If there’s one thing that the Future Nostalgia tour is telling the music world, it’s that Dua Lipa is the most prominent star in musical performances, and sits at the top of the pop music world.
I saw Dua perform live on March 20 at Footprint Center, and at the culmination of the 2-hour performance, my jaw was left on the floor as I was bewildered by the mastery I had witnessed.
Dua performed roughly 16 songs, most of them from her latest album “Future Nostalgia,” but she made sure to include all of her most popular work. Notice I said “performed,” not “sung.” That’s because Dua didn’t just sing, she put her heart and soul into every single number, magnificently dancing every moment she was on stage, finding a new section of the arena with every step she took.
Dua didn’t skip a single beat as she captivated the audience with a menagerie of strobe lights, floating platforms, light-up balloons, trap doors, and of course, her own astonishing dancing abilities.
Dua ran from one stage corner to the next, danced in 1980s-style routines, led a whole team of eight dancers behind her, and even danced using a dining chair. She did it all while holding a microphone and wearing high-heel boots, which is an accomplishment on its own. There were times when she would hold hands in a circle with her backup performers to symbolize unity.
There were times when she would be lifted off the ground by her backups above the stage. There was a platform she stood on during her “Levitating” performance that lifted her above-the-floor audience, as well as a giant electronic lobster for her “Blow Your Mind” set.
Occasionally, Dua’s roller-skating dancers would pop up on stage and spin around at lightspeed. Once, Dua disappeared from the stage until she was lifted through a trapdoor with bright lights illuminating her sparkling outfit as she sang the slow song “Boys Will Be Boys.” She even donned a 15-foot long dress for her “Fever” performance.
One of the greatest features was her stunning, uncommon wardrobe that she wore while strutting around the stage. She switched outfits at least four times, first wearing an all-green bodysuit and boots, then a pink-sequined jumpsuit, a silver-sparkle skirt, and finally, a dazzling black tight-knit onesie with cutouts. Her hair and makeup were flawlessly done – not a strand or an eyelash out of place.
Dua was classy beyond belief. She didn’t mess up a single intonation or chord, and never misstepped or forgot a dance move. She made sure to thank each of her backup dancers, and she thanked the city of Phoenix for showing up. There was a moment during her feel-good song “No Goodbyes” when she wrapped herself in a pride flag and hugged her backup dancers. The lyrics rang in my head: “For tonight, let’s love like there’s no goodbyes.” It was a moment that displayed human acceptance and togetherness. For Dua to focus her performance on the theme of love and support made her all the more respected.
Dua finished off the night with her hit solo “We’re Good.” During the final line, she stood on a platform that slowly lowered her through the floor. Light illuminated her face as she raised her microphone to the sky and gave her final sign-off to the city of Phoenix. The moment was reminiscent of every Hollywood movie. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a crowd ever cheer louder.
If I had to describe the concert in one word, it would be the word “perfect.” There was not a single flaw in the set design, song order, outfits, dancers, or aesthetics. Dua had the whole night curated so that it would be perfect.
Walking out of Footprint Center, I realized that Dua Lipa is no longer just another pop star, she’s the star of the pop world. After all, she’s taken home three Grammy awards, five Brit awards, and five iHeartRadio Music awards. She owns the Guinness World Record for most monthly listeners on Spotify for a female with over 68 million, beating out the likes of Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. She even has nine songs that each reached the Top 10 Global Spotify list since 2017. As far as I’m concerned, Dua is the queen of the pop music throne.
With such an outstanding performance and such an outstanding array of music, Dua Lipa is running the pop music world, and doing it with class.
If you have the chance to purchase tickets to see Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia Tour, do it. Her talent will transport you to another galaxy of concert-going. As for the rest of the tour, this is just the first month of what will be a year-long tour traveling across 21 states, 18 countries, and two continents. A total of 63 shows and six special guest appearances. One superstar.
Dua is a luminary talent that is defining pop music.
Contact the reporter at zabradsh@asu.edu.
