After a year-long hiatus, Dua Lipa dropped “Don’t Start Now” on October 31. The lead single is the first taste of her new era and her sophomore album dropping next year.
Lipa began to tease her fans by blacking out her Instagram and deleting various tweets to ignite the excitement. Her blackout didn’t last long — last week she teased a cryptic teaser on Instagram with the caption “Miss me?” followed by posts of her life and other teasers.
SHE’S HERE!!! Don't Start Now is OUT NOW on all platforms, hope you like it as much as I loved making it ❤️❤️❤️watch a preview of the music video on @youtubemusic now!!! eeeeeeeeek!!!!! https://t.co/0Wukpf7dSV pic.twitter.com/vUdG0phFNH
— DUA LIPA (@DUALIPA) October 31, 2019
“Don’t Start Now” begins with a distant background of an electric piano and tambourine that leads to a glimpse of the pre-chorus. The transition to the first verse is straightforward with Lipa doing a full 180 by changing her emotions and attitude after a breakup. This comes as a surprise to Lipa — most people long over a heartbreak, but Lipa is doing just fine. In fact, she’s even better with a new relationship.
The beats are pure nostalgic and pays homage to the 80s. The pre-chorus is steady as the electric piano leads the chorus into what you might think is a beat drop, but it’s not. A completely different beat and rhythm are introduced in the chorus. Dua Lipa ignites a brand new beat after marking her mark with the lyric, “Don’t show up.” The beat is heavy yet fresh with a new sound of a bassline. The unexpected sound of cowbells is new and exciting to hear.
The second verse of “Don’t Start Now” is dreamy and angelic with Lipa’s vocals. The transition is so smooth. Dua Lipa also sparks a connection with the lyrics “Aren’t you the guy who tried to hurt me with the word ‘goodbye’?” and her song from her self-titled debut album, No Goodbyes. However, “No Goodbyes” is about the last string of a relationship that’s barely holding on. As for “Don’t Start Now,” it’s a post-breakup thriving anthem.
The rest of the song is electrified dance-pop. The influence of disco-pop thrives as the bridge introduces a rhythm of a quick witty violin that moves the song into a new direction.
Without a doubt “Don’t Start Now” truly differs from today’s pop agenda. The anthem sounds nothing like her debut album, which many artists fail to make happen, but Dua Lipa has found her own way to experiment with new sounds. The lead single is easy to dance to as it’s easy to get it stuck in your head. Dua Lipa truly knows pop in order to redefine it and make countless hits. “Don’t Start Now” is embarking on a new road to success and onward to her new era.
Featured Image via Instagram.
