Mark Ronson has revealed that he has heard some of Dua Lipa‘s new album.
Speaking to Vulture on July 19, Ronson spoke of Dua Lipa’s ‘Dance The Night’ for the Barbie soundtrack, explaining that he did not write the song for Lipa. “We didn’t write it for Dua — we wrote the music and then she wrote the song with Caroline Ailin,” Ronson explained.
“It’s all mixed up in the soup. So I’m sure there’s somewhere where Dua and I have similar influences. I think that it felt ‘Future Nostalgia’–adjacent because her music does the shit that I really love, as far as dance music goes: It has an energy, but it’s kind of tough and weird,” he added.
Ronson then spoke about Dua Lipa’s next album, saying: “I’ve heard some of it and it’s incredible.” He also referenced the music video for ‘Dance The Night’, hinting that the smashing of a disco ball in that video is symbolic of Lipa’s next record: “I think that’s why there’s the disco ball that smashes in the video, right? This feels like her triumphant stomp on that era of her music into whatever she does next.”
Dua Lipa’s highly anticipated follow-up to ‘Future Nostalgia’ has yet to receive a release date. In March last year, she told Elton John that the record was “50 per cent done”, before walking the statement back in December. “When I was speaking to Elton I really felt like I was halfway done,” she said.
“But it’s taken a complete turn as I’ve carried on working, and I really feel now that it’s starting to sound cohesive. So I’m going to keep writing in the early months of the new year and see where that takes me.”
Lipa continued: “The album is different – it’s still pop but it’s different sonically, and there’s more of a lyrical theme. If I told you the title, everything would make sense – but I think we’ll just have to wait.”
The Mark Ronson-produced Barbie soundtrack is set for release tomorrow (July 21) along with the film’s release. The movie stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in lead roles, with support from Dua Lipa, Simu Liu, Michael Cera and more.
The film scored a four-star review from NME‘s Alex Flood, who wrote: “The script contains unexpected subtlety, particularly during the tender moments which pack an emotional punch. Presumably, part of Mattel’s motive for bringing Barbie to the big screen was changing her outdated image of rigid beauty ideals and unrealistic body conformism. For a movie that ostensibly exists to promote a doll, this is laudable.”