Dua Lipa - "Training Season"

[Ling-Ling]

Feb 16, 2024 21:41:59 GMT -5 Ｓｏｕｎｄｃｌ🕤ｃｋ said:

Feb 16, 2024 10:09:49 GMT -5 Ling-Ling said:

Okay... unpopular opinion, but I like the video, lol. It captures the theme of the song perfectly IMO. The overabundance of choice and the disillusionment with the dating scene, dating apps, etc. Yeah, she looks bored, because she IS bored. The same way most of us got bored with that sh*t ages ago. Maybe I'm giving it too much credit, but I get what they were going for.

But she's never been a strong visual artist, all of the FN vids were random and bad IMO. "Physical" was the only one that kinda came together.

but that's no reason for us to be bored. I get the concept, but they could've made the video a bit more interesting - yes, there are some cool shots, but overall this just feels like it was filmed 5h before the release. 
it's 2024, people don't care about MVs like before, so this won't play a big role.

I wasn't bored though. I think it's a well put together video that fits the song thematically. I was just addressing all the online comments talking about how bored she looks. But different strokes as they say!

[Deleted]

This is amazing. Love it.

[kimberly]

Feb 16, 2024 22:24:10 GMT -5 Ling-Ling said:

Feb 16, 2024 21:41:59 GMT -5 Ｓｏｕｎｄｃｌ🕤ｃｋ said:

but that's no reason for us to be bored. I get the concept, but they could've made the video a bit more interesting - yes, there are some cool shots, but overall this just feels like it was filmed 5h before the release. 
it's 2024, people don't care about MVs like before, so this won't play a big role.

I wasn't bored though. I think it's a well put together video that fits the song thematically. I was just addressing all the online comments talking about how bored she looks. But different strokes as they say!

I love when you're right.

I think the video concept is cool and it's executed well. She is meant to look bored.

It's just not the type of video that makes you want to watch it over and over again. Which is fine by me. Not many of those left in the year 2024.

[JJ]

Lol, the video was pretty bad, seriously haha. I think she has some cool videos in her catalog though unlike some of you are saying. I particularly like the Break My Heart video the most, it's really well executed.

[Juan Carlos]

SATURDAY 2/17 UPDATE:

POP:
— 48 DUA LIPA Training Season 132 0 132 0.574

Top 50.

[Az Paynter]

This is waaaaaaaay softer a landing than I was expecting. No premiere deal?

[Maximillian]

Not running towards this. I like the first minute or so but it doesn’t give any huge payoff.

[RoseColoredGirl]

I really liked this! I can definitely see why people might think it's basic, but I thought it was a cute little bop.

[Juan Carlos]

Feb 17, 2024 8:27:41 GMT -5 Az Paynter said:

This is waaaaaaaay softer a landing than I was expecting. No premiere deal?

Yeah, it's really soft to me too and I'm debating whether Warner is also impacting this as well or waiting a week (because of "Texas Hold 'Em") and pushing this harder on streaming instead.

[pancakes]

I liked the first 10 seconds but then the whole song sounded average.

[Ling-Ling]

I do like this and "Houdini" quite a bit. They're both incredibly slick, polished and deceptively well-written and produced. But I think both of them are just a little too cool for school. That's kind of her persona tbh, but there was a warmth/funkiness to the FN singles that undercut her image and brightened her up a bit.

She's already fighting an uphill battle trying to get a dance hit. But I just don't see her clicking in the US with these particular sounds. Which is a shame, she and Kevin obviously have good chemistry. I just hope it doesn't take forever for the album to come out.

[Dylan :)]

#7 on Global Spotify with 4.293 million streams, and #18 on US Spotify

[christianlarson9]

Feb 17, 2024 8:27:41 GMT -5 Az Paynter said:

This is waaaaaaaay softer a landing than I was expecting. No premiere deal?

They didn't do any major radio deals or service it to my knowledge. I talked to someone from her radio team via DM and it sounded like they were going to wait to see if they could get "Houdini" to #1 on Pop/HAC since it's caught a slight 2nd wind post Grammy's.

[Daenerys]

I mean... is it the worst thing in the world if she ends up becoming a bigger worldwide chart performer than a U.S. one?

It looks like that may be what she is transitioning to with these kinds of sounds, would that be the worst thing in the world?

It's also not like she hasn't been able to get hits, just not as huge as her past eras'. Houdini and Dance The Night both performed well while basically fighting with each other for radio space.

I'm getting a bit of a Shawn Mendes vibe, that may signal cooling interest, but could also just be the general cool down period after a heavy radio campaign from her past album cycle.

[wjr15]

After a few more listens, I like this more than ‘Houdini’

[HEADOFTHEPACK]

Feb 17, 2024 11:12:35 GMT -5 Ling-Ling said:

I do like this and "Houdini" quite a bit. They're both incredibly slick, polished and deceptively well-written and produced. But I think both of them are just a little too cool for school. That's kind of her persona tbh, but there was a warmth/funkiness to the FN singles that undercut her image and brightened her up a bit.

She's already fighting an uphill battle trying to get a dance hit. But I just don't see her clicking in the US with these particular sounds. Which is a shame, she and Kevin obviously have good chemistry. I just hope it doesn't take forever for the album to come out.

I agree with this. It's well done music, but not as approachable as FN. That said, this and Houdini are a little too similar. If they're expecting a different result, it's not gonna happen.

[SPRΞΞ]

eh, it's ok, not bad, not great, just there. Sounds like any other Dua Lipa single. If anything, she is following a Kesha career path. Pigeonholed into a sound you can't escape from.

[Ivy Leegue™]

This is excellent. First listen and I went straight for the extended version. She and Kevin have excellent chemistry and I'm so glad they are working together.

[Deleted]

Feb 17, 2024 11:31:55 GMT -5 Daenerys said:

I mean... is it the worst thing in the world if she ends up becoming a bigger worldwide chart performer than a U.S. one?

It looks like that may be what she is transitioning to with these kinds of sounds, would that be the worst thing in the world?

It's also not like she hasn't been able to get hits, just not as huge as her past eras'. Houdini and Dance The Night both performed well while basically fighting with each other for radio space.

I'm getting a bit of a Shawn Mendes vibe, that may signal cooling interest, but could also just be the general cool down period after a heavy radio campaign from her past album cycle.

Dua Lipa is a European artist. It's normal and expected for her to perform better in her home market

[Maximillian]

It’s not that it’s a bad song, it’s just mid for what she’s capable of.

FN was next level. And there in lies the issue. We can appreciate this being a GOOD song, but it feels like a regression.

I feel that with Houdini and Training Season the production is too busy and almost fighting her vocals. The transitions in this song particularly bother me (which, as much as I love Tame Impala, is an issue I have with some of their music as well). Specifically the pre chorus to the chorus to the post chorus. I feel the shifts are too stark and jarring.

Psychedelic pop is actually a great lane to tap into - and on paper, Dua + Kevin seem like a no brainer. But, then you have hits like “Padam Padam” that have (small) elements of psy pop but focus on the hypnotic dreamy synth pop elements. I feel like Dua could have evolved into a more elevated version of that, while leaving the Disco sound behind.

Dua’s raspy voice has so much richness. The way she hits notes with just a little scratch to it, the deepness, is special. Sadly, Houdini and this feel like she is bored, vocally. It feels impersonal. The videos didn’t help.

Even her filler songs and deluxe songs from FN like “Fever” or “Un Día” felt like respective potential hits and directions she could have taken entire future albums.

It’s minor critiques I guess - I’m being very overly critical. However, I guess for her own sake, I wanted to see this progression into super stardom that she’s earned. As of now, I’m just not sold on this albums direction.

[It's me, bitch.]

I don’t know how to describe this other than saying the first two singles seem to lack joy. Dance tracks are meant to be fun and for some reason, the vibe of these aren’t.

[weaver]

This is ok, and I want to like it more than I do. I like Houdini a bit more so far.

[beachboi69]

This is not being serviced to USA radio at this point. Any airplay its getting is completely on the stations choice.

Its not really that shocking.

However here in Canada pretty much all Top 40 stations are playing it after release.

This is going to do well in Canada because we like bops.

[Dylan :)]

#24 (-6) on US Spotify and #16 (-9) on Global Spotify

[Juan Carlos]

SUNDAY MORNING 2/18 UPDATE:

POP:
— 44 DUA LIPA Training Season 184 0 184 0.714

+52 Spins
+52 Bullet
+0.140 Audience

[Az Paynter]

I don't see the point in not immediately starting to work this. Even if they go soft on it while continuing to work 'Houdini', it's not like with 'Don't Start Now' and 'Physical' where DSN was going uber-strong on the US charts so they skipped over 'Physical'. Both can have upward trajectory at the same time.

[christianlarson9]

Feb 18, 2024 2:08:43 GMT -5 beachboi69 said:

This is not being serviced to USA radio at this point. Any airplay its getting is completely on the stations choice.

Its not really that shocking.

However here in Canada pretty much all Top 40 stations are playing it after release.

This is going to do well in Canada because we like bops.

I think it’s way too quick to jump to this conclusion. “Houdini” while stalling, still has some chart life left in it & my guess is that they want to at least get it to #5 on Pop before completely pulling the plug. 

[beachboi69]

This song is a banger but. They are pushing Houdie. She has a ballad for USA and it's better then "Were good" this song is going to smash outside the USA.

[Juan Carlos]

Projected to debut inside the Top 40 in the US.

[wjr15]

Not a bad start. I’ve been seeing a lot of people using this song on Instagram.