Dua Lipa has become one of pop music’s major players in recent years thanks in large part to the success of her smash sophomore album Future Nostalgia. It’s been four years since she staked her claim in the world of disco-pop, and the Grammy winner is now exploring new sonic territory with her long-awaited third album Radical Optimism.
Lipa has been signaling for quite some time that Radical Optimism would be nothing like Future Nostalgia. Rather than relive the disco days of the last LP, Lipa went into recording Radical Optimism with an emphasis on classic Britpop and electropop sounds. Singles like “Houdini,” “Training Season,” and “Illusion” signaled this shift to fans in the lead-up to the album’s release. The complete project shows the full spectrum of sounds that Lipa makes her own, from groovy pop tracks like “End of an Era” and “Falling Forever” to adult contemporary-esque outings like “Maria” and “Happy For You.”
“This record feels a bit more raw,” she told Rolling Stone earlier this year of the album. “I want to capture the essence of youth and freedom and having fun and just letting things happen, whether it’s good or bad. You can’t change it. You just have to roll with the punches of whatever’s happening in your life.”
In a Time interview last month, Lipa explained that her change in sound has coincided with aging and growth in her own life.
“The record as a whole is more mature,” the Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree said. “I’m definitely not the same person I was when I wrote my first album. I’ve evolved and learned so much… taking it as it comes, not seeing anything as bad or something as a setback. That involves a lot of growing and understanding myself, knowing my worth, whether it be in business, love, or friendship.”
“I’m just a different person, so of course this record is going to be different,” she added. “I have different thoughts, wants, needs, and perspectives. I’ve done a 180 on myself… I feel the most confident at this point in my life.”
With a summer-ready album now out for the masses’ consumption, Lipa is also looking beyond the world of music. She made her acting debut in last year’s billion-dollar blockbuster Barbie and starred in this year’s Argylle. When speaking with Rolling Stone, she confessed she’s more comfortable with gaps between album releases now if it means she can focus on other creative endeavors too.
“You make the album, you promote it, you go on tour, you do the same thing, and that’s so amazing, but I think there’s going to come a point where maybe I want to take just a little bit longer [in between],” she said. “I have all these other things that I can also do that really interest me.”
She similarly teased other non-music work when speaking with Time. “I’ve been planting seeds for my other endeavors my whole life,” she said. “It’s a way for me to be able to show everyone other sides to who I am. I love my music career and the fact that it gives me so much opportunity for expression. But it’s not the only thing I am.”
