I know of Dua Lipa - during Covid she recorded with Elton John - a great mash-up of three of his songs - Cold Heart - which I loved.
So she’s enough on my radar to know that she headlined at Glastonbury this weekend. To my surprise, the BBC site has her entire session up and (even more surprisingly, living in France) they will let me view it.
I watched the first three minutes or so - HUGE set, masses going on with lights and dancers and then, in the middle of it all, this small woman with a small voice singing I don’t know what as I could barely hear her. Seems to me she barely had an impact on the stage, let alone the enormous audience beyond. And yet, the reviews of her have all been five star. How strange.
I remember with awe Freddie Mercury’s performance at Live Aid. That had nothing to do with pyrotechnics and dancers - that was HIM, in all his glory, reaching out to every single member of the audience. Now there was a performer who deserved those five stars!
A real performer dosn’t need any fancy tricks, lighting or even a sophisticated sound system although for big stadiums, those at the back might not hear much! I don’t know much about the lady in question and can confess I have never ever heard someone called Taylor Swift sing either as not my cup of tea at all. Freddie was the best showman I have ever seen.
By chance I looked her up yesterday on Spotify. Nothing special.
As it’s nearly time for the Olympic Games to kick off, you’ve reminded me of the fabulous Barcelona games anthem, I think in 1992, sung by Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé.
Stage presence and musical ability (and marketing in a positive sense) are different things. In a world where music has no value and is streamed everywhere you need different skills to become well known.
Fabulous, but tragic. He was dead by the time the Games happened in 1992 so this was his last live performance in 1988 when the olympic flame arrived in Barcelona. And the recording was played at the opening ceremony.
I too was underwhelmed. I don’t think she’s without talent, but I find there’s a sameyness about her songs and those of people like her.
Shew was obviously connecting with her audience in some way, but I didn’t see much emotional connection. Perhaps the audience was feeling the dream of celebrity?
I didn’t do politics, at the time 
