Dua Lipa has not only left her mark, but she has shown the world after the release of her self-titled debut album that she is here to stay and redefine the way we view pop music. Dua Lipa's self-titled debut studio album was released on 2 June 2017 through Warner Bros. Records. After finishing school in 2013, Lipa took a gap year to look for a music manager and eventually begin her career. She ultimately signed with Ben Mawson of Tap Management and began working on the album that year to get signed to Warner Bros. Records in 2014 eventually. Her debut album doesn’t hint at Dua Lipa becoming a superstar as she screams it from the rooftops. This is a sass-packed, honest, uncompromising storm.
Lipa bombarded mainstream music with her upbeat hits such as “Be the One” and “IDGAF,” but paved the way to stardom with her empowering single “New Rules.” The song's lyrics are relatable to almost anyone who has been through a bad breakup but mainly cater to the women who have had that one boy who only calls “'cause he’s drunk and alone” and did them dirty. The self-titled album is a smorgasbord of instant jams, party favourites, and soft classics that showcase the talented individual that is Dua Lipa. Her sultry and low yet impressive range will keep you listening to her lyrics on repeat. The first song on the album, titled “Genesis,” seems very fitting to kick off her career. "Genesis" as a song title represents the birth of something new, something great. What a clever move on Lipa’s part, putting Genesis as the first song on her first album, symbolizing the birth of a star and the birth of an iconic album.
Those chart-bothering early singles pave the way for a record that won’t rest until it’s compressed every available hook into gigantic pop songs. So as well as the dancehall-nodding ‘Hotter Than Hell’, there’s the second song on the album titled “Lost In Your Light,” which is not only a dance song with a techno esque beat and relatable lyrics but one of the only songs on the album with the silky-smooth vocals of singer/songwriter Miguel. Even when the 21-year-old threatens to slow down, she’ll throw in the odd twist. ‘Thinking ’Bout You’ starts as an acoustic slow-burner but soon reveals itself as a sharp-witted firecracker. ‘No Goodbyes’ begins slowly but eventually becomes an Ibiza-ready heatwave. Much of the album’s magic boils down to one element: Lipa’s voice. It could make the thickest synths seem tame in comparison and carries a 20-a-day raspiness capable of making heartfelt ballads sound edgy.
Dua Lipa has danced her way to the top of the Billboard charts with a mixture of hits of her own and features on party-smashers such as Martin Garrixs’ “Scared to be Lonely” and Sean Paul's “No Lie.” She has claimed the industry with just one album release but, more importantly, has changed pop music for the better. Much of the album’s magic boils down to one element: Lipa’s voice. It could make the thickest synths seem tame in comparison and carries a 20-a-day raspiness capable of making heartfelt ballads sound edgy. What's most impressive to hear is how confidently the debut holds itself together, flitting between styles but always shining a spotlight on a legitimate pop sensation.