Last week during the Grammy Awards show, Dua Lipa entered with six nominations and took home the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album. This, along with her dazzling performance, made it clear she’s a powerful pop force in the music industry. How did Lipa’s winning album, Future Nostalgia, become so successful in the first place?
Many people first got to know Lipa through one of her breakthrough singles, “New Rules,” which was a chart–topper and the breakup anthem of 2017. Her debut self–titled album (Dua Lipa) garnered success as well. The album had a darker pop sound, which suited her full voice. When Lipa began production for her second album, she set her sights on newer goals: a more dance–pop inspired album with a nostalgic feeling.
Future Nostalgia exemplifies its name successfully, filled with songs with 80’s–style retro pop beats accompanied with a futuristic feeling. From the dancersize feel of “Physical” to the club track “Don’t Start Now,” Lipa created the atmosphere of a party during the pandemic, when the world needed it the most. Though it wasn’t her original plan to release the album in the middle of the COVID–19 crisis, it ended up working out; the upbeat sounds of the album brought joy and energy at a time when everyone truly needed them.
Future Nostalgia quickly garnered critical acclaim and also became a TikTok sensation, with many of its songs getting choreographed dances and videos dedicated to them. Lipa has acknowledged this TikTok phenomenon, even creating a music video for “Levitating ft. DaBaby” solely composed of TikToks. Going viral on TikTok helped the album reach a larger audience and paired the music with fun dances anyone could do.
Along with all this, Lipa worked extremely hard to keep her fans entertained during this time. Since the drop of Future Nostalgia, she’s guest hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live, released remixes of many of the songs from the album, released a “Moonlight Edition” of the album, and so much more. Her hard work has helped keep her music relevant while consistently adding new elements to keep it exciting and entertaining.
Despite all this, what truly elevates an album to iconic status is the performances that accompany it. During a normal year, this would involve touring and making the album come to life. However, despite that being impossible during the pandemic, Lipa has found other ways to transform this album from a set of songs to an unforgettable era.
She created Studio 2054, a virtual performance of the album where she had dancers and elaborate costumes that made it feel like you were getting a tour performance from the comfort of your home. Her multiple performances at other venues like Tiny Desk at NPR, SNL, and the American Music Awards have highlighted her willingness to give her fans iconic live performances, even if they’re a bit different than normal.
Overall, Dua Lipa has proven herself to be extremely dedicated to her craft and her fans, on top of being incredibly talented. If you want to listen to Future Nostalgia, you can find it on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and other streaming platforms. My song recommendations are “Love Again,” “Levitating,” “Hallucinate,” and “We’re Good” (from her “Moonlight Edition.”) Happy listening!