Tuesday night, Dua Lipa returned to Miami for the first time since filming her summery music video for her hit “New Rules.” The 22 year old has yet to leave the radio, proving to be one of the biggest pop stars of the year. The pop star also brought along Clairo, who won the crowd over the moment she stepped on stage. Fans ambushed the barricade, leaving their assigned seats to get closer to the opening act. Between herself and her band, the collective quartet was a great opener for Dua Lipa. Pushing through eight eclectic songs, the singer was continually surprised at how well the crowd knew her songs. A smile never left her face, and based on the crowd reaction, Clairo is going to skyrocket in popularity very soon. The sky turned to cotton candy as her set wound down, painting a picture perfect moment for the attendees to remember.
The show’s intermission consisted of tracks that kept the fans on their feet – Troye Sivan, Big Sean, Rihanna and more blared through the amphitheater’s open air, hyping the crowd up to make 30 minutes fly by. 9 p.m. creeped up quick, and the lights went dark. One by one, Lipa’s band and dancers walked on stage, making the crowd go ballistic. Finally, she emerged from stage right, strutting to center stage as the leading beat to “Blow Your Mind (Mwah),” began. Sounding even better than the recorded versions of her songs, Dua Lipa proved she is an incredible performer with a strong fan base. Her bubbly persona transcribed clearly on stage, adding authenticity to her performance that some artists lack. Fans arrived to the venue representing the LGBTQ community with flags and makeup, as Lipa has become an icon in the community. Her stage setup and outfit paired perfectly with Miami’s tropical environment. “It’s so hot here, I didn’t know what to wear. So, I basically wore nothing,” she said before performing “Dreams,” another pop anthem with great choreography. Her full band and sexual dance moves collaborated to create a perfect performance to the eyes and ears. The set had a great balance of dance hits and acoustic ballads, like her first release “New Love,” and current hit “One Kiss.” Her set consisted of fan favorites like “Lost in Your Light,” “Scared to Be Lonely,” and “Hotter Than Hell,” which all generated powerful fan reaction. Before her encore, the crowd roared for her to come back on stage. It didn’t take long, to where she began “this is a warning against fuckboys,” before performing her new single “IDGAF.” Of course, the set wouldn’t be complete with “New Rules,” which Lipa closed the night out with. The advice-giving song allowed fans to end their Tuesday night with a bang, and also proved that Miami has a strong love for the pop star.
DUA LIPA
Clairo
Photos & Words by staff contributor Alex Lisco