This post was updated Oct. 7 at 11:02 p.m.
If “These Walls” could talk, they’d be chanting Dua Lipa’s name.
On Sunday evening, the British Albanian singer levitated her audience with an electric performance on the second night of a four-part, sold-out stay at the Kia Forum in Inglewood. With two major headlining tours under her belt, Lipa is treating her fans to the ultimate concert experience with the “Radical Optimism Tour.” Known for her discography’s unique combination of disco, pop and club music, Lipa packed a total of 21 songs into the setlist during a beaming two-hour performance – which did not cease to captivate and awe viewers despite its lengthiness. From jaw-dropping outfit changes and sweet audience interactions to a fierce stage presence and Christian Louboutin boots, Lipa’s concert rang with joyous musicality and immense artistic growth.
Following a delightful opening performance by Cil, who rocked the stage with songs such as “forgot to be my lover” and “hot shit,” Lipa made her heavenly appearance at 8:45 p.m. amid billowing smoke and sounds of crashing waves. Hypnotic and immediately pulling viewers from their seats, the singer’s opening track “Training Season” kicked off the show with unmatched energy and stage sparklers that lit up the night. Segueing right into the snappy “End Of An Era,” the three-time Grammy winner stood bathed in bowing feathered fans manned by her 12 masterful backup dancers.
In addition to the burlesque-style feathers, Lipa’s “Radical Optimism Tour” featured many excellent props that added immensely to her performance – such as her tantalizingly sensational chair dance during “Whatcha Doing,” as well as a vibrant mix of LED sticks, overhead strobe lights, at least five separate confetti cannon releases and the dual-stage setup. Although an overload of additional equipment can be overwhelming and pull focus away from a singer’s show, these details instead added edge and movement to many of her songs. With the main stage resembling an infinity-like wave design, Lipa was able to incorporate knockout dance moves – with teasing props intermixed – to bolster an already fantastic spectacle.
Touring a year and a half after the release of 2024’s “Radical Optimism” – which topped the UK Albums Chart, accumulated Lipa’s highest first-week sales and became her highest-charting album on the Billboard 200 – the knockout singer commanded the stage with impressive mezzo-soprano vocals. Known for the husky, gritty tone often attributed to her music, Lipa flexed many dynamic moments of musicality, especially during “Falling Forever,” in which she stood atop the peak of the stage and delivered a powerful harmony with two backup singers. New songs such as “Illusion” and “Anything For Love” – a melancholic ballad of heartbreak and the only true instance of Lipa slowing the pace of the night – definitively stood their ground among her more popular songs.
Reflecting the show’s evocative yet classy appeal, Lipa flaunted at least five different outfits throughout the night, seven if counting the two coats she wore for the fiery songs “These Walls” and “Love Again.” After setting out in a gold Jean Paul Gaultier bodysuit and sparkling eyeshadow, Lipa reappeared for her second set of songs wearing an all-black, custom lace Valentino catsuit, featuring rhinestones and knee-high boots to knock the audience’s socks off. Arguably one of Lipa’s most elegant and beautiful looks of the night was the pale pink Balenciaga slip dress with sequin detailing and matching thigh-high tights. Stunning and chic, Lipa’s wardrobe danced the perfect balance between mouthwateringly hot and tastefully mature.
A particularly heartwarming aspect of the night was the seven-time BRIT winner’s interactions with fans, especially when she strutted along the barricade to speak with them and snap selfies. The pop powerhouse used fan interactions primarily as a chance to breathe between dance sets. Lipa brought the show back down to earth with endearingly personal moments and sweet appreciation toward her decked-out fanbase, often called “Loves.”
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Again, toward the end of the concert, Lipa pressed against the crowd to perform “Be the One,” borrowing a fan’s bejeweled white cowboy hat and filming a portion of the song on another fan’s phone. Moments like these exemplify why Lipa’s place in the music industry is one of bubbling wholesomeness, generosity and all-around warmth.
Arguably one of her strongest segments vocally was her dominating cover of The Mamas & The Papas’ song “California Dreamin’” followed by “Maria,” one of the most staggering, spicy and guttural tracks on her newest album. As her band surrounded her on the secondary stage, Lipa introduced the surprise song with a reflection: “Tonight, when I was thinking about the feeling of longing sometimes and being from London, where sometimes the leaves are brown and the sky is gray, then I start California dreamin’.” Without a doubt, Lipa did justice to the beloved track with her iconic rugged, swaggering vocals.
Radical optimist Lipa excelled most at keeping the show high-octane and voltaic – rarely did she seem to lose steam or miss marks with the choreography. The singer’s tremendous performance, specifically with songs “Physical,” “Electricity” and “Levitating,” left no room for doubt about her superstar status. However, due to her excellent ability to capture the audience’s attention, the multiple interludes during which she dropped backstage immediately detracted from the show’s energy. Even with supplemental dance and drum solos to fill these lulls, the drops in tempo made parts of the show choppy, although these breaks were ultimately unavoidable given the concert’s magnitude.
Amid many fizzy dance-pop bangers, including “One Kiss” and “Hallucinate,” the night’s unexpected showstopper was “Happy For You,” which she sang with rocking confidence and ethereal sensuality. Simply standing at the mic stand, Lipa carried the crowd through the triumphant breakup track and strutted off stage with fans roaring as the lights went out. Riding on this sky-high energy, Lipa then reappeared within a shocking ring of fire to scorch the audience as the night’s end loomed sorrowfully on the horizon.
With October marking 10 years since the release of “Be the One,” Lipa had the crowd jumping and jiving to her jubilant hit, which has amassed over 749,485,900 streams on Spotify. After fans waited for the grand finale, the stadium-shaking encore was well-received as Lipa returned with her ever-freaky, deliciously bossy “New Rules,” blips of “Dance The Night” and peak pandemic anthem “Don’t Start Now.” With dazzling lights strobing, colorful confetti showering down and backup dancers in full force, Lipa rocked the Forum to a close with her mystical banger “Houdini,” leaving the audience stunned and satisfied.
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As a singer and especially as a performer, Lipa has come far since her younger days at the Belasco Theater and Hollywood Palladium. Though she has received her fair share of criticism – mainly regarding her widely memed dance moves from the 2018 BRIT Awards – haters now have little room to talk, as she moved with determined ease, never slowed down and filled nearly every one of the 17,500 venue seats. Lipa will play two more nights in Los Angeles before taking her crowning show – arguably the most creative, extravagant, rigorous and all-out smoking tour of her career – to San Francisco, the Pacific Northwest and abroad.
With blushing charm and a bit of cheekiness, Lipa made the Forum “Dance The Night” away.
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