Live Review
Saturday, June 21, 2025
This highlight reel of her decade-spanning career showcases an artist at the pinnacle of her profession.
For quite some time, it has seemed like Dua Lipa has been just shy of achieving full pop icon status. Perhaps that's due to her various endeavors, which include a book club and podcast, a lifestyle newsletter, serving as a YSL Beauty ambassador (complete with a brand pop-up at the stadium's entrance), and a continuous series of worldwide vacations, making music just one of many projects and side hustles she engages in. However, don’t be misled: like a dazzling magician endlessly pulling silk handkerchiefs from her sleeve, her second sold-out night at Wembley Stadium presents two hours of non-stop hits that can compete with any pop powerhouse. Despite a lack of extravagant outfits from fans, likely due to the sweltering heat affecting London, Dua more than makes up for it with her own five stunning outfits, each heavily adorned, including two with fur—certainly a challenging choice in such heat. Alongside the outfit changes, her performance includes chair-ography, burlesque feather fans, confetti, streamers, lasers, flames, fireworks, and a floating C-stage. This truly is a lavish spectacle in every sense.
The most significant spectacle of the evening, however, is the reveal of her special guest. Following the unexpected Jamiroquai duet from the previous night, the audience goes wild when Dua introduces “the biggest brat” she has ever met. Although Dua appears on Charli’s remixed version of 'Talk Talk', they instead treat the audience to a powerful performance of '360', which receives an expectedly enthusiastic response. Although she admits to feeling nervous, Dua captivates the 70,000-strong crowd from the moment she steps on stage, performing as if this were her 20th headline show rather than just her second. Songs from her debut album like 'IDGAF' and 'Be the One' garner as much love as newer hits 'Training Season', 'Hallucinate', and 'Levitating', with the crowd joining in on the humorous fitness video intro for 'Physical'. The hit parade only pauses when she strolls along the barricade, allowing her band to set up downstage, as she shares nail art comparisons, hugs fans, and takes selfies with those in the front row, most of whom have traveled from afar to attend. As the marathon show concludes with the sparkling dance hit 'Houdini' (accompanied by even more fireworks), it’s undeniable that when she's not reading or sampling cuisine on vacation, Dua can deliver a stadium-headlining performance effortlessly.
Since their explosive debut in 2018, South Korean K-pop group ATEEZ has experienced an incredible surge in popularity — dominating international stages and establishing a reputation for
Launching this June with the creative vision of PSY and the production expertise of i-dle’s Soyeon, Baby DONT Cry signifies a fresh beginning for the powerhouse label.
Wisp has announced the upcoming release of their debut album, titled 'If Not Winter'. The rising American artist combines shoegaze elements with a variety of other sounds, featuring
The band has also revealed a performance at London's Electric Ballroom, along with more than 180 listening parties for the album release day.
The BBC has unveiled its preliminary broadcasting schedule, and it does not feature Neil Young's headline performance. The iconic songwriter is set to headline
Halima, a British-Nigerian artist based in Brooklyn, is set to launch her debut album, 'SWEET TOOTH,’ on September 19th. The album will be released through drink sum wtr.
This highlight reel showcasing her career over the last decade honors an artist at the peak of her abilities.