Dua Lipa Announces New Album ‘Radical Optimism,’ Inspired by Her New Life Outlook

Dua Lipa - Credit: Tyrone Lebon*
Dua Lipa - Credit: Tyrone Lebon*

DL3 finally has a name and a release date!

Dua Lipa announced her third studio album, titled Radical Optimism, on Instagram Wednesday. The album, out on May 3, will feature 11 songs and is inspired, in part, by U.K. rave culture.

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“A couple of years ago, a friend introduced me to the term Radical Optimism,” the singer said in a press release. “It’s a concept that resonated with me, and I became more curious as I started to play with it and weave it into my life.”

“It struck me – the idea of going through chaos gracefully and feeling like you can weather any storm,” she added. “At the same time, I found myself looking through the music history of psychedelia, trip-hop, and Britpop. It has always felt so confidently optimistic to me, and that honesty and attitude is a feeling I took into my recording sessions.”

The album artwork sees a calm Lipa wading in the ocean as a shark swims nearby, channeling the concept of the album title to perfection. Lipa worked with collaborators Caroline Ailin, Danny L. Harle, Tobias Jesso Jr., and Kevin Parker on Radical Optimism.

The singer also released the track list for the album, which features song titles such as “These Walls,” “French Exit,” Falling Forever,” and “Maria.”

Lipa sat down for a cover story interview with Rolling Stone earlier this year. The story revealed that the LP “captures a period of major changes in her life, including the end of a relationship and her forays into dating.”

“This record feels a bit more raw,” she told Rolling Stone. “I want to capture the essence of youth and freedom and having fun and just letting things happen, whether it’s good or bad. You can’t change it. You just have to roll with the punches of whatever’s happening in your life.”

Radical Optimism comes four years after she released Future Nostalgia. Her first album, Dua Lipa, arrived in 2017. For the new album, Lipa has released two singles: “Houdini” and “Training Season.” She performed the tracks at the Brits and Grammys this year.

Radical Optimism track list

  1. “End Of An Era”

  2. “Houdini”

  3. “Training Season”

  4. “These Walls”

  5. “Whatcha Doing”

  6. “French Exit”

  7. “Illusion”

  8. “Falling Forever”

  9. “Anything For Love”

  10. “Maria”

  11. “Happy For You”

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