Dua Lipa – Radical Optimism

[eyeofthestorm]

I cannot wait until all the social media posts of people making failed attempts to imitate 'Falling Forever'

[ampersand]

The album is okay on first listen. Definitely weaker than FN. I think it will grow on me as the weather gets warmer, though. I agree with whoever said that they should have truncated the long roll out and dropped the album in the summer.

[Enigma.]

Out of the new songs, only These Walls managed to debut in top 40 on Spotify globally.

[felipe]

May 1, 2024 23:44:28 GMT -5 Juan Carlos said:

I mean, if the promotion budget has been considerably reduced, how is it possible that Warner make her to do a SNL double duty on 5/4 in the US, a BBC One and Radio 1 Live Lounge on 5/6 and 5/7, respectively, in the UK, interviews and photoshoots to magazines to come out during the album's release week and dropping teasers of the songs from the album ahead of its release around the world

Wait, do they have to pay for her to do SNL?

[Maximillian]

Debuts with 15.8M streams on Spotify (ouch - this is worse than I could have expected)

More Spotify First Day #s:

Global chart (7 tracks — 15,783,664 streams)
#34 Illusion — 2,900,984
#40 These Walls — 2,772,615
#41 Houdini — 2,740,721
#42 Training Season — 2,726,658
#91 End Of An Era — 1,791,147
#155 Whatcha Doing — 1,469,117
#184 Falling Forever — 1,382,422

US chart (5 tracks — 2,927,737)
#67 These Walls — 689,557
#71 Illusion — 661,730
#90 Houdini— 570,003
#108 Training Season — 530,986
#133 End Of An Era — 475,461

[taylor is terrified]

I’m loving this record. In no world was it ever going to be FN; that was one of those lightning in a bottle moments and you know what they say about lightning striking twice—it never happens in the same place. I’m also not hearing anything psychedelic like she said there would be—I wonder when that sound is actually coming. That said, this is a nice, breezy summer album full of bops. I hope the label is able to turn things around for her and get her the all-out smash hit that this era deserves—can’t believe “Houdini” and “Training Season” didn’t do it for her. The performance of “Illusion” is also quite baffling to me.

Immediate standouts: Houdini, Training Season, These Walls, Illusion, Falling Forever, Happy For You

[schnetzka]

Soooooo the album is growing on me. Still think it is a step down from Future Nostalgia but I still am starting to enjoy it more. I echo the "psychedelic" part that is nowhere on the album like she said it would be.

[Taylor.]

I enjoy the album for what it is but it's not what it was sold as, lol. This era has been really messy—especially coming off a nearly perfectly executed era.

[Envoirment]

I'm really liking the album! The only track I'm not bothered about is "Anything For Love".

Shame the initial streaming is quite low. Perhaps it'll manage to hold on well?

I assume they might release a 4th single with a significant feature/remix. Then release a deluxe edition later this year with a big hit. Perhaps the deluxe including "Dance The Night" to help streaming numbers.

[Maximillian]

What type of feedback are you seeing from your friend groups on this album? Mine is a bit torn but mostly neutral / negative.

One of my friends said to me today “Hope your weekend is as safe as Dua’s new album” and my boyfriend actually asked me to turn it off.

“Falling Forever” has grown on me. Ian Kirkpatrick produced it and he did “Don’t Start Now” and “New Rules”, two favorites of mine. This is probably still my least favorite of the 3, but the track I think has the best shot at a 4th single if we get one.

[wjr15]

My friend group is really enjoying the album. The only negative I’ve seen/heard has been on Pulse.

‘Falling Forever’ is quickly becoming one of my favorites and I could see it being a single.

[Mike]

This is honestly better than I anticipated.

[HamedM1 💔]

I personally really enjoy the record pretty close to FN (FN has better highlights for sure but RO has better consistency and unison) but it definitely has been promoted very poorly. They should've launched Illusion alongside the album instead of just before it, released Training Season in time for the Grammys, and so forth.

[Dylan :)]

I can’t stand Falling Forever. I don’t get the appeal. It reminds me of Euphoria by Loreen. These Walls to me is the only single material song left

[bat1990]

I enjoy the album because I just kinda ignored this long-ass lead-up campaign. But I'm glad she nabbed some Grammy's (unlike Katy Perry) before her US radio success wanes.

[Deleted]

May 3, 2024 23:58:23 GMT -5 eyeofthestorm said:

I cannot wait until all the social media posts of people making failed attempts to imitate 'Falling Forever'

Just wait until all the social media posts of Dua’s failed attempts to sing that one live #welp

At any rate, yeah you won’t convince me now that wasn’t the correct second single by a massive landslide. I think lead wouldn’t have been good since it’s a bit too different from her and something about it feels off for a lead single. It definitely sounds like a second single smash though. Then they could be gearing up to push Illusion for summer and I think that song would be in a way better spot.

[Maximillian]

May 4, 2024 12:25:36 GMT -5 Mike said:

This is honestly better than I anticipated.

I can't imagine Warner is going to be thrilled about any of that. I really *truly* hope they give her a re-release with some new songs, and a full budget for the next era.

While her sales are on par for her career, they really are subpar in the grand scheme of her contemporaries and peers. Also, these numbers are at best equal to, but likely less than, her first week sales for FN (66k first week). Some first week sales to compare:

Ariana / Eternal Sunshine - 227k
Lady Gaga / Chromatica - 274k
Billy Eilish / Happier Than Ever - 238k
Miley Cyrus / Endless Summer Vacation - 119k
(I won't bother putting Beyonce or Taylor here)

Heck, even the Barbie album sold 126k copies the first week.

Her sales are more on par with artists like Pink, who drop a casual song here and there, and still move 60k albums first week without the promo and budget Dua has been given. Or a Tate McRae (sold 66k with her last album first week) who is doing great, but hasn't has the career highlights of Dua yet.

Considering FN has now sold over 15m worldwide, is the sixth most streamed album of all time on Spotify, has over 12B total streams on Spotify and is the current best selling album of the 2020's -- Warner definitely isn't going to be thrilled at this. At. All.

[Love Plastic Love]

Yeah that seems pretty low in American for me. It's on par with FN, or slightly less, when FN didn't have the benefit of several mega smashes in a row to develop her name/stardom. America is really, really not here for this era. I am assuming she will sell tons worldwide though and I think Illusion might end up smashing in the US. Like, it's still going pretty strong.

[wjr15]

May 4, 2024 12:34:01 GMT -5 HamedM1 💔 said:

I personally really enjoy the record pretty close to FN (FN has better highlights for sure but RO has better consistency and unison) but it definitely has been promoted very poorly. They should've launched Illusion alongside the album instead of just before it, released Training Season in time for the Grammys, and so forth.

I have to agree with you. The material is good but the promo has been horrible. They should’ve waited until 2024 to drop the first single instead of a long drawn out pre-release. I still don’t understand why they waited two weeks after Dua performed Training Season at the Grammy to release it. And I agree, the third (second) single should’ve been launched with the album release. I hope Illusion or something else on the album smashes because I wanna see Dua succeed.

[ampersand]

May 4, 2024 10:36:16 GMT -5 Maximillian said:

What type of feedback are you seeing from your friend groups on this album? Mine is a bit torn but mostly neutral / negative.

One of my friends said to me today “Hope your weekend is as safe as Dua’s new album” and my boyfriend actually asked me to turn it off.

“Falling Forever” has grown on me. Ian Kirkpatrick produced it and he did “Don’t Start Now” and “New Rules”, two favorites of mine. This is probably still my least favorite of the 3, but the track I think has the best shot at a 4th single if we get one.

My friends, who all went to her show the last time she was here, didn't even realize she released an album this weekend. I don't know anyone who was impressed with the singles.

[HEADOFTHEPACK]

I don't agree with the doom and gloom re. numbers. They look about as expected. She isn't an album artist at all and I think in the US especially, she's only really as big as her last single at this point.

Not convinced they'll be that bothered in these early stages either. Quote from Dua in a Guardian interview from this weekend:

New Rules was her first No 1 in the UK. In the US, it bubbled around in the lower reaches of the Top 100 until it finally reached the Top 10 six months later. Her first album, simply titled Dua Lipa, was also a sleeper hit. She says this has become a pattern for her records in the US. “They don’t go to No 1, but they stick around and they’re around for a long time. And that’s about patience. That’s about just letting things do their thing; not forcing them.”

I'm not trying to claim there will be fireworks and champagne popping in their offices, or that this record has been expertly handled so far, but Warner play a long game with Dua. I don't think the success of FN changes that too much.

[Maximillian]

May 4, 2024 15:56:04 GMT -5 HEADOFTHEPACK said:

I don't agree with the doom and gloom re. numbers. They look about as expected. She isn't an album artist at all and I think in the US especially, she's only really as big as her last single at this point.

Not convinced they'll be that bothered in these early stages either. Quote from Dua in a Guardian interview from this weekend:

New Rules was her first No 1 in the UK. In the US, it bubbled around in the lower reaches of the Top 100 until it finally reached the Top 10 six months later. Her first album, simply titled Dua Lipa, was also a sleeper hit. She says this has become a pattern for her records in the US. “They don’t go to No 1, but they stick around and they’re around for a long time. And that’s about patience. That’s about just letting things do their thing; not forcing them.”

I'm not trying to claim there will be fireworks and champagne popping in their offices, or that this record has been expertly handled so far, but Warner play a long game with Dua. I don't think the success of FN changes that too much.

It will be interesting to see the long game play out on this (and international numbers, where she has more marketshare). However, we are **THREE** singles deep into the era -- we are well past the "early stages". This is not the start of an era, this is closer to the end. Unless the label sees a reason to push more money into the era for a fourth single, or even to send her back to the studio (which I think is the right path), the writing is on the wall that the era is underperforming. Unlike her other albums, which had reasons to not be huge out the gate, they also had hit songs. Beyond Houdini, where is the hit this era?

The label has done the best promo tour for this album they could have possibly done - every major music event she has performed live (across Europe and US), SNL, magazines, radio tour, etc.

I get your point - and her quote almost sounds like she was anticipating a low performance in the US - but to be completely frank, there were higher expectations on her by her label this time. If she is a singles artist (thats fine), she then needs singles to sell. We don't have that going on either.

[Peterawr]

Honestly I had no idea she dropped a new album until today lol

FN won’t happen again, and this album is just… fine. I would hardly call it an evolution. The songs are fine. They aren’t great. They aren’t bad. I definitely expected more.

Nothing grabbed me as wanting to listen again instantly outside of Houdini and Training Season.

Hope she has a re release with some bangers

[HEADOFTHEPACK]

May 4, 2024 17:07:36 GMT -5 Maximillian said:

May 4, 2024 15:56:04 GMT -5 HEADOFTHEPACK said:

I don't agree with the doom and gloom re. numbers. They look about as expected. She isn't an album artist at all and I think in the US especially, she's only really as big as her last single at this point.

Not convinced they'll be that bothered in these early stages either. Quote from Dua in a Guardian interview from this weekend:

New Rules was her first No 1 in the UK. In the US, it bubbled around in the lower reaches of the Top 100 until it finally reached the Top 10 six months later. Her first album, simply titled Dua Lipa, was also a sleeper hit. She says this has become a pattern for her records in the US. “They don’t go to No 1, but they stick around and they’re around for a long time. And that’s about patience. That’s about just letting things do their thing; not forcing them.”

I'm not trying to claim there will be fireworks and champagne popping in their offices, or that this record has been expertly handled so far, but Warner play a long game with Dua. I don't think the success of FN changes that too much.

It will be interesting to see the long game play out on this (and international numbers, where she has more marketshare). However, we are **THREE** singles deep into the era -- we are well past the "early stages". This is not the start of an era, this is closer to the end. Unless the label sees a reason to push more money into the era for a fourth single, or even to send her back to the studio (which I think is the right path), the writing is on the wall that the era is underperforming. Unlike her other albums, which had reasons to not be huge out the gate, they also had hit songs. Beyond Houdini, where is the hit this era?

The label has done the best promo tour for this album they could have possibly done - every major music event she has performed live (across Europe and US), SNL, magazines, radio tour, etc.

I get your point - and her quote almost sounds like she was anticipating a low performance in the US - but to be completely frank, there were higher expectations on her by her label this time. If she is a singles artist (thats fine), she then needs singles to sell. We don't have that going on either.

So there's a few assumptions here.

We had 3x songs singles (forgot about Future Nostalgia!) released before FN came out (Don't Start Now, Physical, Break My Heart - the latter alongside the album to be fair). The only considerable US hit there is Don't Start Now. The era then lasted for maybe two more years. I'm not claiming that's likely to happen here, but I don't think we can write an album off in its first week of release. I highly doubt Warner and her management (so, her Dad!) will look at these numbers and 'send her back to the studio' as you say.

I would also say the promo has been OK, not the best. It might look good on paper, but they started too early imo and aren't really giving these songs room to breathe, I think Houdini could have had a longer shelf life (even if not higher peaks) if they hadn't moved onto Training Season, which didn't do much anyway - and wasn't even released when she performed it at the Grammys. Bizarre timing.

We also cannot say as definitively as you have that the label had higher expectations. I'm sure that's true of the singles to a degree, but it's not like Dua is making all of these decisions herself and then reporting back to the label for feedback. If things aren't going well, it's down to the label and management to try address it - that's their job.

[aussie1]

I'm surprised there isn't more praise for Happy for you. It's by far the stand out on the album for me. Totally different from every other song on the album. It gives me euphoric vibes. A career highlight even. 

[andrebra]

May 4, 2024 22:26:37 GMT -5 aussie1 said:

I'm surprised there isn't more praise for Happy for you. It's by far the stand out on the album for me. Totally different from every other song on the album. It gives me euphoric vibes. A career highlight even. 

You’re in my brain because I came to this thread to call this song euphoric. Just gets better and better with each listen!

[Mike]

May 4, 2024 23:20:38 GMT -5 andrebra said:

May 4, 2024 22:26:37 GMT -5 aussie1 said:

I'm surprised there isn't more praise for Happy for you. It's by far the stand out on the album for me. Totally different from every other song on the album. It gives me euphoric vibes. A career highlight even. 

You’re in my brain because I came to this thread to call this song euphoric. Just gets better and better with each listen!

Dua's team agreed! First performance on SNL was "Illusion" followed by "Happy for You."

[HEADOFTHEPACK]

Yeah Happy For You is great, a decent closer too. Just watched her opening SNL monologue, it was fun!

[Ryan]

[Choco]

Happy for You and Falling Forever are my faves.

Maria is fun, clearly not a single choice but good song still.