DUA LIPA
A career built step by step
Dua Lipa is regarded as one of the top musical artists, yet she still has her feet firmly on the ground. She has climbed the ladder of the music industry one rung at a time, and gone from writing songs in her bedroom to the biggest international stages in just a few years.
Dua Lipa was born in London in 1995, but her parents come from what is now Kosovo. They settled in the UK after fleeing the Yugoslavian civil wars, and their first daughter was born three years later. They named her Dua, which means ‘love’ in Albanian. Two more children would later be born into the family.
It was Dua’s father, the former lead singer of a rock band, who passed on his love of music to her. Having taken singing and cello lessons since she was little, Dua wrote her first song at the age of 17, inspired by the film The Wizard of Oz.
From covers to international success
The singer rose to fame after posting cover versions of her favourite artists on YouTube, later moving on to release her own songs. In 2013, while working as a model and a waitress in a bar, she received a call from a small agency interested in representing her. One of her songs, Hotter Than Hell, received over 100 million plays, catching the attention of Warner Records, who promised to launch her as one of the greatest artists of all time.
Her first international album, Dua Lipa, was released in 2017. The single New Rules reached number one in the UK, and was the most listened to song in the UK that year. Awards and collaborations with successful singers and advertising companies such as Jaguar, Versace and Saint Laurent were to follow.
Her album Future Nostalgia was released in 2020 and became an instant hit, despite the pandemic. It was influenced by the pop music of the eighties, and in particular by artists Dua Lipa had always admired, such as Madonna and Prince.
Fashion, love and solidarity
A fashion enthusiast, the singer revives trends like no other, and supports emerging designers without adhering to a particular aesthetic. Her eclectic style ranges from classic Chanel suits and tailored trousers to ‘90s waistcoats, sequined dresses and the trendiest, eye-catching designs.
Dua Lipa is now an eminent musician. Protective of her private life, she is known to have had a relationship with Anwar Hadid, brother of models Gigi and Bella Hadid, and with the French director, Romain Gavras. She also chairs a charity founded by her father, Sunny Hill, based in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo. With a deep sense of solidarity, the singer has also visited refugee camps in Beirut and taken part in UNICEF campaigns for children’s rights.
In 2023, Dua Lipa made her acting debut in the film Barbie, singing the theme song for the soundtrack. And she recently announced the single Houdini, a preview of her new album.
Those who know her say that Dua Lipa still has her feet firmly on the ground, despite her success, because beyond the diva that everyone sees, she is still a girl who simply loves singing on stage.
