Blackpink's Lisa to perform at Oscars, amid controversy

‘Born Again’ is a television theme, and singers have no direct connection to nominated film songs

 

Lalisa “Lisa” Manobal, of the South Korean girl group Blackpink, is set to take the stage at the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday, March 2, much to the excitement of her global fanbase. 

 

The performance will be broadcast live and available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar, covering both the red-carpet arrivals and the awards ceremony itself.

 



 

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that Lisa, alongside Doja Cat and Raye, will perform their collaborative track "Born Again". The song features in the third season of The White Lotus, in which Lisa also stars. Raye, a British singer-songwriter, wrote and produced the song.

  

However, the announcement has been met with some criticism. This year, no artist whose song is nominated for the coveted Best Original Song Oscar has been invited to perform. Adding to the debate, "Born Again" is a television theme, and the three singers have no direct connection to the nominated film songs.

 



 

Lisa isn't the only performer raising eyebrows. Queen Latifah, a previous nominee, will also feature, despite having no current Oscar link. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, both nominated for acting awards for Wicked, will sing songs from the film, but these are not the songs that received Oscar nods.

 

 

The nature of Lisa's performance remains under wraps. The Hollywood Reporter suggests that this year’s show will celebrate the wider filmmaking community and industry legends. The Los Angeles Master Chorale will also be taking part.

 

For viewers in Thailand, the 97th Academy Awards will be broadcast live on Monday, March 3, at 6.30am Thailand time. Coverage will be available via the Disney+ Hotstar app, True Film 1 (channel 222), and the TrueVisions Now app for Now Prime package subscribers.

 



 

A 90-minute highlights package will be available within 24 hours of the event's conclusion, and the full ceremony will be available on Disney+ Hotstar for 24 days following the broadcast. This year’s ceremony marks the first time that Conan O'Brien, an Emmy-winning talk-show host and writer, will be presenting the awards.

(2025/02/25-00:00)