The past few years have presented pop-music fans with an array of rebrands, from Sabrina Carpenter lacing her music with punchy innuendos, to Olivia Rodrigo leaning more alternative and sulky. There is one artist, though, whose rebrand has done more for her cultural relevance than most of the rebrands we’ve seen: Dua Lipa.
When I think of Dua Lipa, my mind instantly starts replaying her viral faux pas, her cringeworthy dancing to “One Kiss” (featuring Calvin Harris), where she “gave us nothing,” as the meme alleges. But looking at her now, it’s difficult to imagine her in any socially compromising situation. Everything in her life now appears completely intentional, from the brands she works with, to the books she reads, to the people she surrounds herself with. The constant vacationing and her Instagram feed are meticulously curated.
radical optimism
In October 2023, Dua wiped over 1,500 Instagram posts to signify the beginning of her new era, Radical Optimism. In a YouTube interview with host Tom Power, she said that for her, “Radical Optimism” highlights the juxtaposition of being “violently happy,” learning how to “roll with the punches,” and looking at the positive side of things.
The album itself features songs like “Houdini” and “Training Season,” the latter a verbal manifestation of the love she was seeking. She no longer wanted to “train” boyfriends, she needed a man who could meet her standards.
The timing of this narrative ties in almost suspiciously with her relationship. In January 2024, shortly after the release of her album’s lead single, she met her now husband, Callum Turner. This relationship is the absolute epitome of Radical Optimism, she finally met a man who could live up to her standards. The pair often discuss how, when they were first dating, they were separately and coincidentally reading the same book, Trust by Hernán DĂaz. Upon this realisation, Callum remarked that they were “on the same page.” Which ties further into the rebrand.
service95 book club
The pinnacle of Dua’s rebrand is undoubtedly her Service95 Book Club, her sleek, perfectly curated outreach to fans that makes high-quality literature tangible for the masses.
This was brought to my attention when I came across an Instagram reel of her interviewing Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid’s Tale, which struck me as quite controversial and profound for what I thought was just a pop singer’s side project. That interview made me buy into the Dua Lipa lifestyle entirely.
By sending out a monthly book recommendation, an email review, and usually an accompanying author interview, she makes somewhat niche literature accessible and understandable for a wide range of her fans. In what many deem a literacy crisis, Dua makes reading look chic and aspirational. People have begun to romanticise physical media like vinyl, CDs, and books, so the addition of an author interview fosters a deeper relationship with the text for both Dua and her fans. It also encourages higher-quality reads in a generation of “AI slop,” by pairing digital platforms with physical media.
holiday queen
If there’s one thing everyone has noticed about Dua Lipa, it’s that she never stays in one place for long. The pop superstar is constantly posed lounging in the sun on her moodboard-esque Instagram dumps, or out for drinks on holiday with her friends. Fans have joked that she is constantly on vacation, and are struggling to figure out when she actually records her music.
Dua poked fun at these perceptions on SNL, responding to fans who say she’s always on vacation by declaring that’s “totally wrong, because I’m British, so we call it a holiday.”
the dua lipa lifestyle
So, yeah, Dua Lipa’s music is pretty good, and she’s given us some hilarious memes. But somewhere along the way, she’s transformed into something else entirely: a lifestyle, a holiday itinerary, a book connoisseur, and a cultural icon.
I’d argue that the most impressive part of her rebrand is how natural it feels. And if she can get more people reading while releasing our vacation soundtracks, then we’ve clearly given the right person the spotlight. The books, the brands, the holidays, the relationship, and the clothes somehow all fit into the perfect, cool, educated image that everyone wants to be part of.