THREE years have passed since Dua Lipa topped the charts with her hit second album Future Nostalgia, which turned her into a global superstar.
But fans won’t have too long to wait to hear from her again as I’m told she is putting the finishing touches to her most personal release to date.
The six-time Brit Award winner has been hard at work on the record for months, fitting in recording sessions between sections of her tour last year.
Now she is finalising the collection, with the hope fans will get to hear new music before the end of this year.
A music insider said: “Dua’s third album is really personal to her and she has been hands on at every turn.
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“She has spent hundreds of hours in the studio and has written on every song — that is really important to her.
“As one of the biggest names in pop music, all of the most talented writers and artists have been vying to work with her.
“Dua has been very clear about her direction in keeping it upbeat and fun, but she will be a lot more revealing in her lyrics.
“The label are really excited about it and are planning a lengthy campaign on a whole new scale to maximise the music, so its release date is up in the air — especially until it is completed.
“But the plan is for fans to hear at least some new music from the record by the end of the year.”
Fed in some heartbreak
Dua will have had plenty of personal experiences to draw upon when writing the album.
She dumped her model boyfriend of two years, Anwar Hadid, in 2021, so I imagine she will have fed some of that heartbreak into the music.
But there have also been massive positives, such as the success of her last album and global tour, which she is bound to have taken some inspiration from.
The Levitating singer has worked with Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker as well as songwriter Sarah Hudson, who also contributed to Future Nostalgia.
Speaking last month, Dua said: “It has a lyrical theme, more so than sonically.
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“There’s still a sonic element as you go through it, it’s still pop.
“I still want to dance and do another crazy tour.
“It’s a bit more mature [than Future Nostalgia] I think in terms of the experiences.”
The stakes are high but it sounds like she’s on to another winner.
Bling it on, 'Kira
SHAKIRA is going for gold with her new single.
The Colombian singer posed in this metallic mini-dress on the set of her music video, as she basks in a career resurgence.
She released TQG, a collaboration with Karol G, on Friday and the video has already racked up 88million views, while the song is at No2 on Spotify’s global chart.
In the lyrics, Shakira takes aim at her footballer ex Gerard Pique and his new girlfriend Clara Chia Marti.
She sings: “Seeing you with the new one hurt me.”
She later adds: “Life has got even better for me.
“You are no longer welcome here.
“I saw what your girlfriend threw at me.
“That doesn’t even make me angry, I laugh, I laugh.”
Move over Taylor Swift, there’s a new queen of break-up bangers.
U2 solidarity with Ukraine
U2 singer Bono and guitarist The Edge joined Ukrainian band Antytila as they performed in London on Sunday night.
The group, who previously collaborated with Ed Sheeran on the song 2step, welcomed the rockers along to join them on a version of 1987 U2 song Mothers Of The Disappeared at Electric Brixton.
Sharing on Instagram afterwards, the Irish stars wrote: “These musicians – Taras, Dmytros, Sherhi, Dmytros, Mykhailo… The people of Ukraine, don’t want to be at war. They want peace, but not without freedom.
“Never pick a fight with someone who’s ready to lose everything.
“This war is much more than territory. More than sovereignty.
“It’s about dignity and decency confronting domination and darkness.
“This song is for the mothers of Ukraine, and so many, who have lost so much.”
MILEY CYRUS has teamed up with Sia for a superstar collaboration on her new album.
Last night she revealed they’ve worked together on a song called Muddy Feet for her record Endless Summer Vacation, which is due out on March 10.
The pair previously sang together during a New Year’s Eve concert when they covered Paris Hilton’s 2006 song Stars Are Blind alongside the socialite.
Miley, who has spent six weeks at No1 in the UK with the album’s lead single Flowers, also revealed she has recorded a duet with US country singer Brandi Carlile called Thousand Miles.
Announcing the full tracklist, she revealed it will feature a total of 12 songs, with titles including Wonder Woman, Jaded, Rose Coloured Lenses and You.
Other tracks on the album are Handstand, River, Violet Chemistry, Wildcard and Island.
Joey’s bid scuppa’d
JOEY ESSEX’s plan to become a tea baron has gone totally off the boil.
The former Towie star, who is currently competing on Dancing On Ice, created a “superfood tea” called Chaga Cha in 2020.
The brew, made from Siberian mushrooms, was supposed to have healing qualities – with Joey clearly hoping to add to his coffers by jumping on the wellness trend.
But insiders say the business flopped and Joey and his partner failed to get it off the ground.
The company is now dissolved.
I’d stick to the ice skating for now, Joey. Save yourself the hassle.
Jess tuned for return
JESSIE J is preparing to make her big music comeback with a brand new album and banging first single.
Insiders tell me a new track, called Heaven Bound, is being put forward as the song to announce her return.
She collaborated on it with Price Tag co-writer Claude Kelly.
The soulful tune sees Jessie, who is pregnant with her first child, sing about a tumultuous relationship.
In one line, she sings: “Many days and many nights, I had to face so many fights.
“When all along we could have been getting high, don’t you think it’s time?”
In another, Jessie sings: “Baby, don’t you look down, take me to another level, I want to be heaven bound.”
A music insider said: “Jessie’s team think Heaven Bound is her perfect comeback track.
“It is a collaboration with Claude and they are both really proud of it.
“Jessie wants to try out the song live and see how her fans react to it before a final decision is made.
“She has been working hard on her next album and is really proud of everything that she has created in the studio, but Heaven Bound is really special.”
The upcoming record, which will be Jessie’s sixth album, has been in the works for two years.
She was supposed to bring it out in 2021 but later scrapped the plans and went back to the drawing board.
I think she could be on to a winner with this track.
STEPS singer Lisa Scott-Lee is to release a deluxe edition of her solo album Never Or Now to celebrate 20 years since her debut solo single Lately, which was on the album.
It will feature three unreleased tracks, B-sides and remixes.
Lisa has also announced a return to the stage.
A year on from Steps’ headline performance at the Mighty Hoopla festival in South London, she will be performing there solo on June 4.
Adele’s tears at concert
ADELE broke down in tears at her latest Las Vegas show as she prepares to end her run of concerts there.
The Brit superstar admitted to fans that she still feels the pressure after axing her initial residency last year, just hours before she was due on stage.
The Someone Like You singer said: “I have been waiting for so long to get to this weekend and I didn’t even realise it.
“What I haven’t been able to get out of my head since the beginning of the show was that it took so long, and I was like, ‘When am I ever going to say I’ve done my residency?’.
“And this weekend, if not for the added shows, I would have completed my residency.
“Even though I have got four more weekends left after this, I have been waiting for so long to get to this weekend.
“When I cancelled the original dates it was terrifying to do.
“But better late than never, and the shows have been a success.
“I knew I was making the right decision.”
Adele faced a huge backlash after pulling the plug in January 2022 after a string of set issues and clashes with her team left her feeling unprepared for the Las Vegas run.
She previously said it was the “worst moment of her life”.
But she has stood by her decision, saying that the 2022 show she’d created “just had no soul in it”.
Gigi's top of the knit parade
GIGI HADID’s gone grey, but it sounds like Leonardo DiCaprio is still interested in her.
The model wore this silver Valentino cropped knitted jumper and woolen gloves with a risque skirt for an appearance on Good Morning America in New York, where she went to promote her new Netflix series Next In Fashion.
But days earlier, she was photographed leaving a restaurant in Milan just ten minutes apart from Leo.
They were romantically linked last year following his split from model Camila Morrone, prompting speculation the actor may finally be attracted to someone older than 25.
He had split from a string of women when they turned the milestone age, but at 27 Gigi is just outside that range.
It was thought he had ended things with Gigi but their recent dinner suggests otherwise.
She looked like she had a spring in her step here, anyway.
IF you missed any of the Brit Awards performances, there’s a perfect place to catch up in central London.
They are being played on the giant screens at Outernet, which is a newly opened music, art and entertainment district next to Tottenham Court Road station.
The 360-degree wraparound screens will be showing the sets from Lewis Capaldi, Lizzo, Stormzy and more.
