At the Royal Albert Hall in London, Dua Lipa took to the stage alongside a 53-piece orchestra and a 14-member choir, opting to showcase her entire new album, “Radical Optimism,” which has received mixed reviews. Despite being known for her chart-topping hits, she made the bold choice to set those aside for the evening.

After kicking off the show with a medley of “End of an Era” and “Houdini,” Dua engaged with the audience by reminiscing about the legendary artists who have graced the Royal Albert Hall stage. While she could have easily referenced iconic musical figures like Bob Dylan or Jimi Hendrix, she humorously mentioned historical icons such as “Winston Churchill, Charles de Gaulle, Albert Einstein,” with a lighthearted twist, saying, “But I bet none of them had a dress as nice as this.” Dressed in a stunning floor-length red Gaultier gown, she acknowledged the unique nature of the performance, which was being filmed for a special television event.

The scale of the show was impressive, and Dua’s powerful voice successfully cut through the orchestral layers, proving that her dance-pop roots can harmonize with strings and brass instrumentation. After all, disco itself thrives on rich, lavish arrangements. However, the orchestration had its ups and downs. At times, the musicians created a thrilling MFSB-like vibe during tracks like “Whatcha Doing,” but there were moments when the added instrumentation felt heavy-handed, reminiscent of past performances where disco artists had to work with orchestras in dated settings.

The evening featured a daring setlist that notably excluded many of Dua’s biggest hits—songs like “New Rules,” “IDGAF,” “One Kiss,” “Hallucinate,” and “Break My Heart” were all left out in favor of her newer material. It seems the choice was strategic, likely to give her latest album a much-needed televised boost, especially considering that “Radical Optimism” was released just as the pop landscape began shifting towards a rawer, more dynamic sound, led by artists like Charli XCX and Chappell Roan.

Some tracks, like the emotionally charged “Happy for You,” resonated more deeply in this live setting, and audience energy surged when she performed “Levitating.” The night reached a pinnacle when Elton John joined her on stage for their duet “Cold Heart,” eliciting one of the loudest cheers of the evening. This thrilling performance led into an encore featuring fan favorites such as “Be the One,” “Don’t Start Now,” and “Dance the Night,” underscoring that Dua Lipa remains on the cusp of re-establishing her dominance in the pop music sphere, with just one more undeniable hit needed to secure her place at the top.