Sometime last year, the husky-voiced Dua Lipa — and her chart-topping laundry list of Things Not To Do after a break-up — burst onto the pop scene seemingly out of nowhere. But in truth, Lipa had been rigorously building her brand for years before the mainstream caught wind of her appeal. The singer had released five singles before her first No. 1 hit, New Rules, and toured the world with nary a debut album in sight.
Now working on a second album, and with her latest single IDGAF overtaking airwaves, Lipa’s star is on the rise. Her next stop is Abu Dhabi’s du Forum on February 24, which will mark her first performance in the UAE. Ahead of her show, we round up 10 facts you may not know about her.
1. Dua Lipa is a ’90s baby. The singer was born in 1995 and turns 23 in August. She began her musical journey at a young age, posting cover songs on YouTube by 14.
2. The pop star is of Albanian descent, and can speak the language, too. She was born in London to Albanian parents, then moved to Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, in 2008. Her first name means ‘love’ in Albanian.
3. At the age of 15, Lipa moved back to London to pursue a career in entertainment, and try her hand at becoming a singer. She began modelling, but said it hurt her body confidence when she was told to lose weight at a young age.
4. After signing a record deal in 2015, Lipa began releasing singles. Lipa’s first major hit was Hotter than Hell, peaking at No. 15 in the UK. Soon after, Lipa broke into the Billboard Hot 100 in America for the first time with Blow Your Mind (Mwah). It debuted at No. 72.
5. Lipa released her self-titled debut album last year, and her sixth single, New Rules, became her first No. 1 hit in the UK. It was also the first song by a female artist to top the UK charts since Adele’s Hello two years prior.
6. Lipa writes on the majority of her songs, and says she mostly draws on experiences of heartbreak. The singer wrote on 10 out of 12 songs on her debut album.
7. Earlier this year, Lipa became the first female artist to receive five Brit Award nominations. She was nominated in the following categories: British Female Solo Artist, British Breakthrough Act, MasterCard British Album of the Year, British Single of the Year and British Video of the Year.
8. Last year, Lipa was named the most streamed woman in the UK, according to a Spotify report.
9. Dukagjin Lipa, Dua Lipa’s father, is a singer and rock star in his own right — a video of the pair performing together in Pristina lives on YouTube. Dukagjin currently runs his own communications agency, Republika, and his looks are a frequent topic of discussion on social media.
10. Lipa recently announced she has begun work on her sophomore album, and is continuing to collaborate with singer-producer MNEK, with whom she worked with for IDGAF.
Don’t miss it!
Dua Lipa performs live at du Forum, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi on February 24. Tickets start from Dh300 for General Admission.
