What to Watch to Celebrate New Year’s Eve From Home
This year came packed to the brim with surprises, both good and bad. From a pandemic to randomly appearing monoliths to two albums from Taylor Swift, 2020 has kept people on their toes.
And it’s finally coming to an end. Rather than celebrate the closing of this year at grand, in-person parties or festivals, streamers and linear television networks are offering safe at-home alternatives on Dec. 31. Why go out when you can ring in the new year from your living room, anyways?
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“Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021” has enlisted Jennifer Lopez to perform as the headliner this year. The show will also feature more performances and celebrate the music that came out of 2020.
YouTube is offering five separate celebration events on its platform this year, catering each one to a specific region or country. Covering the Americas, the U.K., Korea, Japan and India, each event will feature celebrities from their respective locations.
Check out the list of New Year’s Eve specials below:
“Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2021” (ABC, 8 p.m. EST) – New York’s Times Square will host yet another New Year’s celebration, with Jennifer Lopez headlining the show just before midnight. Host Ryan Seacrest will be joined by Lucy Hale and Billy Porter, the latter of whom is also set to perform. Cyndi Lauper and Jimmie Allen will also perform, Ciara hosts the Los Angeles celebration and Jessie James Decker will be the night’s Powerball correspondent.
“Hello 2021: Americas” (YouTube, 10:30 p.m. ET) – Juanpa Zurita and Storm Reid host this YouTube event, as they welcome on performers like Dua Lipa, J Balvin, YG, Karol G and Kane Brown to count down to the New Year. Matthew McConaughey, Demi Lovato, RuPaul, Emma Chamberlain, the D’Amelio Family and a host of other YouTube stars will be other special guests during the stream. It will be available on the YouTube Originals channel.
“Hello 2021: UK” (YouTube, 10:30 p.m. GMT) – Dua Lipa, Anne-Marie, MNEK, Joel Corry and Aitch & AJ Tracey will perform on the U.K. version of YouTube’s New Year’s celebration. The event, available on the YouTube Originals channel, will also include creators, artists and comedians. Behzinga, Big Narstie, Katherine Ryan, Michael Coel, Kurupt FM, Yammy, WillNE, Holly H and Natasia Demetriou are set to take part, with more to come.
“Hello 2021: Korea” (YouTube, 11:00 p.m. KST) – The YouTube Korea Spotlight channel will bring together YouTube creators and artists alongside hosts Sechan Yang and Jesung Hwang. The celebration includes a lineup of GGILGGIL Market, Tester Hoon, Balming Tiger and more not yet announced.
“Hello 2021: Japan” (YouTube, 11:45 p.m. JST) – The Japanese event will feature a special quiz show on YouTube trends that took place in 2020. Hosts Orutana Channel and Mochizuki Rie will lead the show, available on the YouTube Japan Spotlight channel. They will be joined by Tokai On Air, Puritto Channel, Emirin, Paparapys, Skypeace, Vamyun, Dekakin, Hanaodengan and M.S.S Project.
“Hello 2021: India” (YouTube, 11 p.m. IST) – Streaming on the YouTube India Spotlight channel, the celebratory event will incorporate various aspects of India’s thriving entertainment industry. Music, Bollywood and comedy come together as Tiger Shroff, Badshah, Zakir Khan, Jonita Gandhi, Benny Dayal and Aastha Gill are set to make appearances. Dua Lipa will also perform and more celebrities are expected to join the party.
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