Dua Lipa review, Glastonbury 2024: More than mere pop spectacle
Get The Inside Track On Music With Roisin O'Connor's Newsletter ????
Subscribe To Our Free Now Hear This Email
Dua Lipa predicted the excitement she felt at her debut Glastonbury headline show. She saw the bright lights, the waving flags, and the energetic teenagers in the crowd. As a young girl, Dua Lipa, now 28 years old with Albanian-Kosovan roots, wrote down her dream of headlining Glastonbury. Through hard work and determination, she turned that dream into a reality, achieving success with hit songs, critical acclaim, awards, and chart-topping singles.
"I was very clear," she says with a giggle. "I told them I wanted to be the main act on the Pyramid Stage on a Friday night, because I knew I could have a great time for the next two days." As she talks about the incredible feeling of controlling such a huge audience, her voice breaks. "I can't believe how excited my younger self would be right now."
The expanding realm of Dua Lipa - including her acting career, book club, media platform, and podcast featuring prominent figures in various cultural spheres - continues to thrive without any signs of slowing down. With the recent acquisition of the rights to her music catalogue, her influence only grows stronger. However, despite her widespread cultural presence, Dua Lipa remains mysterious and enigmatic. Her enigmatically vague persona, combined with her admirable support for global issues, has prevented her from just being a popular celebrity and instead propelled her to becoming a beloved figure in the eyes of the public.
Maybe that's exactly what she prefers. Lipa's performance tonight is more than just a typical pop show - she incorporates elements of underground culture into her set. The show begins with a martial drum solo, as dancers in leather outfits move energetically across metal bridges, resembling a Swat team blending in at a New York meatpacking district in the 70s. Lipa, dressed in a chain-lined leather dress, skates to the center stage with the same enthusiasm as she had on her previous arena tour, beginning with an energetic rendition of "Training Season" to get the party started.
Even though the performance is very structured – even the way they throw confetti seems planned out – you can still feel the passion shining through in moments of playful drama. Halfway through the second verse, she throws her head back in disgust at the clueless exes who have inspired her.
Many boyfriends are likely to be yelling about it, but the gospel of Dua believes that even though guys can be terrible, it's okay and even a bit amusing. She excels at combining stories of love and growth with music that feels like stumbling upon an amazing night out at the worst club in your city.
Her love for underground culture is best shown on "One Kiss" - with a house breakdown that would fit right in at Glastonbury's lively queer nightclub NYC Downlow - and "Pretty Please", infused with irresistibly gritty funk swing and a breakdancing section that pays tribute to her roots in house, disco, and rave music in just two exhilarating minutes of rapid beat changes.
In the midst of everything, she manages to include a humorously understated guest appearance: not a famous friend, but a modest Kevin Parker - also known as the Australian psychedelic rock sensation Tame Impala - who appears as the laid-back boyfriend that parents may not approve of after their daughter's gap year. In recognition of his role in her new album, Radical Optimism, Parker casually joins in wearing a t-shirt and jeans for a charmingly awkward duet of his track "The Less I Know the Better".
In addition to the exciting opening track, the new album songs like "These Walls" and "Falling Forever" seem a bit dull and protective - even the final track "Houdini" doesn't quite live up to the hype after the amazing songs "Physical" and "Don't Start Now". I believe, and even hope, that Dua Lipa will continue to headline Glastonbury, but it's difficult to picture these songs becoming essential parts of her setlist.
"Guys, you are helping to make my dreams a reality," she exclaims during "Be the One." Despite some moments of weakness, Lipa clearly grasped the importance of Glastonbury. It's not just any show or festival - it's the moment we've all been waiting for, maybe our whole lives. The top headline acts make this a reality, even for the skeptics. Dua Lipa does something equally as extraordinary: by fulfilling her childhood dream, she allows us to witness her most heartfelt fantasy.
