Recorded on October 17, 2024, and billed for television as An Evening with Dua Lipa,
Live from the Royal Albert Hall
is a grand cinematic experience that highlights the pop power and songwriting strength of
Dua Lipa
's third album, 2024's underappreciated gem
Radical Optimism
. Featuring a straight run-through of that album -- whose songs are transformed with the backing of the
Heritage Orchestra
as conducted by
Ben Foster
--
Live
is a classy, tasteful wink to critics that proves she's more than just a pop singer, but an excellent live vocalist with a sharp ear for musicality and strong stage presence. Whimsical strings, grand horns, fluttering flutes, magical bells, and elegant vocal backing create an intoxicatingly swelling experience, transforming
's 11 songs into much more. "These Walls" gains a throwback Motown feel, while "Whatcha Doing" is expanded with an epic, dramatic coda. "French Exit" goes from playful to bittersweet and "Anything for Love" is stripped down as a twinkling piano ballad. Smoky jazz horns elevate "Maria" and "Illusion" reaches a shiver-inducing, euphoric peak. Overall,
sounds like
Dua
swapped
Kevin Parker
's psych-disco futurism for
Mark Ronson
's nostalgic arrangements in the best way possible. For an encore, she balances her greatest hits with some deep cuts for diehards (even including a cover of
Cleo Sol
's "Sunshine"), all redone in a similar fashion that breathes new life into these catalog highlights.
Elton John
even shows up for their hit duet "Cold Heart." In a perfect world,
's effortless performance on
should help bolster the value of
, which might one day be recognized as the "true fan's favorite" in her discography. ~ Neil Z. Yeung