Dua Lipa is looking for love. Not some sort of toxic fling or fleeting romance — she wants real, old-school love. “We all got too many options/ Remember when we used to do anything for love?” she asks on “Anything for Love,” her mid-tempo breakdown track that appears toward the end of Radical Optimism, Lipa’s third studio album, which arrived at the stroke of midnight on Friday (May 3).
Love has always been at the core of Lipa’s being, stretching back to the conflicting feelings on heartbreak she expressed on her 2017 self-titled debut album with songs like the apologetic “Be the One,” the instructional “New Rules” and the carefree “IDGAF.” When 2020’s Future Nostalgia arrived, Lipa was 24 years old, and love was all about fun and relationships made her feel like “Levitating,” just like the enduring hit single captured.
However, it’s been four years since Future Nostalgia, and the pop superstar is older now. At 28 years old, she knows what she wants in a relationship and she’s ready to settle down. As she playfully put it on Radical Optimism‘s second single, “training season’s over.” She told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe that, for her, maturity in love means that you learn your “non-negotiables” and how to healthily move on. “You have to be in the act of forgiveness and growing and learning, and being okay with the past in order to move on with what’s to come next,” she explained.
In many ways, Radical Optimism feels like the older sister to Future Nostalgia. She’s smarter and knows better than to let a relationship get the best of her, but she’s still a hopeless romantic that’s holding out for that forever love she’s looking for — all while making fans dance with an infectious disco-pop beat.
While all of Radical Optimism is worth listening to, there are some clear early standouts. Here is a ranking of all 11 tracks on Dua Lipa’s latest album.
Lipa wants the honeymoon phase of a relationship to continue, and she spotlights that feeling of yearning with an anthemic, belting chorus. Production-wise, “Falling Forever” is a classic pop song, and while it’s sure to become a favorite for some die-hard fans, it’s not a particular standout when compared to the rest of the album.
While Lipa’s vocal talent is indisputable, “These Walls” strips back her typically dance-heavy melodies just a notch to let the natural emotion of her voice come through. With the raw vulnerability that beams throughout the chorus, the track feels like a grown-up version of something that might have appeared on her self-titled debut album.
Lipa knows that a woman is often the one who teaches a man how to properly love. On “Maria,” she thanks her man’s ex-girlfriend for putting in the work. “Now he’s everything that I’d ever want/ I want to thank you for all that you’ve done,” she expresses in the second verse over a thumping bass line, putting a refreshing, healthy spin on how one might perceive her boyfriend’s former lover.
The album’s ballad-turned-jazzy mid-tempo number breaks down the theme for the whole album, which is searching for real, enduring love. “Remember when we used to do anything for love?” she asks on the track — dismissing any frivolous romances, while taking on a more serious note than “Training Season,” but with the same conviction.
Tell ‘em, Dua! On “Training Season,” the star is fed up with being disappointed by men, and notes that it’s time to stop training and step up to the big leagues. If the lyrics aren’t motivating enough, the thumping bass should do the trick.
While much of Radical Optimism falls into Lipa’s tried-and-true, disco-tinged, dance-pop wheelhouse, “Whatcha Doing” adds a funk layer to the mix. It’s groovy, it’s seductive and a great mid-album change of pace.
Growth is a beautiful feeling, and Lipa captures the album’s theme of maturity in its ethereal, mid-tempo album closer. “I must of love you more than I ever knew/ Because I’m happy for you,” she realizes in the chorus, understanding that having real love for a person means that you cheer them on even after your time together is over. It’s the perfect sentiment to close the album on a radically optimistic note.
If the whole album wasn’t catchy enough, “Illusion” has entered the chat. The psychedelic-leaning dance production amplifies the rave-ready chorus, allowing the single to capture what fans love most about Lipa: She’ll make you dance, whether or not you even want to.
“French Exit” feels as though it provides more context to “Houdini,” backed with a sleek guitar riff. “Goodbye doesn’t hurt if I don’t say it,” she muses of her breakup-slash-disappearing act. Besides the clever songwriting, the more stripped-back song shows Lipa’s versatility as an artist, confirming that her musical experimentation with this album paid off.
To open Radical Optimism, Lipa’s living in a daydream. With breezy harmonies and a soft tropical house beat, the pop star ponders a happily-ever-after type of romance with her latest suitor. “I’ve lost all my senses/ Is this my happy ending?” she asks hopefully in the pre-chorus, setting the tone for an overall fittingly optimistic album.
It was the lead single for a reason. The driving beat, ’80s-inspired synths and the brain-tickling way she sings “Houdini” combine to create an undeniably catchy hook that Dua is particularly masterful at — representing both a continuation and growth from Future Nostalgia. While the track’s subject is one of the most famous escape artists of all time, “Houdini” makes it clear that Dua isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
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