Dua Lipa: Dua Lipa
London singer Dua Lipa makes the sort of pop music that contains heft and emotional substance, akin to Broods or Banks. On her first album, Dua Lipa, it doesn’t feel like she’s crafting buoyant hooks for the sake of radio play, but rather because soaring pop anthems are the best way to convey these aching, heartbroken feelings. “Be the One,” a single that’s been previously released by Lipa, is a lush synth-pop number that begs for another chance with a possible love interest, while on “Genesis,” she pleads for a relationship to start again, crooning, “How can we go back to the beginning?” Miguel, the patron saint of sultry pop tunes, joins Lipa on “Lost in Your Light,” a propulsive duet that melds the two voices in a deeply compelling way. Lipa slows things down on “No Goodbyes,” a forlorn ballad about spending one final night before parting ways. The album went through the hands of numerous producers and songwriters, but Lipa’s voice and emotive delivery help retain cohesion throughout. These songs may or may not be based on truth from her own experience but, as relatable pop numbers, they are effective and immediately memorable. It’s the sort of music you’ll need around the next time you get your heart broken—or even just slightly bruised.