Lady Gaga Is Surprise Guest at Intuit Dome Opening to Perform “Die With a Smile” With Bruno Mars

The Intuit Dome, Inglewood’s latest $2 billion sports activities venue, will likely be residence to the Los Angeles Clippers however the doorways swung huge Thursday evening for an official opening that hosted two music superstars.

Headliner Bruno Mars helped christen the stage by drawing a capability crowd for the primary evening of back-to-back exhibits backed by his band, the Hooligans. The electrical two-hour live performance closed with two encores, the primary of which delivered a slam dunk courtesy of Girl Gaga who shocked the gang by hitting the stage near 11:30 p.m. for a world premiere efficiency of their new duet, “Die With a Smile,” which dropped at 9 p.m. PT after being introduced Thursday morning.

“The way you feeling, L.A.?” requested Gaga as she was seated behind a keyboard with an oversize blonde wig, white tights, and a shiny, pink-and-white minidress. As the gang went wild, Mars took the mic with an introduction: “Girls and gents, put your fingers collectively for the icon, pop royalty, Girl Gaga. You guys are gonna be the primary to listen to us play this music stay.”

The shock new single, “Die With a Smile,” was co-written by Mars, Gaga, D Mile, James Fauntleroy and Andrew Watt and produced by Mars, Gaga, D Mile, and Watt in a displaying that marks the primary new music from Mars since his work on duo Silk Sonic with Anderson .Paak and from Gaga since Chromatica (and her newer Rolling Stones collab). A rustic-style music video additionally premiered Thursday.

After they completed the efficiency, Gaga jogged throughout the stage in her stilettos to take a collection of bows dealing with every part of the spanking new facility as her fellow Tremendous Bowl Halftime Present alum amped up the applause. As soon as she exited down a flight of stairs and disappeared into the darkness backstage, Mars stayed within the lights for “Uptown Funk” in what can be a ultimate encore.

Lengthy earlier than that although, the present noticed Mars deliver the funk by breezing by way of his greatest hits. He had 18,000 followers on their ft for virtually the complete live performance, which he billed as a history-making occasion to inaugurate Intuit Dome. The setlist featured “24K Magic,” “Finesse,” “Treasure,” “Billionaire,” “That’s What I Like,” “Versace on the Ground,” “Marry You,” “Grenade,” “Speaking to the Moon,” “Depart the Door Open,” “Once I Was Your Man,” “Locked Out of Heaven” and “Simply the Approach You Are.”

Intuit Dome officers and native leaders didn’t want a reminder that Thursday was historic for Inglewood and the Clippers. A ribbon-cutting ceremony preceded the live performance and featured remarks by L.A. Clippers chairman (and Intuit Dome champion) Steve Ballmer, Halo Sports activities CEO Gillian Zucker, Mayor James T. Butts Jr. and Intuit CEO Sasan Goodarzi. “Rattling, I’m fired up,” Ballmer stated upon taking the stage. “I’ve to say I’m just a little anxious tonight. I really like what we constructed, however I would like all of you to like what we constructed.”

What they constructed is a $2 billion facility that was years within the making and spans 26 acres and options state-of-the-art expertise together with a double-sided “Halo Board” scoreboard display screen that encircles the world. The ability additionally options 5 basketball courts (a sport court docket, two apply courts, one promo court docket and one on the spacious outside plaza), a coaching facility, medical and participant areas, an indoor pool, and an 80,000-square-foot plaza with two bars, a restaurant and big workforce retailer. The sector, which was constructed to resemble a internet with a ball on the middle, can be adorned by a smattering of public artwork created by native artists, like murals, sculptures and digital shows, together with a ship comprising basketball hoops and backboards designed by Glenn Kaino.

Starry friends on the Bruno Mars live performance included Jennifer Lopez, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Angela Bassett, Courtney B. Vance, Meghan Trainor, Kelsea Ballerini, Chase Stokes, Simu Liu, Halle Bailey, Sophia Bush, Victoria Justice, Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, Kenya Barris, Jimmy Jam, Derek Hough, Jimmy O. Yang, Chris Olsen, Amanda Kloots, Bozoma Saint John, Crystal Kung Minkoff, Rob Minkoff, Babyface, Irving Azoff and Shelli Azoff, WME chairman Richard Weitz, Doug Walden, Cam Christie, Derrick Jones Jr., Jordan Miller, Kai Jones, Kobe Brown, Mo Bamba, DJ D-Good and others.

“It’s simply such a pleasure and privilege to have an opportunity to welcome you right here,” Ballmer additionally stated throughout his remarks, which touched on the wild and bold “experience” in constructing the Clippers’ everlasting residence after sharing Crypto.com Area with the Los Angeles Lakers. “Once I first purchased the enterprise, the L.A. Clipper basketball workforce, I stated to myself, one of many nice issues about shopping for the Clippers is we by no means have to construct an area. I stated, look, all these groups, they promote, you bought to construct arenas. We’re by no means going to have to do this…. Effectively, it took about six months to appreciate it is likely to be a good suggestion to have our personal home.”

In opening the home tonight, Ballmer even took time to acknowledge that hiccups had been more likely to occur particularly since Intuit Dome depends solely on expertise because it’s a cashless and app-mandatory facility that makes use of facial expertise and smartphones for purchases. “I do know they like to say tech. Can I let you know what tech means? Tech means software program, and I’m actually hoping all of it works tonight…. It gained’t. I’ve achieved model considered one of many software program merchandise, so bear with us, simply bear with us if that you must.”

That request for leniency and endurance proved to be a prescient warning because the app did malfunction inflicting a log jam on the entrance between 7 and eight p.m. An enormous crowd numbering within the a whole lot was clustered throughout the courtyard, although, and regardless of a delay with getting the viewers inside, it didn’t disrupt the festivities a lot as Mars went on not lengthy after a deliberate 9:30 p.m. showtime. At one level within the evening, Mars took a second to summon safety for an pressing scenario that unfolded with a male visitor within the entrance part. His situation was unclear as of press time.

Intuit Dome, which broke floor in September 2021, is positioned not removed from Inglewood’s different jewels, SoFi Stadium and Kia Discussion board. It has already dedicated to internet hosting the 2026 NBA All-Star Sport and hoops video games for the 2028 Summer time Olympics. On the speedy calendar, Intuit Dome will host comic Sebastian Maniscalco this weekend adopted by live shows from Marco Antonio Solis, Olivia Rodrigo, Twenty One Pilots, Usher, Weezer, and Billy Joel.

“It’s our home,” Ballmer stated as he wrapped up his feedback. “We additionally knew that our home needed to be about extra than simply basketball. Our home was going to be about music and basketball and all of the help and counsel from [Irving Azoff] and from others that we’ve gotten to attempt to make this a house, a house the place individuals really feel comfy coming in. I consider this as the most effective basketball facility ever constructed — I do consider it that method. I hope you agree, however I completely give it some thought. Whether or not individuals find out about it worldwide, we hope they arrive go to.”

See beneath for extra views contained in the opening evening.