9781422270844

Dua

Lipa

Dua Lipa Lizzo Megan Thee Stallion Adele

Billie Eilish Harry Styles Lady Gaga Lil Nas X Adam Levine Ariana Grande Ed Sheeran Shawn Mendes Taylor Swift

Dua

Lipa

Greg Bach

Mason Crest Miami

Mason Crest PO Box 221876 Hollywood, FL 33022 (866) MCP-BOOK (toll-free) www.masoncrest.com

Copyright © 2024 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN (hardback) 978-1-4222-4734-1

ISBN (series) 978-1-4222-4732-7 ISBN (ebook) 978-1-4222-7084-4 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Bach, Greg, author. Title: Dua Lipa / Greg Bach. Description: Miami : Mason Crest, 2024. | Series: Pop music stars | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2023008884 | ISBN 9781422247341 (hardback) | ISBN 9781422247327 (set) | ISBN 9781422270844 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Lipa, Dua, 1995---Juvenile literature. | Singers--Biography--Juvenile literature. Classification: LCC ML3930.L563 B25 2024 | DDC 782.42164092 [B]--dc23/20230223

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023008884 Developed and Produced by National Highlights, Inc. Editor: Andrew Luke Production: Crafted Content, LLC (www.craftedcontentllc.com)

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WORDS TO UNDERSTAND: These words, with their easy-to-understand definitions, will increase readers’ understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills. SIDEBARS: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. TEXT-DEPENDENT QUESTIONS: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. RESEARCH PROJECTS: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. SERIES GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field. Contents BREAKTHROUGH ������������������������������������������������������������������ 6 CHAPTER 1: A STAR IS BORN �����������������������������������������������������11 CHAPTER 2: GREATEST MOMENTS ������������������������������������������������23 CHAPTER 3: BEHIND THE CURTAIN ���������������������������������������������37 CHAPTER 4: BRAND DUA LIPA ���������������������������������������������������51 CHAPTER 5: MODERN MEGASTAR ������������������������������������������������65 SERIES GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS ���������������������������������������������76 FURTHER READING ����������������������������������������������������������������77 INTERNET RESOURCES ������������������������������������������������������������77 INDEX �������������������������������������������������������������������������������78 AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY & CREDITS ������������������������������������������������80 Key Icons to Look For

Breakthrough English singer and songwriter Dua Lipa tip-toed along the fringes of superstardom during the early years of her career, rolling out a series of moderately successful songs for her self-titled debut album. However, once “New Rules” was unveiled and hit the airwaves in the summer of 2017, her head-turning, life-changing work resonated all the way across the Atlantic Ocean, turning the 22-year-old emerging European star into a household name in big cities and small towns stretching from NewYork City to Los Angeles while also catapulting her onto the doorstep of global greatness. The 3-minute and 29-second masterpiece featured Lipa’s dynamic and distinct voice operating at its wide-ranging and glorious best. Music critics gushed, fans roared, and the music industry prepped to lay down the welcome mat for the arrival of its newest superstar. “New Rules” hurtled up music charts worldwide. It cracked the Top 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it climbed as high as No. 6 while spending a notable 48 weeks on the list. North of the border, the song rocketed to No. 7 in Canada. It also found widespread acclaim overseas, becoming Lipa’s first No. 1 hit in both the United Kingdom and Ireland. By claiming that top spot on the UK list, Lipa became the first female solo artist to reach that prestigious spot since 15-time Grammy Award winner Adele did so with “Hello” in 2015. Her leap to the top slot on the Pop Songs Airplay Chart also had executives at Warner Brothers Records rejoicing, as it marked the first time one of their female singers had corralled that No. 1 spot since Madonna hit the jackpot with “Take a Bow” more than two decades ago. Time magazine also ranked it No. 1 on its Top Songs of 2017 list, ahead of rapper Cardi B’s “BodakYellow,” pop star Selena Gomez’s “Bad Liar,” and country singer Kelsea Ballerini’s “Legends.” Talented and Tenacious

Empowering and enlightening, the song centers on a popular topic in the music industry—breakups—but the track pulls in listeners in a way unique to Lipa. She sings heartfelt, commanding, sensible lyrics stressing control and self-care amid the pain and despair that accompanies relationships that have crumbled. The creative chorus is punctuated with a trio of rules to abide by in the wake of a relationship fracturing: don’t pick up the phone, don’t let him in, and don’t be his friend.

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Dua Lipa

The stunning success of “New Rules” was a testament to both Lipa’s talent and, most certainly, her tenacity. In the lead-up to the release of “New Rules,” her earlier singles “Be the One,” “Last Dance,” and “Hotter Than Hell” performed reasonably well, though they all resided outside the Billboard Hot 100, unable to nudge their way onto the list. “Scared to Be Lonely” and “Lost inYour Light” found a similar fate, mired in the lane of mediocrity and unable to penetrate the ultra-competitive US market. When Lipa made her Hot 100 debut with “BlowYour Mind,” which got to No. 72, it offered listeners a quick glimpse of the greatness that would soon be erupting. Dua Lipa gave an inspiring performance of “New Rules” at the 2018 BRIT Awards at London’s O2 Arena, where one of the two big awards she took home that evening was for British Breakthrough Artist. Another indicator of her arrival as a superstar came when “New Rules” earned her the 2018 Radio Disney Award for Best Song To Lip Sync To, where she beat out powerhouses Taylor Swift and Demi Lovato, among others. “New Rules” pulled Dua Lipa into superstardom, where she has resided ever since.

7

breakthrough

When the music video for “New Rules” was unveiled in the summer of 2017, it was greeted with rave reviews, worldwide praise, and a stunning number of views. The colorful, cleverly choreographed video has been viewed more than one billion times onYouTube, giving Dua Lipa the distinction of being the youngest solo female artist in that platform’s history to reach the monumental milestone. It also more than quadrupled the number of fans subscribing to herYouTube page. The all-female video features Lipa and her

girlfriends hanging out together at a sleepover, accompanied by dynamic dance routines. The video, filmed at the Confidante Hotel in Miami Beach under the direction of Henry Scholfield, features

the women dancing in their room, the hallway, and outside in the pool area. Scholfield’s fingerprints are also on Lipa’s music video for “Lost inYour Light.” The video received numerous award nominations, including Best Choreography at

the 2018 MTV Music Awards and winning Best Pop Video at the UK Music Video Awards.

8

Dua Lipa

Dua Lipa writes a lot of her own songs and enjoys the creative process of working on stringing together words and phrases to make magical music. However, “New Rules” was composed by a trio of super-talented writers— Emily Warren, Caroline Ailin, and Ian Kirkpatrick—that Lipa knew well and respected. Plus, the admiration was mutual. While working with Kirkpatrick in the studio one day on a different project, he mentioned that the three writers had written a song they felt was perfect for Lipa that they hadn’t shared with anyone else because they wanted her voice on it. Lipa took one look at the song and fell in love with it, connecting to it immediately. Kirkpatrick has written hit songs for a number of stars, including “Want to Want Me” by Jason Derulo, “Bad Liar” by Selena Gomez, and Nick Jonas’ “Levels,” while Warren and Ailin have done a lot of writing for The Chainsmokers.

9

breakthrough

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND abyss —hole, pit; a wide or profound difference between people burgeoning —beginning to grow or increase rapidly; flourishing dabbled —take part in an activity in a casual way resolve —determination, tenacity, commitment resonating —filled with a deep, full, reverberating sound

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Dua Lipa

CHAPTER 1

A STAR

IS BORN

Journey to Greatness Dua Lipa’s music has been beautiful, brilliant, and breathtaking ever since she arrived on the scene with her hit “New Rules.” Super-talented, charismatic, and oozing confidence, she was never destined to fall into the abyss of one-hit wonders whose time in the spotlight is fleeting and, sadly, often forgotten about, too. Instead, “New Rules” was simply a significant moment in a journey that has been filled with many of them, as Lipa continues to dazzle, entertain, and often amaze fans with an array of stunning songs and must-see music videos. Her trek to superstardom has been equal parts fascinating and inspiring, punctuated with the resolve of a young woman with a laser focus on refusing to back away from her dreams no matter how many obstacles she bumps into along the way. London Calling Dua Lipa was born in northwest London on August 22, 1995, to her parents, Dukagjin and Anesa. The oldest of three, she also has a sister Rina and a brother Gjin. Her parents fled their native country of Kosovo—a country in southeastern Europe surrounded by Serbia to the north, North Macedonia to the south, Albania to the west, and Montenegro to the east—years earlier amid conflict and war in the region. Prior to celebrating her 12 th birthday,

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a star is born

As a young girl, Dua Lipa moved with her family from London to Pristina, Kosovo.

Bonding with Bruno During her pre-superstar days, Dua Lipa gained some valuable experience and exposure as the opening act for Bruno Mars during selected spots on his 24K Magic World Tour that traversed the globe in 2017 and 2018. She got the chance to observe his dedication to his craft and how he prepared and rehearsed for his shows, which was valuable insight she tucked away into her memory bank to use when she hit the stage as a headlining act soon after. While on tour with Mars, she got the chance to perform at some huge venues, including Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, which is home to the Australian Open men’s and women’s tennis tournaments.

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Dua Lipa

the family packed up and moved back to Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, where the fighting had subsided, and peace mostly permeated the region. The challenges Lipa faced on returning to Kosovo were plentiful: there was a new country to adjust to, a new school to attend, new classmates to meet, and most notably of all, a new language to learn. While her family spoke Albanian in the comfort of their home, hearing it in classrooms and tackling homework assignments written in the native language produced a lot of difficult moments that she had to work her way through. Finding Comfort in Music Lipa’s dad had a musical background, so it’s not surprising that a love of music seeped into her makeup. A singer in a rock band in Kosovo, Dukagjin loved music, and his go-to listening choices were legendary US rock band The Doors; 17-time Grammy Award winner Sting, lead singer of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame English band The Police, who went on to have a lucrative solo career; English rock band Radiohead; and English singer and songwriter Paul Weller, who fronted The Jam in the 1980s before branching out on a solo career. Dua savored listening to these singers and bands too, but she also loved listening to all sorts of pop music. There was a certain thrill and excitement for her that accompanied hearing new voices, new sounds, and new lyrics, especially those of Pink and Nelly Furtado. Lipa found joy and inspiration in their songs that helped drive her to later produce music that enabled fans to get to know her just as she felt she knew and connected with Pink and Furtado.

“I feel like I really got to know those two (Pink and Nelly Furtado) artists so well just by listening to their music. And that was something I aspired to do with my first album. It was all about allowing people to get to know me, for me.”

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a star is born

Singer Alecia Moore, better known as Pink, was a huge influence on a young Dua Lipa.

Major Move By this time, Lipa’s love for music and performing was tugging at her heart, and the encouraging words of a teacher in Kosovo who had her tackling the works of Toni Braxton and Alicia Keys spiked her interest and buoyed her confidence that perhaps she could wade into the waters of the music industry. At age 15, the aspiring singer sat down with her parents to chat about her future, which included asking a whopper of a request: to return to London, where she could attend the SylviaYoung Theatre School and be better positioned to grow and nurture her talents as a musician. Now, this wasn’t a teenager asking for the keys to the family car to go out with her friends or hoping to push for a later curfew. This was a teen asking to move more than 1,500 miles away to chase a dream so big that few ever fulfilled it. Her parents relented, and she moved in with friends in London to attend the school, which is well-known for producing music stars who cultivated their talents there and moved on to glorious careers. Among those who have walked the hallways of SylviaYoung are six-time Grammy Award winner Amy

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Dua Lipa

Dua Lipa followed in the footsteps of stars

such as Emma Bunton of British pop bandThe Spice Girls when she attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School.

15

a star is born

Winehouse, who tragically died of alcohol poisoning at the age of 27, and Emma Bunton, better known as “Baby Spice” of the popular British band The Spice Girls.

“Since I was really young, I’ve always kept lists. My parents found it really funny because they would find them all over the house, but it’s something that I’ve done religiously—I try a new restaurant, I write it down. Movies I want to watch, books I want to read, places I want to see, drinks, recipes, everything.” Lipa experienced a rocky beginning at the school, where she enjoyed the freedom to choose activities with her friends over studying, and her grades plummeted. However, she quickly regained her footing and her focus. The teen got a job at a London restaurant while she dabbled in recording cover songs and splashing them on social media. She also devoted some time to writing a blog, did some modeling and acting, and recorded demos that she sent all around the city, hoping to snag an agent’s attention—and a recording deal. Cracking the entertainment industry is notoriously tough, and Lipa didn’t exactly have agents crowding on her doorstep looking to sign her. While unable to make any headway in music, her striking looks paved the way for some modest success as a model. She modeled for a large fashion retailer, then she caught a big break when she nabbed an appearance in a commercial for The X Factor television show. The spot turned executives’ heads and pried open the door to opportunity. In 2013, the young singer signed a contract with Tap Management, where executives recognized her talent and potential but also realized that it needed some fine-tuning and smoothing out. They encouraged Lipa to focus on her singing, and by the time 2015 rolled around, she had a major-label record deal—linking up with Ben Mawson and Warner Brothers Records—and a life-altering new album was soon in the works.

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Dua Lipa