Dua Lipa

Dua Lipa’s ability to be so many things all in one go is what, ultimately, makes her so engaging. Consider the fact the 25-year-old is a London-born descendant of Kosovan Albanian parents who, with Bosnian ancestry thrown into the mix, fled the war-torn former Yugoslavia in search of better, fairer, more fulfilling and, essentially, safer lives.

She is a woman in a relationship with a multimillionaire partner, Anwar Hadid, yet is in every way a self-starting, self-made exemplar of blistering talent and unrelenting energy.

She is someone entrenched in a world of manufactured bubble gum pop, yet a versatile activist and campaigner who will happily turn away Radio 1, Capital, MTV and commercial avenues if the opportunity arises to liaise with political media on subjects as diverse as social justice, equality and human rights.

And of course, as you may well expect, the chart-topping artist is a powerhouse behind sexual equality, and the freedom to play out our dreams and ambitions on a level playing field.

What we love Dua Lipa for mostly though is for the gloss, glamour and shine she has put on the music industry; and that dynamism was rewarded, unequivocally, by her double BRIT win this year.

The singer/songwriter picked up the gongs for Best Album and Best Female Artist, excelling where so many other artists have been left bereft of ideas and creativity through lockdown.

This year she released a remix of Future Nostalgia, the album that garnered so much praise, though with the exception of a couple of scattered singles, her continued impact on music, activism and entertainment has largely been led by personality, poise and no small quantity of sumptuous selfies.

Dua Lipa is a face for the next phase of music – and one that won’t go away anytime soon given the expected release of her third album in the early part of next year. She is a talent whose voice is more than just soundscapes that emerge from the microphone; and of course, with that platform comes responsibility… but somehow we feel the singer is up to the task.

I accept we don’t live in a world where all the entertainment is taken out of things because everything has to have a deeper message… that would become really boring. People need escapism

EM: Whether it’s feminism, the situation regarding refugees, LGBT, HIV or poverty, you pride yourself on having an opinion, right?

DUA: I think we all have opinions and we’re all entitled to express them, and that’s what I’m doing. I like to stay informed but I’m not for one second supposing people are going to agree with everything I say… I know that’s not the deal. In fact, often I have to be careful to hold myself back from moving too far away from what people really like in me and regard me as, and that is a singer. It is something I think about a lot, and I don’t want to spoil that.

However, given where I have come from and what I have lived through, I do believe it would be strange if I didn’t offer some opinion on what’s going on around us. And these are really key issues too – real things that I genuinely have a passion for and care about.

EM: Do you think the music industry, as a whole, speaks up enough when it comes to social issues?

DUA: I think a lot of artists are afraid to raise their heads up for fear of saying or doing the wrong thing.

In the past I have been told to steer clear of being too outspoken. My label are obviously supportive of what I do and say, but I know there is always that danger of someone disagreeing. I accept we don’t live in a world where all the entertainment is taken out of things because everything has to have a deeper message… that would become really boring. People need escapism.

What’s more, if you push a subject too far then that whole impact can be taken away, so I think that’s the balancing act with all musicians, whether they’re being interviewed about politics, music or just what they’re wearing – you can have too much of anything, or anyone!

EM: And yet what’s refreshing about you is you’re not afraid to enter into a debate.

DUA: I think, ultimately, If you’re going to say something that people might oppose, at least do it in a way that shows you are credible, and you can think for yourself. That’s why I went so far into the Brexit thing – because I could really see it from both sides.

After what happened in Yugoslavia, I would be a hypocrite if I said I didn’t believe in the will of the people and the ability of people to make change and forge their own path. Yet my stronger perception is that I am so lucky that I was able to make the move to the UK from Kosovo. It seems likely that in future there won’t be many who can do what I did. That’s such a sad state of affairs, but these things happen, and I don’t believe anything is forever. It made me sad then and it still does, but I understand, as a nation, the people felt they had tried it for long enough and wanted to explore the potential of a new way of doing things.”

EM: Your pathway to the top that you reference was certainly an example of having to put in the hard yards, right? You progressed through the Sylvia Young Theatre School, worked as a model, waitress and a shop assistant on the way to earning enough money to get your name out there.

DUA: My route was certainly not a case of being plucked off the street and presented with this incredible prize. I know there is a perception that this is how these things happen, but that I think is a belief rather than a reality. It certainly wasn’t a reality for me and I had to work incredibly hard to get to where I am.

EM: It must help that you have such immaculate style, and even tattoos that guide your thoughts and emotions, so it’s said.

DUA: Well yes, it’s interesting that you note that. I do have the word ‘patience’ tattooed on my hand. Really, it’s just a personal message to me for my life in general. With my

I do have the word ‘patience’ tattooed on my hand. Really, it’s just a personal message to me for my life in general. With my music, I am always working hard to release material as quickly as I can, but things don’t always work that way” music, I am always working hard to release material as quickly as I can, but things don’t always work that way – the promotion, interviews, release schedules. I got that tattoo there in a place that I can always look at, to remind myself that the phrase is true: ‘patience is a virtue…’ Sometimes, you have to wait for good things to happen.

I learned that from my father – he always wanted to achieve as much as he could, though he knew there would be things out of his control that he couldn’t influence; and sometimes patience is the only way. His release was music, from the frustrations of life. I don’t have those same frustrations, but I certainly enjoy having the same release, and music is fundamentally important and a huge, dominant part of who I am.

EM: What was the first song that really struck a chord with you

DUA: Wow, I can’t recall that, but from as early as I can remember, music was something I loved being involved in… both making it and listening to it. There couldn’t be anything else, really because music has been my life since I was very young. I don’t think I ever had a day where I didn’t listen to music – it’s always been there at some point, and I’m sure it always will be.

EM: Including a busy year ahead…

DUA: Sure, they are all busy. For me, it’s about changing and evolving. It’s about making your job fun and original in every way possible. For as long as I carry on doing that, I will be happy.