At just 21 years old, Dua Lipa is in the middle of headlining her first North American tour, and just several months away (June 2 to be exact) from releasing her debut album. “It’s surreal,” the Londoner says as we sit backstage ahead of her sold-out New York City show at Irving Plaza.

Onstage, Dua has a larger-than-life personality, dancing around in sky-high platforms with a raspy voice that commands attention. But when we meet, she instantly puts us at ease with a huge smile, chatting away about her excitement for being back in New York. “I love it here,” she says. “It’s a bit more hectic than London, but I love that so much and it’s always fun coming back.”

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