Album Review: Dua Lipa’s ‘Radical Optimism’
The highly anticipated third album from the English pop sensation struggles to reach her high water mark.
If there’s one person who represents the future of global pop music, it’s Dua Lipa.
Since her breakthrough in the late 2010s, the Kosovan-Albanian-English singer-songwriter has rocketed to one of the world’s most popular and influential artists. Her sophomore album Future Nostalgia played a major role in that ascension, spawning multiple mega-hits like “Don’t Start Now” and “Levitating.”
That album landed particularly well with me, containing a string of nine absolute smashes that have stuck with me through the four years since its release (see my review here to learn more).
So when I saw Dua's new album on the horizon for 2024, my expectations were high. Would she manage to outdo herself with her third album, Radical Optimism? In some ways, I can say yes, but for the most part, the record feels like a step down from the exhilarating high of Future Nostalgia, leaving me wanting more.
Just like before, the album’s lead singles absolutely smash. Take “Houdini,” where Dua takes on the character of a go-with-the-flow lover who isn’t above ghosting once she loses interest:
