Dua Lipa has become a very special kind of modern pop star. Yes, she is famous. Yes, she has incredible taste and smarts. Yes, she is beautiful and rich. Yes, she is always on vacation. However, her idea of celebrity leisure is not empty like that of many celebrities.
Lipa’s Instagram is basically a mood board for her version of an adult dream: travel, food, dancing, friends, books, clothes, activities, beaches, museums, a really, really hot fiancé. She doesn’t really seem to be selling luxury, but the idea that pleasure is a perfectly fine end goal. In addition to Instagram, Lipa’s editorial platform Service95 positions itself as the “ultimate cultural concierge” through its website, newsletter, podcast, and popular book club.
Currently, the Internet is obsessed with some kind of fantasy of living beautifully without turning every part of your life into work. Think Eurosummer mood board. Think Anthony Bourdain nostalgia. Consider “It Girl” reading culture. Consider Travel TikTok. Consider the illusion of the creator economy, where your life is both work and art.
Author Madison Huizinga called this the “dua effect.” It’s a brand built around abundance and being a student of life. And Ripa is building on it at the right time. Because for many young people, there is a fantasy that they only need enough time, money, and mental space to pursue their curiosity. Read, travel, go out to dinner, learn a language, make art, be social. Ultimately, it’s about living a life where you don’t feel completely consumed by productivity. Gen Z is less likely to be interested in hustle culture than previous generations, and “The Grind” is losing its appeal. That’s not to say that Rupa doesn’t work extremely hard (she does). It just doesn’t show up on her Instagram feed.
Lipa’s free time feels different than, say, an influencer posting a sponsored hotel stay or a billionaire giving a tour of his closet. That’s despite Lipa partnering with tech giants like Google for sponsored and curated restaurant listings around the world. Her life is clearly in excess, but it is framed as abundance. Of course, that’s also nerve-wracking. Ripa’s life cannot be recreated by most people. Most of us don’t casually build an international presence from beaches, books, parties, and perfectly lit dinners. And the obsession with her probably won’t last long—never.
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