Dua Lipa Reveals New Album ‘Radical Optimism’ — Tracklist, Release Date And Cover

Titled "Radical Optimism," the album is set to release on May 3 and comprises 11 tracks, among them the earlier released singles "Houdini" and "Training Season." Adding an interesting twist to the theme, the cover artwork depicts the singer submerged in water, with a shark lurking just a few feet away.

In a recent promotional photo, the singer revealed a surprising new appearance with barely visible eyebrows, a departure from her usual look. Although, during her announcement of the album in a brief Instagram Live appearance on Wednesday afternoon, her eyebrows appeared perfectly normal.

The announcement characterizes the album as drawing inspiration from the vibrant energy of Dua's hometown, London, as well as embodying the rawness, honesty, confidence, and freedom reminiscent of '90s Britpop.

“A couple years ago, a friend introduced me to the term Radical Optimism. It’s a concept that resonated with me, and I became more curious as I started to play with it and weave it into my life,” Lipa shares in the announcement. “It struck me – the idea of going through chaos gracefully and feeling like you can weather any storm. At the same time, I found myself looking through the music history of psychedelia, trip hop, and Britpop. It has always felt so confidently optimistic to me, and that honesty and attitude is a feeling I took into my recording sessions.”

The core collaborators on the album remain consistent with those on "Houdini" and "Training Season," including Tame Impala's Kevin Parker, Caroline Polachek (known for collaborations with Charli XCX), Danny L. Harle, Tobias Jesso Jr. (known for work with Adele, Harry Styles, Miley Cyrus), and Caroline Ailin, who has co-written several of Lipa's hits.

There has been limited information available regarding the sound of the upcoming album. In a recent interview with the New York Times, Dua Lipa mentioned that it draws inspiration from "1970s-style psychedelia," although this influence isn't readily apparent. Initially, in early 2022 during her "Dua Lipa: At Your Service podcast" with Elton John, Lipa mentioned that the album was halfway completed.

However, in a later conversation with Variety later that year, she stated, “It’s taken a complete turn as I’ve carried on working, and I really feel now that it’s starting to sound cohesive. So I’m going to keep writing in the early months of the new year and see where that takes me. The album is different — it’s still pop but it’s different sonically, and there’s more of a lyrical theme. If I told you the title, everything would make sense — but I think we’ll just have to wait.”

Tracklist of Radical Optimism

1. End Of An Era

2. Houdini

3. Training Season

4. These Walls

5. Whatcha Doing

6. French Exit

7. Illusion

8. Falling Forever

9. Anything For Love

10. Maria

11. Happy For You