American broadcaster NBC has potentially ignited a firestorm of controversy by enlisting British pop superstar Dua Lipa to front a commercial for Team USA ahead of the Winter Olympics.
A-List Promotion for Milan's Winter Games
The network is ramping up its promotional efforts for the upcoming sporting extravaganza in Milan, which commences on February 6. As part of this campaign, NBC has called upon a roster of A-list celebrities. After releasing advertisements featuring Hollywood icons Scarlett Johansson and Glen Powell, alongside rapper Snoop Dogg, the spotlight turned to Dua Lipa.
The singer, who was born in London to Kosovan-Albanian parents and holds citizenship for Britain, Albania, and Kosovo, stars in a short promotional clip. However, her inclusion is seen as a risky move, given that Great Britain will be a direct rival to the United States during the games in Italy. This is not an isolated case, as Cynthia Erivo, another British star, has also appeared in an Olympics commercial for the American network.
Dua Lipa's Flawless Italian Showcase
In the advertisement, which aired during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Dua Lipa is seen in Milan's iconic Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Dressed in a shimmering silver dress and a black fur coat, she confidently displays her command of the Italian language.
With her track 'Training Season' providing the soundtrack, she begins: 'Ciao ragazzi. Ci vediamo dopo, ok? Baci!' This translates to: 'Hi guys. See you later, ok? Kisses!' She then continues in English, praising Milan as a 'cool place' and stating it will get 'even cooler' when the Olympics begin.
The pop sensation proceeds to give a shoutout to several American medal hopefuls, reeling off the names of skiers Lindsey Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin, and Alysa Liu, as well as snowboarder Chloe Kim. 'They'll put on quite a show,' she declares, concluding the promo with 'Ci vediamo lì' – 'See you there!'
Life Beyond the Controversial Ad
The 30-year-old singer is currently in South America as part of her 'Radical Optimism' tour. She is engaged to actor Callum Turner, who recently described their relationship as 'the easiest thing in the world' in an interview with Vanity Fair. The couple began dating in January 2024 and confirmed their engagement in June of this year.
Dua's global tour is scheduled to conclude on December 5 with a final performance in Mexico. Recently, she was spotted enjoying the Argentine Superclasico football match between Boca Juniors and River Plate, casually dressed in Argentina's classic blue and white shirt, following her performance in Buenos Aires.
