Here's What Dua Lipa's Don't Start Now Really Means
British pop sensation Dua Lipa has dominated the charts ever since the release of her self-titled debut album back in 2017. Since then, the singer has continued to take the music industry by storm, winning Best New Artist at the 2019 Grammy Awards and enjoying further chart success with hit tracks including "Don't Start Now," the lead single from her 2020 sophomore album Future Nostalgia. But, what's the real meaning behind Dua Lipa's "Don't Start Now"?
Speaking to Rolling Stone, the singer opened up about the inspiration behind the song, revealing that it signified a new beginning. "I chose to put this song out first so I could close one chapter of my life and start another," Lipa explained, adding, "Into a new era with a new sound! It's about moving on and not allowing anyone to get in the way of that. It also felt like a natural first song choice as I made it with the brilliant same crew I made 'New Rules' with."
Lipa curated the track alongside songwriters Caroline Ailin, Emily Warren, and producer Ian Kirkpatrick, and later released an accompanying music video starring models Alexandra Elizabeth Ljadov, Yasmin Wijnaldum, and America's Next Top Model winner Kyla Coleman.
The song was nominated for a Grammy Award
Released in December 2019, "Don't Start Now" reached an impressive peak of No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and, in November 2020, it was announced the song had earned three Grammy Award nominations for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. As the BBC reports, the "Physical" singer received a grand total of six nominations for Future Nostalgia, becoming the second most nominated artist of the 63rd Annual ceremony alongside Taylor Swift, sitting only behind Beyoncé, who received nine Grammy nods.
Shortly after her 2021 Grammy nominations were announced, the singer took to social media to express her excitement. "This doesn't feel real!!!!! 6 GRAMMY NOMS!!! WHAT IS THIS LIFE!!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!! 6!!!!! MY HEART IS RACING AND IM IN TOTAL SHOCK! IM BEAMING AND FIZZING!!!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE LOVE AND THE SUPPORT!," she wrote. In a follow-up tweet, Lipa also shared a clip of herself reacting to the good news alongside a caption which read "I HAVE TO LIE DOWN FOR A SEC 2 TAKE THIS ALL IN!!!! FUTURE NOSTALGIA 4 EVER."