Is it weird to want to throw a disco jam party at full volume alone in your bedroom? Is this any time to jam along to bright, happy music when we should be focusing our attention on heavier matters like washing our hands or social distancing? Yet, as she sings here: "Though it took some time to survive you, I'm better on the other side", maybe dancing and singing our hearts out while cooped up in our homes is the solution to staying sane during these trying times.
Future Nostalgia, the second studio album by English singer Dua Lipa, was pushed forward a week after it was leaked two weeks before its original date and was released March 27. It's a good thing too because now that I've listened to it fully 3 times, I can't imagine not having a handful of jams to jam along to.
Centering around breakups and getting over guys who hurt us "with the word goodbye", some of it's more prominent songs include "Levitating", "Love Again", "Break My Heart", "Good In Bed", "Boys Will Be Boys", as well as hit singles "Physical" and "Don't Start Now".
The album opens with the title track "Future Nostalgia", where she challenges the music industry and highlights female empowerment. It's a sassy, yet fearless introduction into the world of Future Nostalgia. The album then progresses into "Don't Start Now", "Cool", and "Physical", with vocally deeper and love-related songs. But it doesn't last long; the next section of the album entails party songs "Levitating", "Pretty Please", "Hallucinate", "Love Again", "Break My Heart", and "Good In Bed". This is where the more exciting and bass-driven songs are, which are sure to have anyone humming or tapping along to the catchy hooks and beat.
"Boys Will Be Boys" is the most meaningful song on Future Nostalgia, and it's fitting that it's the closing song. A few of its impacting lyrics are:
"It's second nature to walk home before the sun goes down
And put your keys between your knuckles when there's boys around
Isn't it funny how we laugh it off to hide our fear
When there's nothing funny here?"
"If you're offended by this song
You're clearly doing something wrong
If you're offended by this song
Boys will be... boys
...But girls will be women"
Speaking to Genius Lyrics, Dua Lipa said "I want this song to be a conversation starter. I want it [to] be a little bit of an eye-opener. It’s not a song that’s out to offend anyone, or point any fingers. But I wanted the lyrics to be quite cutting for the sake of the conversation, and in the hope that there can be change. It’s also to show solidarity with other girls and be like, “I’ve been through it as well.” And at the same time, for any young fans or listeners, to be something that maybe they’ll ask the older sister or brother about, and to try and understand why I decided to put this in a song".
No one expected the world to be like then when artists released their music, but it's albums like these that bring a little bit of joy and hope into the world and makes their mission all the more significant. Future Nostalgia is a bright collection of pop anthems to dance away your worries to... if only for a little while.