Dua Lipa, the iconic English singer, and songwriter of “Levitating” and “Don’t Start Now,” is currently on her world tour for her latest album, “Future Nostalgia.” Since it was released during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, tour dates were not announced until September 2021. I knew I had to snag tickets immediately.
Dua Lipa has not only been a favorite artist of mine but a celebrity icon since her song “Blow Your Mind (Mwah)” first hit the radio in 2017. I attended her show at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on Friday, March 4th, and the feminine energy was immaculate. She wore four different costumes throughout the night: a bright yellow jumpsuit, a white cut-out sequined bodysuit with silver boots, a black set with a neon pink bra and fishnets, and lastly, the outfit trending on social media, her black sparkly and sheer jumpsuit. Her outfits could be seen throughout the venue. Her confidence radiated throughout the audience, and we all felt like our best selves.
Just in time for the tour, Dua Lipa was preparing to launch her new brand, Service95. It is a weekly newsletter containing recommendations personally curated by Dua Lipa, from her favorite hotels to her current playlist and her favorite Asian restaurant. “I’m their go-to person,” Dua explains as her friends and family are always dying to know her “favorite things” lists. Now, supporters of Dua Lipa can be let in on her best-kept secrets as well. On Thursday, March 10th, subscribers received their first newsletter. It was filled with a range of content while also supporting other people and organizations. For example, the newsletter included a feature on Sinead Burke, an Irish writer and disability advocate.
Dua Lipa creates a safe space for all types of people as she builds a community, unlike many parasocial relationships between celebrities and fans. In 2016, Lipa set up the Sunny Hill Foundation in Prishtina-Kosovo with her father, a charity to support an oft-forgotten generation of young people in her homeland.
As the show continued, I noticed that although she sings about relationships, break-ups, and everything in between, she only uses gender-specific pronouns a few times. It is because love is for anyone who desires it, and Dua especially preaches this mindset. As the show began, Dua Lipa appeared on stage. Besides blessing the crowd with her vocals throughout the show, she frequently highlighted her band and dancers. A mix of genders and ethnicities as well. Dua Lipa very well knew this show was for all of them, ensuring she wasn’t the only star.
During one of her social media detox, the singer researched the impact of social media on women and the differences between male and female artists. She explains, “We need to figure out a way to be kinder to ourselves and each other, instead of bringing each other down. I just think we should be creating safer environments in general for everyone. Words affect people. We’re losing touch with empathy, compassion and kindness.” Her song “Boys Will Be Boys” is a story about a woman’s daily life in a man’s world and how she wants to change that. In an interview with Vogue regarding her song, Dua Lipa said, “it’s about the growing pains of what it’s like to be a girl.”
With Lipa, I don’t just feel like a follower of a famous singer; I feel like a real person who admires an artist who values diversity, self-love, and woman empowerment. There is a purpose to Dua’s journey. She is clearly very passionate about teaching confidence and values self-expression and fighting for the people’s fundamental human rights within her community. So Dua, if you see this, just know you are the female alpha and are paving the way for change.
Words by Amanda Applebaum.
Graphic by Danna Macias.