-04T08:00:00.0000000Z

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