The voice of numerous catchy hit songs, British pop star Dua Lipa celebrates her 24th birthday today. Her powerhouse vocals and edgy style has attracted millions of adoring fans and helped her storm her way into the music industry. While the two-time Grammy award winner and chart-dominator spends her birthday with rumored boyfriend Anwar Hadid, read up on a few things you probably didn’t know about the star.
1. Music runs in her family
Lipa’s father, Dukagjin Lipa is also a part of the music industry. Not only is he a musician but also the founder of a music festival called Sunny Hill Festival in Kosovo.
2. Her first name means ‘love’ in Albanian
Though that does not mean the singer always loved it. Born to Albanian parents from Kosovo, Lipa reportedly hated her name when she was younger.
3. She went to the same school as Amy Winehouse
Having studied at the Sylvia Young Theatre School in Marylebone, London, Lipa joins other successful artists who are alumni, such as, Rita Ora, Tom Fletcher, and Little Mix’s Jesy Nelson to name a few.
4. The singer moved out at the age of 15
Wanting to turn her passion for music into a career, 15-year-old Lipa took a giant leap to move out from her hometown Kosovo, to London, where she lived with a family friend.
5. She recently visited refugee children in Lebanon
Earlier this year, the singer visited Lebanon with UNICEF to meet with the refugee children supported by the children’s charity, and described the experience as an eye-opening one.
6. Her career kickstarted on YouTube
Though the singer was not discovered on YouTube, she did use it as a platform to showcase her talent by posting covers of songs like Etta James’ I Would Rather Go Blind and Alessia Cara’s Here.
7. She was told that she couldn’t sing
When Lipa was 11 years old, she wanted to join the school choir but was told by her teacher that as her voice was too low, she couldn’t sing.
8. She’s the new face of Yves Saint Laurent Beauty
The singer was recently made the official face of the French luxury fashion house’s ‘Libre’ fragrance.
9. She got signed at the age of 18
Just three years after she moved back to London to pursue her musical career, Lipa was signed by Warner Music.”I remember calling my parents in Kosovo and telling them to catch a flight to London so they could come to the signing,” she remembers.
10. She has made Brit Awards history
Lipa made history last January when she became the most nominated female at the Brits. Out of the five nominations, she ended up taking two awards home – British Female Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Act.
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