Continuing my countdown of 2024 notable album releases by women…
The Ladies of 2024
#2 – Dua Lipa – Radical Optimism
One thing I didn’t have on my 2024 bingo card was Dua Lipa’s third album flopping. Following the string of hits on her last release, plus Barbie‘s ‘Dance the Night,’ I figured she was about to deliver a blockbuster.
To be fair, Radical Optimism did debut at #1 in the UK, and give her the best first week sales for a British artist in several years. And her #2 placement on the Billboard 200 topped that of 2020’s Future Nostalgia, which peaked at #3.
But are any of these new songs dominating the pop music landscape the way ‘Don’t Start Now’ or ‘Levitating’ did a few years ago? Not yet, anyway.
That’s too bad, because Radical Optimism is another great album by an artist who appears incapable of delivering anything but bangers. This is a smart and sticky collection of dance pop songs that deserve to be pouring out of every car stereo and supermarket loudspeaker.
Like a few other records I’ve featured this week and last, Radical Optimism is in part a break-up album. But Lipa has a refreshing approach to the topic, ending the song cycle by first thanking her partner’s ex for shaping him into the man he is, then casting herself as the ex in the final track. “I must’ve loved you more than I ever knew,” she sings. “‘Cause I’m happy for you.”
Thoughtful lyrics delivered through irresistible beats and melodies — this is what great pop music is all about. I’m hoping this album is a slow starter that will find its groove later in the year.
Maybe we should switch careers
‘Cause, baby, you know no one beats our poker faces
And when the night ends up in tears
Wake up and we blame it all on being wasted
[Pre-Chorus]
Oh, this love is fadin’
So much we’re not sayin’
[Chorus]
But if these walls could talk
(They’d say) “Enough”
(They’d say) “Give up”
If these walls could talk
(They’d say) “You know”
(They’d say) “You’re fucked”
It’s not supposed to hurt this much
Oh, if these walls could talk
They’d tell us to break up
[Post-Chorus]
(These walls, these walls)
(These walls) They’d tell us to break up
(These walls, these walls)
(These walls, these walls)
[Verse 2]
They’d tell us, “Go and face your fears”
It’s getting worse the longer that we stay together
We call it love, but hate it here
Did we really mean it when we said forever?
[Pre-Chorus]
Oh, this love is fadin’
So much we’re not sayin’
[Chorus]
But if these walls could talk
(They’d say) “Enough”
(They’d say) “Give up”
(I know) If these walls could talk
(They’d say) “You know”
(They’d say) “You’re fucked”
It’s not supposed to hurt this much
Oh, if these walls could talk
They’d tell us to break up
[Post-Chorus]
(These walls, these walls)
(These walls) They’d tell us to break up
(These walls, these walls)
(These walls) They’d tell us to break up
[Bridge]
You don’t wanna go (Go)
Don’t wanna stop (Stop)
Heaven knows I (I)
Don’t wanna be the one to cut it off
[Chorus]
But if these walls could talk
(They’d say) “Enough”
(They’d say) “Give up” (Give it up, give it up, give it up)
If these walls could talk
(They’d say) “You know”
(They’d say) “You’re fucked”
(Yeah, you know, yeah, you know you’re fucked)
It’s not supposed to hurt this much
Oh, if these walls could talk
They’d tell us to break up
[Post-Chorus]
(These walls, these walls)
(These walls) They’d tell us to break up
(These walls, these walls)
(They would tell us, “Break up”)
Meet Me In Montauk 
Dua Lipa may well have more hits in the future, but it is actually far more common for an artist to not sustain the same level of commercial success despite releasing quality pop songs.
I’m a big Dua Lipa fan, so I don’t want to rag on her… but I was just not impressed by this album. There were a few standout moments and I do like some of the unique subject matter, but I found the songs overall forgettable and sonically safe.
To be fair, I believe ‘Future Nostalgia’ is a pop masterpiece – so there was a long way for ‘Radical Optimism’ to fall. I’ll be looking forward to more Dua Lipa content in the future though!