By Neia Balao
5:22am PDT, Aug 20, 2021
Since debuting her self-titled album in 2017, British pop star Dua Lipa — who released her Grammy-winning sophomore effort, "Future Nostalgia," in 2020 — has taken the music industry by storm! In honor of her 26th birthday on Aug. 22, 2021, Wonderwall.com is taking a look at things you might not know (but should!) about the acclaimed singer. Keep reading for more…
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While her moniker might sound like a stage name, Dua Lipa is actually her birth name! (Dua means "love" in Albanian.) According to the pop singer, however, she wasn't always fond of her name — in fact, she used to be embarrassed by it growing up. Thankfully, she's proud of it now!
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At 15, Dua Lipa — who was born in Britain and later moved with her family to her parents' native Albania — left home to pursue her music career. She relocated from Kosovo to London. "The cooking and the cleaning… that was tough," Dua told NME of the transition of living alone at such a young age. "I mean, the realization that no one was going to clean up after me was tough! But stuff like that really made me grow up before my time. It helped me mature, I guess, and made me who I am today. I'm really grateful for it, but I do remember it being a struggle."
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Dua Lipa isn't the only musically gifted person in her family — her father is too! Dukagjin Lipa (right, with the rest of the family — mom Anesa, brother Gjin and sister Rina) was the lead singer and guitarist for popular Kosovan rock band Oda, which Dua often listened to growing up. She's also cited her father as one of her main musical influences.
Those who keep up with Dua Lipa know that she's a taken woman! The "Levitating" hitmaker has been in a relationship with model Anwar Hadid, the younger brother of models Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid, since 2019. "I'm very comfortable in the relationship, more so than any others," Dua said in a Rolling Stone cover story in January 2021. "[We] wake up around 9, 9:30, shower, get dressed, have a bit of breakfast, take the dog out on a really nice long walk, maybe do some yoga, make some lunch, hang out, watch a movie, play with the animals."
Dua Lipa's relationship with boyfriend Anwar Hadid isn't the only connection that's blossoming! The "Don't Start Now" singer is also very friendly with his family — namely, his mom, Yolanda Hadid, and sisters Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid. "Dua is very close with the whole Hadid family," a source told E! News in 2019. "She has spent a lot of time with them over the last few months and they have really welcomed her with open arms." Dua is seen here with the Hadid women over the 2020 holidays.
Versace is one of the world's most coveted luxury brands — that's why it's no surprise that an A-list artist like Dua Lipa is one of their muses! In June 2021, it was revealed that the "Pretty Please" singer was the new face of the Versace Fall 2021 campaign. Dua's history with the brand goes way back — in fact, she's seen here in a dazzling Versace confection at the 2019 Met Gala. "I met Dua for the first time a few years ago in London," Donatella Versace said in a statement. "I knew she was a beautiful girl but when I heard the timbre of her voice. I realized immediately she had something unique and special. Since then I've watched her career take off and partnered with her for many amazing moments. Right now, I cannot think of a better woman to embody the spirit of Versace and of this collection."
2019 marked the year in which Dua Lipa became a Grammy winner! That evening, she took home accolades for best new artist and best dance recording for "Electricity."
At the 2021 Grammy Awards, Dua Lipa again proved that she's a force to be reckoned with! She took home the trophy for best pop vocal album for "Future Nostalgia," beating fellow nominees Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga. "This is insane. 'Future Nostalgia' means the absolute world to me and it has changed my life in so many ways," she said as she accepted the honor. She went on to reveal what she realized in creating her sophomore album, explaining, "…one thing that I have really come to realize is how much happiness is so important… I felt really jaded at the end of my last album, where I felt like I only had to make sad music to feel like it mattered. And I'm just so grateful and so honored because happiness is something we all deserve and need in our lives."
Music isn't Dua Lipa's only passion — she's also dedicated to making a difference. In 2016, Dua founded Sunny Hill Foundation, a charity set up in her native Prishtina-Kosovo that focuses "on helping [the] Kosovan society in different aspects, especially on arts and culture." She also set up the Sunny Hill Festival, which is held in Kosovo, as a means to raise money for the foundation. "And then my dad had a crazy, but amazing idea to start a music festival in Kosovo and we've done it for two years in a row," she told Zane Lowe on Apple Music's Beats 1 Radio in 2019. "I felt proud when Miley Cyrus got up and performed in Kosovo, she's the first international female artist to come and perform in Kosovo and put on a crazy show … And we had Calvin and GASHI and Martin Garrix and Action Bronson."
Although she's graced magazine covers and landed high-profile fashion campaigns with luxury brands like Versace, there once was a time when Dua Lipa turned her back on modeling. "I got approached to do modeling when I was really young," she told Harper's Bazaar in 2017. "I went there, but I was never the right size, I was never cut out to be a model and I never really got any real jobs. They were holding on to me for a while, and then they were like, 'Oh you know, if you lose a lot of weight, we'll be able to put you out for more jobs.'" She continued, "I'm really grateful that I did it because it was part of my journey to where I am now, but it also showed me a lot of what I wanted and what made me happy, and it wasn't that at all."
Dua Lipa's birthday is on Aug. 22, which means she's a Leo! While she might be unfamiliar with all the attributes linked to her zodiac sign — during a 2018 interview with Katy Perry for V Magazine, she admitted to not knowing too much about it — she describes herself as sensitive. "I also can let my guard down: I'm quite sensitive sometimes with people I'm really close to," she said. "But with my career and where I want to take it, I can be tough because I know what I want quite a lot. I like to be listened to."
Dua Lipa has built up an impressive net worth early in her career. As of 2021, she's reportedly worth an estimated $16 million!
Despite being one of the world's biggest pop stars, not everyone believed in her star power. When Dua Lipa was 11, she wanted to join her school choir — but her teacher told her she didn't know how to sing. Thankfully, the Grammy winner proved her wrong!
In 2020, Dua Lipa moved to the United States. The singer set up a home in Los Angeles to be closer to boyfriend Anwar Hadid. Dua's decision to move came after she and Anwar spent three months in London together amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
