Dua Lipa claims public don’t want pop stars to be ‘smart or political’
Dua Lipa believes the public perception of her is far more one-dimensional than she’d like.
The British-Albanian pop star, 28, has made headlines over the years as much for her political statements as for her musical achievements.
Along with her music career, which saw her break through in 2017 with the release of her hit single “New Rules”, she has launched a lifestyle newsletter, a book club, and an international music festival.
She is currently working on her third album, due for release next year, as well as preparing for the 2024 Grammy Awards, where she is nominated for Song of the Year.
In her cover interview with Rolling Stone, the singer appeared frustrated at being underestimated.
“I don't know if people believe that I like to read books,” she said. “They don't want you to be political. They don't want you to be smart. There is so much more to me than just what I do.”
Dua Lipa said her existence was “kind of political” due to her family’s history, with her parents fleeing the Kosovo war in the late Nineties.
“I feel for people who have to leave their home. From my experience of being in Kosovo and understanding what war does, no-one really wants to leave their home,” she said.
“They do it for protection, to save their family, to look after the people around them, that kind of thing, for a better life. So I feel close to it.”
In October last year, Dua Lipa signed a petition calling on US president Joe Biden to urge for and help facilitate a ceasefire in Gaza.
In her interview, she said she had observed parallels between her parents’ experience and the current situation for Palestinians.
“I don't condone what Hamas is doing,” she said, referencing the terrorist group’s deadly attack on Israel. “I feel so bad for every Israeli life lost and what happened on 7 October.
“At the moment, what we have to look at is how many lives have been lost in Gaza, and the innocent civilians, and the lives that are just being lost.
“There are just not enough world leaders that are taking a stand and speaking up about the humanitarian crisis that's happening, the humanitarian ceasefire that has to happen.”
Dua Lipa also hit back at those who joked about her frequent social media posts showing her on holiday.
Following an extensive 2022 world tour and promotion for the release of her second album, Future Nostalgia, she took time off to travel last year and was pictured in glamorous locations including Cannes and Ibiza, leading some fans to dub her “vacanza queen”.
I think people are quick to forget,” she said. “I was on tour up until the end of December. I felt like I missed out on so much time with my family and friends. It shows how short our attention span is, which is why music comes out so much faster.”
She continued: “Of course, I was going to f***ing holiday and chill [during] the year that I was just going in the studio and had some time off. As long as I’m doing my job, hitting my deadlines, and getting my s*** done, then I will find a way to relax, too. It’s really work hard and play hard. Why not?”
Dua Lipa is up for a Grammy Award for Song of the Year with her hit single “Dance the Night Away”, from the soundtrack to Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster hit Barbie: The Movie. The ceremony is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on 4 February.
