Dua Lipa has officially kicked off the Australian leg of her ‘Radical Optimism’ tour with a bang, treating Melbourne fans to a surprise cover of AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” at Rod Laver Arena on Monday night.
The pop sensation delivered a raw, velvety rendition of the Aussie rock classic, with the crowd roaring back the iconic chorus.
This performance marked the first of eight shows Lipa is set to play across Australia before taking her tour to New Zealand, Spain, and France.
She’ll then head to the US for a two-night stint in Chicago on September 5th, wrapping up in Seattle on October 16th.
Released in May 2024, Radical Optimism sees Lipa stepping away from her disco-driven Future Nostalgia era and diving into a Brit-pop-inspired sound, shaped by her love for Blur and Oasis.
She teamed up with Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker to craft the album’s standout singles, including “Houdini,” “Training Season,” and “Illusion.”
Lipa released a 20-track live album, Dua Lipa Live From the Royal Albert Hall, in December which commemorates the pop star’s one-night-only live performance at the historic venue. Last week, Lipa starred opposite of Blackpink’s Jennie in the K-Pop singer’s “Handlebars” music video, a technicolor dreamscape about falling head over heels in love.
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Meanwhile, Melbourne is already showing its love for Lipa in a big way—literally. Renowned local artist Amanda Newman has unveiled a massive mural of the singer in the city’s iconic Hosier Lane, celebrating her return to Australian shores.
Newman, an internationally recognized muralist and signwriter who has called Melbourne home since 2019, has created large-scale works for everything from mansions and theatre sets to theme parks and water silos. But beyond her artistic talents, she’s passionate about giving back to the community, often donating street art murals and mentoring emerging artists.
“None of my success matters if we don’t hand the next generations a better industry experience (and world) than we had,” she says.
