Why Dua Lipa’s sophomore album will make her the next Beyonce or Ariana Grande

The high energy, vibrant and colourful feel of Future Nostalgia felt so familiar and I realized who and what it reminded me of

Using Beyoncé and Ariana Grande as examples, I want to share thoughts that no one asked of me about the importance of a great sophomore album. What inspired this thread? My baby girl, Dua Lipa. To be honest, I did not really pay attention to her until the release of “Don’t Start Now” and the brilliant press tour and a slew of performances that followed. Now there is a poster of her on my wall.

Every single since has been intentional, cohesive, and accompanied with brilliant visuals. Why the Beyoncé comparison? After Mrs. Knowles-Carter released her debut album, Dangerously in Love, she certified that she was one to watch but she needed to do something else with her next project, to ensure that she will be here for a minute. In my opinion, a good debut album should announce you to the world as a force to be reckoned with, but a good sophomore album should cement that force as one that will be a part of music history.

In many ways, Beyoncé’s sophomore album, Bday, is a collection of singles but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. It’s the same thing with Ariana Grande’s sophomore, My Everything: a collection of singles that work as an album because of the persona behind the microphone. Both Bday and My Everything saw Beyoncé and Ari working with a diverse team of collaborators where they made music for everyone. No matter who you are, you would find at least one song for you on those two albums. They worked because of the sheer talent and character of the two ladies. These two albums are also the earliest versions of the Beyoncé and Ariana that we know today.

“Irreplaceable,” “Get Me Bodied,” and “Listen” are the three types of songs that Beyoncé would go on to hone throughout her career. A female anthem, an instructional choreography tune, and a vocally stunning ballad. It became the formula that no one else could pull off like she could. For Ariana, I consider My Everything to be her debut album to much of the general public. I was one of the first people to listen to her debut album, Yours Truly but in terms of the Ariana Grande of 2020, “Problem,” “Bang Bang,” “Love Me Harder,” and “Break Free” made her the one to watch.

For both Beyoncé and Ariana, their sophomore albums allowed them to step into their ‘It Girl’ eras. I honestly believe Future Nostalgia will do this and more for Dua Lipa. Of course, she will need some controversy, like whether or not she is dating JAY-Z or why she refuses to rock any hairstyle except for a ponytail, to help her. Illuminati rumours also begin to spiral at this phase because if all goes well, she will be on the charts for a while and our society has decided that the Illuminati alone can do that.

Camila Cabello was on track for a similar fate save for the song selection and the racism controversy. The high energy, vibrant, and colourful feel of Future Nostalgia felt so familiar and I realized who and who it reminded me of. Everything from the throwback sonic vibes, to the samples and the high budget music videos, is very Bday and My Everything. I am rooting for Dua Lapeeps and hope one day, I look back at this piece and say I told you so.