Dua Lipa, the pop superstar known for catchy hooks, is turning her attention to books as she curates this year's London Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre. The festival runs until November 1 and features a mix of established legends and emerging voices, handpicked by the singer.
A Personal Mission to Promote Reading
Lipa's literary credentials come from her book club and accompanying podcast, supported by a newsletter and media site called Service95. She describes her passion for recommendations as a long-standing personal trait: "I've always been my friends' concierge," she says, speaking from New York. "Whenever they go somewhere, they ask for recommendations for restaurants or vintage shops, and I always come up with an extensive list."
Her focus on books is a life-defining passion, not a commercial move. "What I really wanted for the festival was a mix of icons and emerging voices," she explains. The lineup includes legends like Patti Smith and debut authors such as Sufiyaan Salam, whose book Wimmy Road Boyz is featured.
Interviews and Personal Connections
Lipa will personally interview Patti Smith and Zadie Smith on stage, along with Canadian-Sudanese poet and musician Mustafa. While performing in stadiums is routine, talking to authors brings "butterflies… excitement, the adrenaline rush," she admits.
Her podcast conversations with authors like Margaret Atwood, Kazuo Ishiguro, and George Saunders have been revelatory. "I feel so lucky to get the opportunity to dive into these books that I love and the conversations I have with authors ends up so profound," she says. "It always expands my worldview."
A Broader Cultural Mission
Service95, now five years old, aims to offer diverse perspectives. "For me, it was really important to think: who gets to tell these stories? Not everything is from a Western viewpoint," Lipa states.
Born in London in 1995 to Kosovo Albanian parents, Lipa's own story involves a move to Pristina and a determined return to Camden to pursue music. She cites Albanian author Ismail Kadare as a writer who changed her life, helping her connect with the community in Kosovo.
Encouraging young people to read has become a real goal for her. "With phone addiction such a real thing, I think it's so important to get people interested in experiences away from that," she says. "The whole point is just the act of connection, and I think books do that in such a beautiful way."
The festival programming includes events like Fierce Sounds, featuring Kae Tempest and Omar Musa discussing music and literature intersections. Lipa's own relationship with actor Callum Turner began over a shared book, Trust by Hernan Diaz, which they discovered they were both reading.
The London Literature Festival, curated by Dua Lipa, is at the Southbank Centre until November 1.
