Saturday, May 15, 2021

Saying Something

Kudos to Dua Lipa for calling for frontline workers to get a pay rise. Even playing to the gallery at a Brits ceremony peopled by key workers it was still an excellent way of using her platform for a good cause.

I had heard of the singer for some year but never really listened to her music until last year when I was working out at a gym (pre-pandemic). Several of her tunes popped up on the sound system and in our ballet fit class the instructor had programmed a very catchy number for when we did sideways steps. I only realised later this was Dua Lipa's "Don't Start Now", and I can't hear the song without flashing back to those steps. Once I was in lockdown I listened to Future Nostalgia and decided it was a retro pop classic. Very deserving then of the Brits statuettes handed out this week for best album and female solo artist. Her medley was brilliantly realised. 


Dua Lipa turns up on Song Exploder, the series on Netflix going behind the scenes of notable recordings. The episode that features her centres on the writing and recording of "Love Again", which I found to be one of the less memorable songs on the album. In discussing the formation of the song Lipa gives nods to the co-writers, producers etc. and then someone she describes as her "vocal producer" who apparently told her to smile while singing certain lines. Vocal producer? Is this a thing? Somehow I can't imagine Aretha Franklin or Frank Sinatra having a vocal producer. But, if it works for Lipa, then good for her. 

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