Dua Lipa’s latest single, “Training Season,” premiered at the 2024 Grammys and it’s the anthem we didn’t know we needed. Just in time for spring, this song dives deep into wanting a relationship because “training season”, or in my opinion, winter, is over. It’s getting warmer, we are all coming out of hibernation, and Dua “Needs someone to hold [her] close / Deeper than [she’s] ever known”.
The song is a perfect example of her sleek and polished pop sound. It’s composed of her catchy melodies, danceable beats, and relatable lyrics often on the topics of love, empowerment, and self-discovery. Additionally, Dua has a knack for making a production out of her singles. For the release of “Training Season”, Dua debuted her new deep-red hair. In a Vogue article, she claims the decision “wasn’t anything deep”, but when reading on, it sounds quite intentional. When in the studio working on songs for her upcoming album, she said the color red resonated with her. The color matches the “darker, earthy tone” of her new songs and is also the same color Mrs. Lipa had throughout Dua’s childhood (https://www.vogue.com/article/dua-lipa-2024-interview). In fact, this is a very artistic choice she’s using to embody the era of her third album to follow “Future Nostalgia” and “Dua Lipa”.
On the theme of nostalgia, Dua Lipa reflects on the past in this song, but not in a sentimental, longing way. This whole song is about how badly she wants someone who can be more than just a fling (an all too rare occurrence these days). She wants someone the opposite of her past “poisons”, “trickiness”, and bench-warmers (“Are you on my team? / Or stuck on the sidelines waiting for someone to tell you to go?”). My favorite lyrics are from the line where she says “Don’t wanna have to teach you how to love me right”. This is where I believe the title gets its name. She has no more time for training (dealing with B.S.) and I feel the same.
Right from the get-go, Dua’s lyrics pull listeners into a maze of conflicting thoughts, questioning the true nature of attraction and whether it’s real, another toxic temptation, or just not wanting to end the night alone; “Are you someone that I can give my heart to? / Or just the poison that I’m drawn to? / It can be hard to tell the difference late at night”. As the song progresses, she’s strong in her stance as she notes that’s not what she wants, she instead yearns for something that goes beyond the surface. This stream of consciousness is one of the reasons I love Dua as an artist; she’s very relatable. Her vulnerability when talking about learning from her mistakes (“And, baby, I don’t need to learn that lesson twice”) and putting what she really wants out there—someone to just goddamn love her—is a universal experience a wide audience can relate to.
The rodeo metaphor is something I found really interesting. In the chorus, Dua writes “Whose love feels like a rodeo / Knows just how to take control”. These lines add some spice, symbolizing the thrill and unpredictability of a genuine connection. Or, suggesting that she’s still young in her twenties, and wouldn’t mind a bit of a chase. Regardless, it’s a call for a partner who understands the intricate dance of love and can take control of the situation instead of leaving from fear, failing expectations, etc. She wants someone who isn’t afraid to take a chance.
Dua Lipa’s vulnerable in “Training Season” as she describes the relatable, frustrating internal monologue of wanting someone to just get it right. Looking for a real connection can be exhausting and she just wants to meet her person. She’s done training the immature and unsuitable. The song dives deep into the challenges of considering whether someone can truly go the distance in understanding and appreciating the layers of your being. As the seasons change, let this song be the soundtrack for going after what you want, screaming it out loud at the bar, or running your heart away at the gym.