Dua Lipa — Radical Optimism

[Devil]

It’s somewhat seen to be flopping in the UK as it was the physicals and day one streams that got it to enter at #2. It’s #7 now in the midweeks and outside the top ten on Spotify.

I can see how people could be a bit disappointed given she feels like one of the biggest pop stars at the moment, but nearly all of her hits have been slow burners. I’d say this will fall with Xmas and then shoot back up after those songs clear out. Whether it has the legs of some of her others remains to be seen. I guess people expected it to be a ‘straight-in-at-number-one’ affair?

 

[Jark]

I don't think the song really has what it takes to come back after Christmas and smash. it's not that kinda girl. they should have a new single ready to go by new year.

 

[dUb]

I like it a lot

It’s somewhat seen to be flopping in the UK

 

[Jark]

vastly superior extended mix with a new verse and better sound/mixing

 

[octophone]

Album being hurriedly remixed as we speak then.

 

[untilted]

I’ve tried with this, as with much of her music but her soulless voice is ultimately the issue for me. I hear her sing and I feel absolutely nothing.

I will agree that the writing, production and ultimately marketing is absolutely top level, but for me personally the vocal is the absolute highest priority when it comes to my listening experience, and this woman is barely average.

 

[Jark]

album teasers from her Rolling Stone profile

• 11 songs, 8 (co-)produced by Tame Impala
• no ballads
• It’s heavily inspired by acts like Primal Scream and Massive Attack, staples for a London girl with a penchant for late-night drives around her city.
• The final product is uniquely and utterly Dua Lipa: confident dance pop full of witty Instagram-caption-ready one-liners. A lot of the songs are playful scenes from clubs or nights out with friends; the lyrics toggle from warnings that she’ll make a fast escape to optimism about what a first kiss could become. There are no sweeping ballads, though there is one good ballad fake-out that blooms into a more buoyant Carole King- and Fleetwood Mac-inspired moment. Mostly, this album is straightforward pop bliss, not unlike her approach to Future Nostalgia.
• [One] dreamy, midtempo track plays out like an updated take on Gwen Stefani’s “Cool.” In the lyrics, she compliments her ex’s new relationship, calling his new girlfriend “really pretty,” and she finds peace as he moves on: “I must have loved you more than I ever knew.… I’m not mad/I’m not hurt/You got everything you deserve.”
• She found herself turning to more of the Nineties rock and electronica acts she grew up listening to, like Moby and Gorillaz.

 

[Pipo]

but still no planned date?

 

[funky]

I'm expecting it to sound absolutely nothing like Primal Scream, Massive Attack or Fleetwood Mac, but I'm looking forward to it nonethless!

 

[octophone]

The final product is uniquely and utterly Dua Lipa

I'm not sure that's a selling point, given how hard she has to work not to be as bland as a supermarket lasagne.

 

[octophone]

Also, the first Gorillaz album is 2001, they're not 90s.

 

[K.C.]

Lots of negative Nancies

 

[K.C.]

 

[Jark]

Lots of negative Nancies

as per usual in a Dua thread people are telling blatant lies to disparage her. jealousy is powerful!

 

[GNL]

• a London girl with a penchant for late-night drives around her city.

Sadiq Khan HATES her.

 

[GNL]

I doubt she's going to sound much like those influences, but a Dua Lipa bop with a teaspoonful of Fleetwood Mac flavouring? Sign me up

 

[OutSynk]

I'm expecting it to sound absolutely nothing like Primal Scream, Massive Attack or Fleetwood Mac, but I'm looking forward to it nonethless!

Same except I’m not looking forward to it but will be listening nonetheless!

 

[Eddie]

Also, the first Gorillaz album is 2001, they're not 90s.

Unless she was listening to Primal Scream and Massive Attack in the 90s as a TODDLER, that doesn't track either.

She was very much a child of the Noughties.

Kevin Parker on the other hand...

 

[GNL]

Unless she was listening to Primal Scream and Massive Attack in the 90s as a TODDLER, that doesn't track either.

She was very much a child of the Noughties.

Kevin Parker on the other hand...

People tend to grow up listening to the stuff their parents like, though, so I don't see why she wouldn't have grown up listening to those artists.

 

[octophone]

Primal Scream are shite, Massive Attack are amazing so this album is going to be mediocre.

I will eat these words if she produces another Future Nostalgia level banger. Great album, that.

 

[Eddie]

People tend to grow up listening to the stuff their parents like, though, so I don't see why she wouldn't have grown up listening to those artists.

Fair enough but I still think this is Kevin Parker's influence.

The Gwen Stefani reference tracks though - isn't this the THIRD time she's cited her as inspiration?

 

[Jark]

Unless she was listening to Primal Scream and Massive Attack in the 90s as a TODDLER, that doesn't track either.

She was very much a child of the Noughties.

what a weird thing to say. in my household records from the late 80s/early 90s were still being played regularly in 1999. you can consume music released before you were born!

 

[Jark]

The Gwen Stefani reference tracks though - isn't this the THIRD time she's cited her as inspiration?

Gwen is one of Dua's all-time faves. taste!

 

[K.C.]

Imagine stanning Lana and Marina and then coming to whine about Dua. This kind of homophobia is just not ok

 

[Eddie]

Though I know you're not referring to me, I wasn't whining. I love Dua!

 

[funky]

I come and go with Dua. Some of her stuff is so clearly aimed at mass market, and because of the fact that, let's face it, it's not the BEST voice in the world, it CAN be a bit bland at times. However, she gets to work with amazing producers and there always does feel like she's hitting that Madonna strategy of taking what's hot, diluting it and giving it to the world. It's not as successful as Madonna (yet?) but she's definitely not one of those tenapenny pop star moulds like Bebe and Zara (sorry Bebe and Zara fans).

I don't love everything but I do love a lot.

From her wiki discog:

11 Be The One (nothing comes close for me)
07 Hotter Than Hell
06 Blow Your Mind (Mwah)
03 Scared To Be Lonely
07 New Rules
07 IDGAF
07 One Kiss
08 Electricity
08 Don't Start Now
06 Physical
07 Break My Heart
08 Levitating
05 We're Good
07 Cold Heart
07 Potion
08 Dance The Night
07 Houdini

I mean there's already a sizeable greatest hits there and I haven't even included every collab. Enough for me to stay interested, for sure.

(also Hallucinate and Cool were the best songs on FN and they weren't even singles)

 

[RJN]

10 Be The One
07 Hotter Than Hell
07 Blow Your Mind (Mwah)
07 Scared To Be Lonely
10 New Rules
07 IDGAF
10 One Kiss
08 Electricity
10 Don't Start Now
10 Physical
09 Break My Heart
11 Levitating - sorry but featuring DaBaby
09 We're Good - I like this one way more than most do I think
08 Fever
09 Cold Heart - seeing Elton John perform this with a Dua Lipa hologram was a highlight of 2022
05 Potion
06 Dance The Night
06 Houdini

 

[funky]

I also really like the collab with Miguel

and of course her feature on the Miley song...

 

[Pipo]

Hallucinate was a single in some territories, wasn't it? It had a (fun for Europe) animated video

 

[Kratz]

She’s not for you music snobs!

Let’s be happy that there is a top tier female artist recognising the power of pop music who hasn’t leant into mumble pop or R&B lite drudgery.

Houdini remains amazing.

And if by boring we mean not being a twat, well good.

 

[Pipo]

OMG PREACH @Kratz

 

[OutSynk]

She’s not for you music snobs!

Let’s be happy that there is a top tier female artist recognising the power of pop music who hasn’t leant into mumble pop or R&B lite drudgery.

Houdini remains amazing.

And if by boring we mean not being a twat, well good.

This is giving @Jark defending Katy Perry

 

[Apoca]

I come and I go with Dua.

90s handbag or funk goes HOUDINI

 

[POP!]

10 Be The One
07 Hotter Than Hell
08 Blow Your Mind (Mwah)
07 Scared To Be Lonely
10 New Rules
07 IDGAF
09 One Kiss
08 Electricity
10 Don't Start Now
06 Physical
08 Break My Heart
08 Levitating
07 We're Good
08 Cold Heart
08 Potion
07 Dance The Night
08 Houdini

I really liked "Cool" off the last album. The first album had some bops too, although I don't go back to it much.

 

[K.C.]

She's exactly what's the gays want and yet they SHUN her.

 

[Apoca]

Come to braziiiil, Dua!

 

[Jark]

I really liked "Cool" off the last album. The first album had some bops too, although I don't go back to it much.

the thing is her music One Kiss onwards and in particular Future Nostalgia was such an elevation I never feel any need to go back to the debut, other than New Rules and Room for 2 (so quirky!). it's like another artist completely.

why is Love Again not in this singles list please? Hallucinate was also a single, and Fever.

08 Be The One
08 Hotter Than Hell
07.5 Blow Your Mind (Mwah)
05 Scared To Be Lonely
09 New Rules
06 IDGAF
10 One Kiss
07.5 Electricity
10 Don't Start Now
10 Physical
08 Break My Heart
10 Levitating
09 Hallucinate
07.5 Fever
11 Love Again
05 We're Good
08 Cold Heart
08 Potion
07 Dance The Night
08 Houdini

 

[untilted]

Massive Attack?

She wishes…

 

[octophone]

the thing is her music One Kiss onwards and in particular Future Nostalgia was such an elevation I never feel any need to go back to the debut, other than New Rules and Room for 2 (so quirky!). it's like another artist completely.

I think this is it. After that thing she did for some film that was a real snooze, we had no real right to expect such a great album but Future Nostalgia delivered something that felt like a truly fresh take rather than an exercise in retro. I liked her enough to have bought the first album but I had no major expectations and then she delivered an absolute banger. There's always a certain joy in an artist making a quantum leap like that from the first album to the second (cf Pablo Honey and The Bends).

 

[Pipo]

I sometimes go back to her debut mainly for Bad Together and Begging, both sultry album GEMS; it's a shame she's never gonna do something similar ever again.