The story of buzzing British singer Dua Lipa is nothing short of a fairy tale. She started by uploading cover videos to YouTube and went on to working tables as well as spending nights as a bouncer at dance clubs, all so she could afford to pursue her dream of becoming a star.

Those humble, early days are long gone. And today, Dua Lipa is a hit sensation across the world. It seems like every single she releases becomes an instant hit, and she’s been snatching awards lately like it’s nobody’s business.

Here’s everything you need to know if you’re a true Dua Lipa fan…

What Is Dua Lipa’s Real Name?

Having a stage name is extremely common in the industry. Imagine Lady Gaga coming on stage as Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, or Axl Rose rocking on stage as William Bruce Rose, Jr. It’s just not the same thing. Understandably, many fans assume Dua Lipa is also a cool name cherry picked to replace the singer’s ordinary one.

But as it turns out, Dua Lipa isn’t a stage moniker – it’s her actual name. Yup, Dua Lipa is the name the singer was born with. It’s pronounced “Doer Leaper.” She once said she hated the name growing up but has learned to appreciate it today. Dua means love in Albanian.

Where Is Dua Lipa From?

Dua was born in London to two Albanian parents from Kosovo. Her father, Dukagjin Lipa is a musician as well and the founder of a Kosovo festival called Sunny Hill. Dukagjin was the lead singer and guitarist for one of Albania’s most popular rock bands.

The Kosovan rock band was called Oda, and their music was often played around the house. As a kid, Dua got to hear a lot of her dad’s work. As a result, she’s claimed that her dad has been one of her main musical influences.

She Was Told She Couldn’t Sing

When Dua was just 11 years old, she joined the choir. Eager to show off her talent, she opened her mouth. Unfortunately, her choir teacher made a nasty comment.

Her teacher told Dua that she didn’t fit the choir because her voice was too low. Ahh… if only they could see her now! Dua’s low and hypnotizing voice has charmed its way to the playlist of nearly every pop fan worldwide.

The Chris Martin Connection

Dua once met up with Coldplay’s frontman, Chris Martin, in Miami to work on a single together. The song ended up on her self-titled album as its last track, Homesick, which cites Chris Martin on uncredited guest vocals.

“At first, it was just meant to be me singing,” she explained, “but then I begged him to sing too. I was like, ‘You have to be on this song!’” Luckily, Chris agreed. Dua said it’s the most beautiful song on the album in her opinion. “I think it really brings everyone in for a little cry,” she dished.

She Left Home at 15

Wanting to make a name for herself in music, Dua Lipa moved back from Kosovo to London and shared a place with some friends. “The cooking and the cleaning… that was tough,” she recalled. “I mean, the realization that no one was going to clean up after me was tough!”

Living on her own at such a young age really “made [her] grow up before [her] time.” Dua once mentioned a visit her mom paid her at the time: “[She] opened my wardrobe and said, ‘What are all these clothes?’ I was like, ‘Those are all the dirty clothes that I’ve never washed!’”

She Started Out on YouTube

Like many young and ambitious artists, Dua Lipa uploaded YouTube covers in her early days. YouTube is a fantastic platform to introduce yourself to the world, whether it’s your singing or acting or any other content you’re striving to promote.

“When I was 15, I was posting covers online, but it was never one of those things that went viral, it was more of a way for me to use it as a portfolio,” Dua once mentioned. Among her covers were Etta James’ I Would Rather Go Blind and Alessia Cara’s Here.

Signed at the Age of 18

Dua Lipa had to work in non-music jobs to try and make it as an artist. She juggled nightlife and music production by spending her nights as a bouncer at nightclubs and her days writing and singing. She often had to deny her own buddies’ entry for wearing sneakers.

After three years in London, Dua was signed by Warner Bros. Dua recalled the first phone call to her parents: “I remember calling my parents in Kosovo and telling them to catch a flight to London so they could come to the signing.”

The Video for New Rules Blew Up

Dua’s first famous single is her break-up anthem New Rules. Up until today, the single’s video has racked up a whopping 1.9 billion YouTube views since its release in July 2017. Several covers were done, including Australia’s artist Alison Wonderland who remixed the track shortly after its release.

Due became one of the most streamed female musicians on Spotify. At one point, she was rated the top streamed female until Camila Cabello snatched the crown. Today, Dua has roughly 37 million monthly listeners on Spotify!

The First Female Artist to Receive Five British Award nominations

In 2018, Dua was nominated for several awards: British Female Solo Artist, British Breakthrough Act, MasterCard British Album of The Year, British Single of The Year (for New Rules and British Video of The Year (also, New Rules).

All these nominations made Dua Lipa the first-ever female artist to score so many awards at once at the Brits (five in total). She ended up winning two of the nominations – British Breakthrough Act and British Female Solo Artist.

A Tiny Crush on Robbie Williams

Dua Lipa once admitted that the bad boy of British pop, Robbie Williams, has stolen a little piece of her heart. In a recent interview she gushed, “My mom had a crush on him when I was really young, and I saw him at the iTunes festival and I was like yeah, he’s pretty fit.”

Apart from her little crush on Robbie Williams, Dua admitted to loving Tupac as well. Apparently, if you ever take the singer out to karaoke night, she will provide a killer version of Tupac’s song, Changes.

She Shares a Tattoo With a Fan

Dua Lipa has several tattoos. In a recent sit-down, she showed off her body art. She has the words “Sunny Hill,” which is her hometown in Kosovo, a palm tree, the sentence “this means nothing,” the word “angel,” an eye, two dancing figures, and letters dedicated to her siblings.

Interestingly, Dua shares a tattoo with one of her fans. A Spanish fan once came up to her and told her that they have the same angel tattoo (Dua has it on her shoulder). Lucky fan! Now they’re tattoo twins for life!

Meeting Anwar Hadid

Those who keep up with Dua Lipa know that she was dating Anwar Hadid for the past two years (they recently broke up, more about that later). The “New Rules” hitmaker had been in a relationship with Anwar, the younger brother of models Gigi and Bella Hadid since 2019.

In an interview with Rolling Stone at the start of 2021, Dua Lipa revealed, “I’m very comfortable in the relationship, more so than any others.” Talking about their routine, the singer said they loved doing yoga together and going out on nice long walks.

Friendly With Yolanda Too

During the time they were together, Dua Lipa grew really close with Anwar’s mom, Yolanda Hadid, as well as sisters Bella and Gigi. “Dua is very close with the whole Hadid family,” a close source told E! News back in 2019.

According to the same source, the singer spent a lot of time with them, especially during the holidays. “They have welcomed her with open arms,” he revealed. We wonder what will happen now that they have split…

The Face of Versace

Versace is one of the most coveted luxury brands, which is exactly why they target A-listers to promote them. In the summer of 2021, Dua became the new face of the Versace fall campaign. In fact, the history between Dua and the brand goes way back.

The singer once wore an incredible Versace dress at the 2019 Met Gala. “I met Dua for the first time a few years ago in London,” Donatella Versace once stated. “I knew she was a beautiful girl but when I heard the timbre of her voice. I realized immediately she had something unique and special.”

A Force to Be Reckoned With

Once again, Dua Lipa proved that she is a force to be reckoned with. At the 2021 Grammy Awards, she snatched the trophy for the best pop vocal album for her album “Future Nostalgia,” beating fellow artists Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Justin Bieber, and even Lady Gaga.

“This is insane,” she gushed while accepting the honor. “Future Nostalgia means the absolute world to me and it has changed my life in so many ways.” Dua went on to explain “One thing that I have really come to realize is how much happiness is so important… I felt really jaded at the end of my last album, where I felt like I only had to make sad music to feel like it mattered. I’m just so grateful and so honored because happiness is something we all deserve and need in our lives.”

She Runs a Charity

Apart from music, Dua Lipa focuses her energy on a few other important endeavors, like making a difference in the world. In 2016, she founded the Sunny Hill Foundation, a charity located in her native home of Kosovo.

The Sunny Hill Foundation focuses on “helping [the] Kosovan society in different aspects, especially on arts and culture.” Her dad also helped her set up the Sunny Hill Festival. “My dad had a crazy, but amazing idea to start a music festival in Kosovo and we’ve done it for two years in a row,” she explained.

She Once Turned Her Back on Modeling

Even though Dua has graced several magazine covers and landed high-profile fashion campaigns with mega-brands like Versace, there used to be a time when a young Dua Lipa turned her back on the modeling industry.

“I got approached to do modeling when I was really young,” the singer told Harper’s Bazaar in 2017. “I went there, but I was never the right size, I was never cut out to be a model and I never really got any real jobs. They were holding on to me for a while, and then they were like, ‘Oh you know, if you lose a lot of weight, we’ll be able to put you out for more jobs.'”

A Proud Leo

Dua Lipa’s birthday is on August 22, which means she is a proud and loud Leo! That being said, she isn’t a huge astrology fan and isn’t familiar with the attributes linked to her zodiac sign. During an interview with Katy Perry for Vogue Magazine, she admitted to not knowing too much about her sign.

Instead, she described herself as very sensitive. “I also can let my guard down,” she explained. “I’m quite sensitive sometimes with people I’m really close to… But with my career and where I want to take it, I can be tough because I know what I want quite a lot. I like to be listened to.”

Dua Lipa’s Net Worth

Dua Lipa has won awards, sold millions of albums, landed high-profile fashion campaigns, and sold dozens of merchandises. Not even 30 years old, this singer has already amassed a fortune! As of 2021, she’s reportedly worth around $16 million.

Looks like not even a worldwide pandemic can stop her from racking up some money. Her gains have definitely added up, especially as she gets bigger and bigger in the industry. And in case you were wondering, Dua definitely doesn’t need any “new rules” telling her how to spend it all.

Spelling Is Her Secret Talent

Not a lot of fans know this, but Dua Lipa is not only a fantastic musician, she’s also great at spelling. Every person has their hidden talent, and for Dua, it involves words. She’s swift to spell absolutely everything.

Dua Lipa bragged that she could spell absolutely any word you throw at her. If you ever meet her on the street, think of the wordiest, longest, most strenuous word you can think of! Something like supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

She Loves Red Wine

When it comes to Dua’s favorite drink, she doesn’t think twice: red, red, and red. Taking her to a bar means making sure that there is a delicious bottle of red wine waiting for her on standby. She loves finishing every day with a fancy glass.

A source close to her reported that if there are other drinks flowing in the party, she will be less inclined to grab one as “she’d much rather just drink more wine.” Dua is pretty easy to please and very predictable when it comes to her preferred drink.

Her Favorite Movie Is an Odd One

Dua Lipa is a sucker for anything comedy. She loves cozying up to a movie that can make her laugh. She once described films as being a total escape from the stressors of life. She also referenced Zoolander as being her all-time favorite movie.

The reason she loves it so much is because it is the movie that makes her laugh the most. Even Dua Lipa’s movies are colorful and quirky! Just like her choice of outfits, which are always unique and vibrant, and captivating.

She Bonded With Anwar Over Music

According to the celebrity website TMZ, Anwar Hadid also makes music. In fact, that was how he warmed up to Dua in the first place. He showed his work to Dua Lipa, who was close friends with his sister Gigi. TMZ reported that “things really started to snowball around early June.”

Anwar found out that Dua had split from her former boyfriend, Isaac Carew, and “reached out to her for a romantic date.” Sources claim that they “went out, had a good time and liked each other enough to run it back.”

Dua Lipa Was Seen at Anwar’s Birthday Party

In the summer of 2019, the dating rumors amped up after Dua was seen in a video of Anwar’s birthday celebrations. She showed up, dressed in a beautiful skirt and tank top, laughing and having a good time as Anwar held his birthday cake.

Her cameo was brief, but it was enough to have everyone talking about their new romance. At the time, it was reported that they had already gone out on several dates, including a get-together in Malibu the week before his birthday.

They Snuggled Up at an Award Show

Dua Lipa and Anwar Hadid were spotted quietly attending the Nordoff Robbins O2 Silver Clef Awards together. While they didn’t make a red-carpet appearance together, they were still seen inside the event getting cozy at their designated table.

Anwar Hadid was snapped giving Dua Lipa a sweet peck on the cheek. The photos sparked further interest in the young duo. Later, at the British Summer Time Hyde Park festival in London, they were seen embracing each other lovingly.

Anwar Tip-Toed His Way Backstage

Dua Lipa reunited with Anwar Hadid just days after their adorable music festival PDA. The singer performed at the Amazon Prime Day concert, and Anwar was seen entering the concert through the venue’s back door, with his sister, Gigi Hadid, by his side.

Later, they were spotted out and about in the city together, with the Dua holding onto her Anwar’s arm. Two weeks later, they were spotted on the West Coast holding hands and wearing casual outfits for a laid-back outing.

They Decided to Move in Together

In the fall of 2019, The Sun magazine reported that Dua and Anwar were making plans to rent a place in Manhattan near Anwar’s family. Later that month, they moved in. Up until that point, Anwar had been living in L.A. and Dua in London.

Later that year (and marking a huge step in their relationship), Dua joined Anwar and his family at his late grandmother’s funeral in the Netherlands. Paparazzi photos show Dua standing next to Anwar and his sisters, Bella and Gigi.

Finally, Their Red-Carpet Debut

In November 2019, at the 47th Annual American Music Awards, Dua and Anwar took their relationship to the next level by making their red-carpet debut. Due sported a stunning hot-pink Miu Miu gown and Bulgari High accessories.

Meanwhile, Anwar looked incredible in a black blazer and Iron Maiden T-shirt.

A few months later, on their very first anniversary in the summer of 2020, Dua Lipa shared a post on Instagram captioned, “Nothing sweeter than 365 days joined at the hip with you.”

They Adopted a Puppy

The next step in Dua Lipa and Anwar Hadid’s relationship was caring for something together. They happily announced to their fans they were now the proud parents of an adorable little puppy. Dua took to Instagram to share the news that they adopted a pup called Dexter.

“Our tiny best friend Dexter!!! Thank you @thelabellefoundation HE’S PERFECT,” she wrote alongside a series of photos of their new, four-legged pal.

Anwar’s sister, Gigi Hadid showed her excitement over the little guy, commenting below the post, “My nephew A VERY GOOD BOY! DEXTO FROM ABOVE!”

Anwar Appeared in Her New Music Video

In the summer of 2020, Anwar made a stunning appearance in Dua Lipa’s new music video for The Blessed Madonna remix version of “Levitating” starring Madonna and Missy Elliot. The young couple can be spotted towards the end of the song, lying on the grass together.

Some more adorable moments of the two happened later in the year when they were spotted playing with their puppy on the shores of Malibu. Additional photos surfaced of the two in the water and boogie boarding.

Comfortable in the Relationship

In her interview with Rolling Stone, Dua Lipa opened up about her cozy relationship with Anwar and detailed their time spent together at his family’s farm in Pennsylvania. “I’m very comfortable in the relationship, more so than any others,” she revealed.

“[We] wake up around 9:00, 9:30, shower, get dressed, have a bit of breakfast, take the dog out on a really nice long walk, maybe do some yoga, make some lunch, hang out, watch a movie, play with the animals,” Dua Lipa shared.

They Celebrated Valentine’s Day

Proving that their love was still going strong, Dua Lipa shared photos of herself kissing Anwar in February 2021. She captioned her Instagram post, “~ THE ONE 4 MY Heart ~ Happy V-Day Lovers xx.” But then… at the end of 2021 (now)…

The couple has reportedly split. The U.S. Sun first mentioned that the couple, who were known to “break up/get back together/break up/get back together” by several of their close friends, were in “crisis talks” about their relationship. One insider told the outlet that “Their relationship is going through a crisis and appears to be on the rocks.”

No Christmas With Anwar

Dua Lipa shared several pictures on social media of her Christmas celebrations. To the surprise of her fans, the Christmas pictures she shared on Instagram didn’t feature Anwar Hadid. While news of their breakup came out a few days before, no one really believed them to be true.

Dua Lipa wrote, “Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. The holidays can be a difficult time, so please be sure to check on your loved ones that may be spending it alone, the ones suffering a loss, or the ones that are far away from their families and friends this year. Sending love & healing x.”

See in Blue

“You’ve got to work really, really hard — not just for music, but for anything you do in life,” Dua Lipa said in See in Blue, a new documentary short film documenting the singer’s life. “I didn’t think having a career like this was in my reach,” she mentioned.

Her documentary See in Blue was produced by The Fader and YouTube Music, and gives Dua’s fans a peek into who the pop singer really is and how her childhood led her to her chart-topping stardom. The clip mentions Dua Lipa’s musical influences as well as her journey of posting videos of herself on YouTube. “I’ve had ups and downs trying to find myself,” she shares in the movie.

How Tall Is Dua Lipa?

Dua Lipa is 173 cm high. Fun fact: when she was young, she thought that she was actually very short. In fact, she took up basketball to help her “grow a little bit more,” but things didn’t go according to plan, and playing ball didn’t enhance her height.

What did? Well, hormones. When Dua Lipa grew into adolescence, she suddenly towered above the rest of her classmates. With legs for days and a fit appearance, Dua Lipa is now every woman and man’s dream.

She Considers Her Music Dark Pop

Even though Dua Lipa has been praised for releasing catchy bubble gum pop singles, the singer actually believes her music belongs in the gloomier category of the music industry.

“Most of my inspiration comes from sadness because it’s the emotion that sticks in the back of my mind, and the easiest way to get things out is through music,” she once mentioned.

“Sometimes I’ll go into the studio in a great mood and want to write a happy song, but there will always end up being some kind of twist!” she continued. We don’t know about Dua, but most of her songs get us dancing happily to the beat!

She Had 33 Teeth

Here’s a neat fact about this A-lister. Apart from setting new award records, Dua might have also set a record for the most teeth. While humans normally have 32 teeth, Dua Lipa once shared a weird X-ray photo on her social media that showed that her mouth was truly an anomaly.

Instead of 32 pearly whites, Dua Lipa had 33 teeth. Shortly after the post (and after her fans were shocked by the discovery), she got the tooth removed. Unfortunately, it cost her an opening performance for Bruno Mars that she had to cancel due to the procedure.

She Went to the Same School as Amy Winehouse

Dua Lipa attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School in Marylebone, London, the same school that several other successful musicians attended. These big names include Rita Ora, Tom Fletcher, and Little Mix’s Jesy Nelson among others.

Probably the most famous graduate of the school is Amy Winehouse. Over the years, the British school has introduced the world to some incredible musicians who have contributed fun and catchy as well as profound and moving records.