DUA LIPA | LIVE REVIEW
Cardiff Motorpoint Arena, Wed 18 Apr
Dua Lipa performed in Wales for the first time and, judging by the support she received, I suspect this will be the first of many visits, unless the lure of bigger arenas wins out. The crowd, made up predominantly of young girls, looked to the 22-year-old Dua in adoration; in the minutes leading up to her arrival the amassed throng, by now combusting with anticipation, had phones on record ready to capture her Cardiff bow.
When the curtain fell to reveal Ms Lipa, plus band, the crowd went nuts – the arena filled with flashes, phone screens and a venue-wide scream. Her IDGAF style of clothing, attitude and music has clearly caught on and you couldn’t help to just want to be as cool as Dua.
Dua’s self-titled debut album was released in June 2017 and she performed the bulk of its tracks here. Starting her set with the upbeat Hotter Than Hell, Be The One and Lost In Your Light, she skipped, jumped and pumped from one side of the stage to the other nonstop with her dancers and female backing singers. The phenomenal rise of Dua and her subsequent awards and accolades has given this young star global stardom and a platform to reach her fans: her performance are a perfect showcase for her vocals, typically impressive in Cardiff.
She slowed her pace down with Thinking ‘Bout You, Genesis and No Goodbyes, to which the crowd knew her every lyric – something she encouraged by splitting the auditorium into two and engaging willing acolytes in a sing-off battle, much to their delight. Her encore consisted the chart-topping IDGAF and New Rules, leaving fans with a positive vibe for the journey home and pondering whether baggy trousers are the way forward. Come back soon, Dua.
words RMF photo JUSTIN HIGUCHI