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 and Albanian singer, songwriter, and actress recognized for her significant impact on popular music. She has garnered numerous accolades throughout her career, including seven Brit Awards and three Grammy Awards, solidifying her status as a prominent figure in the entertainment industry. Her blend of pop, dance, and R&B influences has resonated globally, making her a celebrated artist and pop culture icon.

Sections (4)

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

August 1995: Dua Lipa's Birth

In August 1995, Dua Lipa was born in London to Kosovo Albanian parents, Anesa (née Rexha) and Dukagjin Lipa.

1997: Decriminalization of homosexuality in China

In 1997, homosexuality was decriminalized in China, prior to an incident in 2018, where fans were removed from a Dua Lipa concert in Shanghai for waving rainbow flags.

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 and considered a music career.

January 2018: Relationship with Isaac Carew

In January 2018, Dua Lipa got back together with English chef Isaac Carew.

February 2018: LGBT Support at Hollywood Palladium & White Rose Dress at Brit Awards

In February 2018, Dua Lipa raised a rainbow flag while performing her song "Be the One" in Los Angeles. She also wore a white rose dress at the Brit Awards in support of the Time's Up movement.

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August 2018: Sunny Hill Festival

In August 2018, Dua Lipa organised the Sunny Hill Festival to raise money for the Sunny Hill Foundation, which she co-created with her father, Dukagjin, in 2016. The then-Mayor of Pristina, Shpend Ahmeti, awarded her the Pristina Key, the first time one had been awarded.

September 2018: Shanghai Concert Incident

In September 2018, some fans were removed from a Dua Lipa concert in Shanghai for waving rainbow flags, despite homosexuality being decriminalized in China in 1997. Lipa expressed pride in those who showed their pride at the show.

November 2018: Brexit Dissatisfaction

In November 2018, Dua Lipa expressed dissatisfaction over the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union due to Brexit.

November 2018: UNICEF "Go Blue" Campaign

In November 2018, Dua Lipa participated in UNICEF's "Go Blue" campaign in support of children's rights for World Children's Day. She created a short video where she re-recorded her song "Be the One" (2015), changing the word "red" to "blue" for the occasion.

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December 2018: Streets of London Benefit Concert

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

2018: "One Kiss" becomes a Liverpool anthem

After her performance at the 2018 UEFA Champions League final, Dua Lipa's song "One Kiss" was adopted by Liverpool football club's fans and became a Reds anthem after significant Liverpool victories. Lipa has since described herself as an "honorary Liverpool supporter".

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2018: Dula Peep Nickname Origin

In 2018, American talk show host Wendy Williams mispronounced Dua Lipa's name, leading to the affectionate nickname "Dula Peep" by fans, which Lipa has embraced positively.

March 2019: Global Feminism Film Participation

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

April 2019: UNICEF Supporter

In April 2019, Dua Lipa became a UNICEF supporter during a three-day visit to a camp for refugee children and youth in Beirut, Lebanon. She visited young Palestinians and Syrians in Bourj el-Barajneh refugee camp and supported a campaign by her management company to raise £100,000 for charities like The Black Dog and CALM.

April 2019: Support for LGBT Rights in Brunei

In April 2019, Dua Lipa supported LGBT rights in Brunei by calling for a boycott against the hotel interests of the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, 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 ongoing Sudanese transition to democracy on social media, denouncing the Khartoum massacre and advocating for human rights.

June 2019: Second Split with Isaac Carew

In June 2019, Dua Lipa split with Isaac Carew for the second time.

July 2019: Relationship with Anwar Hadid

From July 2019, Dua Lipa was in a relationship with American model Anwar Hadid.

November 2019: Albania Earthquake Support

Following the 2019 Albania earthquake, Dua Lipa asked fans for donations and co-released a limited edition line of "Pray for Albania" t-shirts with Albanian fashion designers to raise funds for victims.

2019: Albania Earthquake

In 2019, an earthquake severely damaged a kindergarten in Albania that Dua Lipa's Sunny Hill Foundation helped reconstruct in July 2021, as part of the "Adopt a Kindergarten" initiative.

2019: Increase in babies named Dua

In 2019, the number of people born with the name "Dua" in England and Wales increased to 126, up from 63 in 2017, the year Lipa had her first UK number-one song.

March 2020: COVID-19 Pandemic Support

In March 2020, Dua Lipa requested fans to donate to the UNHCR agency to help refugees during the COVID-19 pandemic and performed her song "Don't Start Now" (2019) from her London apartment on The Late Late Show with James Corden From His Garage to raise money for CDC and Feed the Children.

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April 2020: BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge Allstars

In April 2020, Dua Lipa participated in the BBC Radio 1 charitable project for a cover version of "Times Like These" as part of the Live Lounge Allstars, with proceeds going to Children in Need, Comic Relief, and the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

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

On May 16, 2020, Dua Lipa gave a live performance of her song "Break My Heart" (2020) on the television special 'Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020'. Later in May 2020, she participated in a digital event called "Dream with Us" to raise funds for organizations fighting COVID-19.

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June 2020: Criticism of Israel Defense Forces

In June 2020, Dua Lipa shared an Instagram post criticizing the Israel Defense Forces' treatment of Palestinians, leading to a petition demanding her songs be banned from Israeli Army Radio.

July 2020: Conversion Therapy Open Letter

In July 2020, Dua Lipa signed an open letter to the UK government, requesting the banning of conversion therapy.

July 2020: Let the Music Play Campaign Support

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

July 2020: Kosovo Instagram Post

On 18 July 2020, Dua Lipa shared an Instagram story explaining "why Kosovo is not and will never be Serbia". The next day, she posted an irredentist map of Greater Albania, which led to backlash and accusations of ethnic nationalism and fascism.

2020: Support for Joe Biden

In 2020, after endorsing Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primaries, Dua Lipa expressed support for Joe Biden to become U.S. president, arguing Kosovars "owed" him support for his stance against the massacre and ethnic cleansing of Albanians.

2020: Anti-Trump Urging

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 Election Voting

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

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

July 2021: Adopt a Kindergarten Initiative

In July 2021, Dua Lipa, through her Sunny Hill Foundation, joined an initiative called "Adopt a Kindergarten" 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, part of the "Adopt a Kindergarten" initiative from July 2021, was completed and named "Sunny Hill Kindergarten".

December 2021: End of Relationship with Anwar Hadid

In December 2021, Dua Lipa and American model Anwar Hadid ended their relationship.

2021: Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Award Party Performance

In 2021, Dua Lipa performed virtually at the Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Award Party to benefit the AIDS Foundation, raising US$3 million to combat HIV disease.

2021: Taliban Takeover Awareness

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

November 2022: Dismissal of World Cup Performance Reports

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: Albanian Citizenship

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

October 2023: Artists4Ceasefire campaign

In October 2023, Dua Lipa joined 185 other artists in signing an open letter for the "Artists4Ceasefire" campaign, urging President Biden to advocate for a ceasefire and an end to civilian casualties during the 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, as well as the establishment of a humanitarian aid corridor into Gaza.