Becoming a pop star was always a pipe dream for Dua Lipa. The hitmaker returned across the pond to appear at Hay Festival on June 4 in Wales. In the midst of her set, Lipa opened up to the audience and shared what it was like to be raised in Kosovo and London.
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She explained that her unconventional upbringing made her dreams feel unreachable and achievable. “From a young age, I had the dream to be a pop star, but it never seemed like something that was actually possible,” the songstress told the crowd, according to BBC. “I’ve been a new girl all my life.”
Lipa was born in London to immigrant parents, Anesa and Dukagjin. The two Kosovan-Albanian parents escaped the country due to conflict before welcoming their daughter. However, Lipa has always remained true to her roots and leaned into her Albanian origins.
The singer/songwriter mentioned that she was always proud of her heritage, despite sometimes feeling like an outcast. She relocated to Kosovo with her parents at 11 but quickly returned to England to attend high school.
“I understood that duality of my heritage from an early age,” uttered Lipa. “I was really proud of it, but when I was younger, I wished my name was, say, Hannah – something ‘normal’ and English.”
While overcoming her own insecurities, she leaned into her passion – music. She was “determined” to make her dream a reality.
“I was quite determined,” recalled the three-time Grammy Award winner. “My dad says I’m very hard to say no to! I was really persistent. I just started writing a lot and worked with a producer. I was 17. I was offered a publishing deal, but [Producer] Felix told me to go to a lawyer. Who said, ‘Don’t sign that deal.’ They then helped me get into the studio.”
Through reading, music, and her podcast Dua Lipa: At Your Service, the vocalist leans into her heritage to educate others about her homeland. Just last year, the “Levitating” singer was granted Albanian citizenship for spreading international awareness and advocating for social causes in the country.
Lipa now has a new perspective on her childhood – one she is grateful for.
“Maybe I thrive on being thrown in the deep end,” she pointed out. “Being out of my comfort zone pushes me to just go for it.”
Photo: Hugo Comte / Warner Music
