Dua Lipa dazzles in the glamour of past for the timely “Future Nostalgia”

Most artists seem to suffer from the sophomore slump – especially those catering to the pop genre. However, Lipa’s Future Nostalgia transports listeners to the dance floor – or their living rooms – without a hitch. 

Over the past few years, the momentum has been building for Grammy-winning musician Dua Lipa’s ascension into pop icon. These past few summers have been filled with her catchy anthems – ranging from her infectious hit “New Rules” to her Calvin Harris collaboration “One Kiss.”

In 2020, with the dangers of COVID-19 and the ongoing practice of social distancing, it has become a time of uncertainty and anxiety across the world. Alongside the numerous closures of major businesses and restaurants across the companies, artists and movie studios have been delaying projects until later in 2020/early 2021. However, Dua Lipa has done the opposite – she moved her album up a week early.  

“It’s very tough to know exactly what to do, because we’ve never been through anything like this before, and so I was trying to understand what the right thing to do was,” shares Lipa in a recent Variety interview. “I obviously wanted to put the album out, but I also didn’t want to put it out at a time when people were really suffering … [s]o I was just kind of thinking about maybe to put it out at a happier time. But I then also decided that I’ve already been waiting for so long to put this record out, and I think the fans are really excited for me to put the record out. And so I just thought I’d be doing them a disservice to delay it, especially during this time.” 

Despite the current climate, the new record has provided a selection of upbeat, positive anthems to help provide some happiness during these times of struggle. “Don’t Start Now,” the record’s first single, has continuously proven to be the perfect selection to help set the tone on Lipa’s new LP. Complete with the perfect breakdown and nostalgic blast-from-the-past moments, this hit offers the sweet release of fun for the spring. 

The disco-infectious records include incredible homages to the past – including the catchy “Levitating” and second hit single “Physical.” However, outside of being filled with the perfect club records, the album tackles a diverse range of topics – newfound love, lust, toxic relationships and dealing with a misogynistic society. The latter – “Boys Will Be Boys” is an album highlight, discussing the struggles of being a woman in a culture which regularly dismisses the actions of toxic masculinity. 

Highlights of Future Nostalgia include the hopeful sparks of new love in the beautiful “Love Again” and the ever-relatable, slinky “Pretty Please,” an ode to love at its most full. (What a Virgo mood) 

“The song is about promising someone—or yourself—that you’re going to be really chill in the early stages of the relationship, but then [realizing] that ‘Yeah, that’s just not me,’” shares Lipa with Apple Music.  

Although diving deep into music’s past, Future Nostalgia celebrates the message of today and provides the perfect remedy for the 2020 blues. Filled with anthems to help dance the day away, Dua Lipa continues to prove that she is not just your standard pop star, she is preparing herself for global domination. 

You can stream the album here. Dua Lipa will be embarking on her Future Nostalgia tour in Europe, but has promised an upcoming U.S. tour. Stay tuned for the upcoming announcement on her website. 

Photo by Hugo Comte, courtesy of Warner Records Press.