Dua Lipa Songs for Beginners: Where to Start
New to Dua Lipa? Start with “Don’t Start Now” for disco confidence, “Levitating” for a brighter love song, or “Houdini” for a more restless groove. You can know a chorus from the radio without knowing which album to try next. These five songs give you a simple route through her music, with the original versions clearly marked.
Pick your first Dua Lipa song
These are listening recommendations, rather than a ranking. Choose the mood you want today.
| If you want… | Start with | Album |
|---|---|---|
| Disco and moving-on confidence | Don’t Start Now | Future Nostalgia (2020) |
| A cheerful romantic mood | Levitating — solo original | Future Nostalgia (2020) |
| A big burst of energy | Physical — original | Future Nostalgia (2020) |
| A breakup story with a memorable video | New Rules | Dua Lipa (2017) |
| Synths, bass and a little tension | Houdini | Radical Optimism (2024) |
How the albums fit together
The London-born singer released her self-titled debut in 2017. For a first full-album listen, our pick is Future Nostalgia: it contains three of the choices below. Radical Optimism offers another route, with “Houdini” among the songs shaped by producers Kevin Parker and Danny L Harle.
Five songs, five different reasons to press play
1. Don’t Start Now — for moving forward
The disco direction meets a breakup story that begins after the recovery: she has moved on, and an ex returns. It is our first pick for confidence rather than heartbreak. Continue to “Levitating” for a happier romantic turn.
Watch the official Don’t Start Now music video →
2. Levitating — for joy and playful vocals
This is the falling-in-love choice. Beyond the chorus, notice the shift into conversational singing. In Song Exploder, Lipa and producer Koz explain how her British accent and playful group vocals became part of the recording. Try the solo original first, then compare its mood with “Don’t Start Now.”
Hear the solo original in the official Levitating lyrics video →
3. Physical — for maximum energy
The ’80s power-pop approach is the reason to choose this one. Its intensity builds further in the middle section, making it a useful contrast with the romantic ease of “Levitating.” Next, try “Houdini” for a different kind of dance-floor tension.
Watch the official Physical video — original version →
For the stories behind these Future Nostalgia tracks, see Lipa’s track-by-track Apple Music commentary.
4. New Rules — for the earlier breakthrough
Watch this one as well as listening. The video turns support between friends into the heart of its breakup story: help received becomes help offered. That gives the song a different entry point from the later disco tracks. The label’s video notes explain that story. Follow it with “Don’t Start Now” to move from getting free of a relationship to having moved on.
Watch the official New Rules music video →
5. Houdini — for a groove with tension
Synths and bass drive this entry into Radical Optimism. In her Apple Music commentary, Lipa connects it with enjoying being single and knowing when to leave. Harle’s GRAMMY interview explains the contrast between upbeat emotion and minor-key harmony. Our recommendation: choose this when the brighter “Levitating” feels too sunny, then revisit “Physical.”
Watch the official Houdini music video →
Original, featured version or remix?
Check the version before comparing songs. “Levitating” also has a DaBaby-featured version and a Blessed Madonna remix featuring Madonna and Missy Elliott. The link above is the solo original. “Physical” has a Hwa Sa-featured version as well; Warner lists it separately from the original video. Once you know the base track, an alternate version becomes an interesting comparison.
A bonus route for BLACKPINK listeners
If you came here through K-pop, try “Kiss and Make Up,” the official Dua Lipa and BLACKPINK audio. In a 2020 GRAMMY interview, Lipa recalled meeting Jennie and Lisa at her Seoul show before inviting BLACKPINK onto the song. It is a collaboration from the expanded debut-album era, rather than a track on the original Future Nostalgia album. To put names to the four voices, continue with our BLACKPINK member guide.
What to play next
For a short introduction, play “New Rules,” “Don’t Start Now” and “Houdini” in that order: one song from each album in this guide. For a more cheerful session, pair “Levitating” with “Physical.” Then follow the album that interests you most.
For another dance-focused solo listening route, explore our Taemin guide and its four different starting points.
Selected by Kpop From Seoul. Official listening links and photo permissions checked October 8, 2026. Both photographs are from 2018.
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