Early Life and Education of Dua Lipa: A Complete Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Dua Lipa. A timeline of key moments.

Dua Lipa is a highly successful English singer, songwriter, and actress recognized for her significant contributions to the music industry. She has garnered numerous accolades, including seven Brit Awards and three Grammy Awards, solidifying her status as a prominent figure in contemporary pop music. Her global recognition is a testament to her talent and influence.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

August 1995: Dua Lipa's Birth

On 22 August 1995, Dua Lipa was born in London to Kosovo Albanian parents, Anesa (née Rexha) and Dukagjin Lipa. She has a sister, Rina, and a brother, Gjin.

1997: Decriminalization of homosexuality in China

Homosexuality was decriminalized in China in 1997.

2008: Move to Pristina

In 2008, Dua Lipa moved with her family to Pristina, Kosovo, after Kosovo declared independence. She attended Mileniumi i Tretë School, learned more about the Albanian language, and considered a music career.

2016: Co-created the Sunny Hill Foundation

In 2016, Dua Lipa and her father, Dukagjin, co-created the Sunny Hill Foundation to financially help people in Kosovo.

February 2018: Raising Rainbow Flag at Hollywood Palladium Performance

On 12 February 2018, Dua Lipa raised a rainbow flag while performing her song "Be the One" at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, as part of The Self-Titled tour, in support of the LGBT community.

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August 2018: Organised Sunny Hill Festival

In August 2018, Dua Lipa organised the Sunny Hill Festival to raise money for the Sunny Hill Foundation.

September 2018: Response to Flag Removal at Shanghai Concert

In September 2018, Dua Lipa responded to the removal of fans waving rainbow flags at her concert in Shanghai by expressing her pride and gratitude to those who showed their pride, despite homosexuality being decriminalized in China since 1997.

November 2018: Dissatisfaction over Brexit

In November 2018, Dua Lipa expressed dissatisfaction over the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union (Brexit), citing her personal experience with refugees.

November 2018: Participated in UNICEF's 'Go Blue' Campaign

In mid-November 2018, Dua Lipa participated in UNICEF's "Go Blue" campaign in support of children's rights for World Children's Day, recording a video where she re-recorded her song, changing the word "red" to "blue".

December 2018: Participated in a benefit concert for Ellie Goulding's charity

In December 2018, Dua Lipa participated in a benefit concert for Ellie Goulding's "Streets of London" annual charity event at Wembley Arena, which supports homeless people in London.

2018: Wendy Williams mispronounces Dua Lipa's name

In 2018, American talk show host Wendy Williams mispronounced Dua Lipa's name as 'Dula Peep', which fans now affectionately use as a nickname.

2018: Song adopted by Liverpool fans

In 2018, Dua Lipa became an "honorary Liverpool supporter" after her song "One Kiss" was adopted by the football club's fans in the wake of her performance at the 2018 UEFA Champions League final, becoming a club anthem after significant victories.

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March 2019: Participation in Global Feminism Short Film

In March 2019, Dua Lipa participated in a short film for the Global Feminism initiative, directed by Annie Lennox's The Circle in association with Apple Music, to raise awareness of misogyny, rape, and violence against women.

April 2019: Became a UNICEF supporter

In April 2019, Dua Lipa became a UNICEF supporter during a three-day visit to a refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon.

April 2019: Support for LGBT Rights in Brunei

In April 2019, Dua Lipa showed her support for LGBT rights in Brunei by calling for a boycott against the hotel interests of the Sultan of Brunei after a penal code punishing homosexuality with death came into force.

June 2019: Support for Sudanese Transition to Democracy

In June 2019, Dua Lipa publicly supported the Sudanese transition to democracy on social media, condemning the Khartoum massacre and advocating for the rights of Sudanese citizens.

November 2019: Asked for donations following Albania earthquake

On 26 November 2019, Dua Lipa asked fans for donations and support for victims following the 2019 Albania earthquake. To raise funds she co-released a limited edition line of t-shirts called "Pray for Albania" in collaboration with Albanian fashion designers.

2019: Albania earthquake

In 2019, an earthquake severely damaged a kindergarten that was reconstructed through the "Adopt a Kindergarten" initiative launched in July 2021.

March 2020: Asked fans to donate to UNHCR for COVID-19 relief and Home Fest appearance

In March 2020, Dua Lipa requested donations to the UNHCR agency to deal with COVID-19 pandemic and was part of a television special called "Home Fest" where she performed her song "Don't Start Now".

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April 2020: Participated in BBC Radio 1's charity cover of 'Times Like These'

In April 2020, Dua Lipa took part in a charitable project operated by BBC Radio 1 for a cover version of "Times Like These" for the Live Lounge segment, contributing to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

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May 2020: Performed on 'Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020'

On 16 May 2020, Dua Lipa performed her song "Break My Heart" on the television special Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020. At the end of May 2020, she participated in a digital event called "Dream with Us" with the aim of raising funds, whose event consisted of a streaming concert.

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June 2020: Criticism of Israel Defense Forces on Social Media

In June 2020, Dua Lipa shared an Instagram post that criticized the Israel Defense Forces' treatment of Palestinians, which led to controversy and calls for her songs to be banned from Israeli radio stations.

July 2020: Controversy over Kosovo and Greater Albania

In July 2020, Dua Lipa shared a post on her Instagram story explaining "why Kosovo is not and will never be Serbia", and later published an image of a banner containing an irredentist map of Greater Albania. This led to accusations of ethnic nationalism and fascism, which she later stated was misinterpreted.

July 2020: Signing Open Letter to Ban Conversion Therapy

In July 2020, Dua Lipa signed an open letter to the UK government, which was received by the then Minister for Women and Equalities, Liz Truss, to request the banning of conversion therapy.

July 2020: Support for 'Let the Music Play' Campaign

In July 2020, Dua Lipa supported the "Let the Music Play" campaign, signing an open letter to the UK government calling for support for the UK's live music industry's economic loss under the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Support for Joe Biden

In 2020, after endorsing Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primaries, Dua Lipa expressed support for Joe Biden at a virtual event aimed at Albanian Americans, citing his opposition to the ethnic cleansing of Albanians.

2020: Urged followers to vote against Donald Trump

In August 2020, Dua Lipa urged her Instagram followers to vote against Donald Trump in the 2020 United States presidential election.

January 2021: Encouragement for Kosovo Citizens to Vote

In January 2021, Dua Lipa published a call to her Instagram followers to encourage Kosovo citizens to vote in the 2021 Kosovan parliamentary election.

May 2021: Criticism of The New York Times Advertisement

In May 2021, after expressing solidarity for the death of Palestinian civilians, Dua Lipa criticized The New York Times for publishing an advertisement characterizing her, along with Bella and Gigi Hadid, as antisemitic.

July 2021: Launch of "Adopt a Kindergarten" Initiative

In July 2021, Dua Lipa, through her Sunny Hill Foundation, joined the "Adopt a Kindergarten" initiative in Tirana to reconstruct a kindergarten damaged by the 2019 Albania earthquake.

October 2021: Completion of Sunny Hill Kindergarten

In October 2021, the reconstructed kindergarten, named "Sunny Hill Kindergarten", was completed as part of the "Adopt a Kindergarten" initiative launched in July 2021.

2021: Performed at Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Award Party

In 2021, Dua Lipa performed virtually at the Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Award Party to benefit the AIDS Foundation.

2021: Raising Awareness on Taliban Takeover in Afghanistan

Throughout 2021, Dua Lipa raised awareness of the detrimental consequences of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan via her social media and Service95 newsletter.

August 2022: Named Honorary Ambassador of Kosovo

In August 2022, Dua Lipa was named an Honorary Ambassador of Kosovo by the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, and expressed her support for the rights of Kosovans.

November 2022: Denial of FIFA World Cup Performance

On 13 November 2022, Dua Lipa dismissed reports that she was to perform at the opening ceremony of that year's FIFA World Cup, citing human rights violations in Qatar.

November 2022: Granted Albanian citizenship

On 27 November 2022, Dua Lipa was granted Albanian citizenship by President Bajram Begaj, one day before the country's 110th independence celebrations.

October 2023: Signed open letter for ceasefire

In October 2023, Dua Lipa, along with 185 other artists, signed an open letter for the "Artists4Ceasefire" campaign, urging President Biden to push for a ceasefire and an end to the killing of civilians amid the 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip.