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Radical Optimism Tour

2024–2025 concert tour by Dua Lipa From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Radical Optimism Tour
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The Radical Optimism Tour was the third concert tour by English singer Dua Lipa in support of her third studio album, Radical Optimism (2024). The tour commenced in Singapore on 5 November 2024 and concluded in Mexico City, Mexico, on 5 December 2025, consisting of 78 shows. It additionally featured headlining performances at various festivals, including ZFIC and I-Days Milano, as well as Lipa's own music festival, Sunny Hill, which takes place in Pristina, Kosovo.

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An updated version of the tour was produced months after the shows held in Asia during late 2024, being divided into four sections and an encore with the four classical elements as the central key of the concert production. The set list of the show consisted of songs performed from Radical Optimism and some others from her 2017 eponymous debut studio album and Future Nostalgia (2020), while the tour's wardrobe included custom outfits by the Attico, Balenciaga, Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Valentino.

The tour received highly positive reviews from critics, who praised Lipa's performance skills, vocal delivery, and charisma during interaction sections of the show with the audience. The Radical Optimism Tour also experienced commercial success, earning US$141.1 million within its first 59 concerts and thus becoming the highest-grossing tour of the singer to date, according to sales reports provided by Billboard.

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Background

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On 19 March 2024, Lipa announced four promotional standalone shows and several summer festival appearances across Europe, with ticketing going on sale on 21 March,[3][4] in addition to US performances at the iHeartRadio and Austin City Limits music festivals in September and October, respectively.[5][6] On 28 May 2024, she announced the tour, with dates for concerts in Asia scheduled for that same year's last two months; tickets went on sale on 11 June.[7][8]

On 1 July 2024, Lipa announced her first-ever headlining show at Wembley Stadium, London. Ticketing became available on 12 July,[9] and an additional show in the same venue was announced right after the first one was sold out.[10] On 12 September, she announced concert dates for the tour in Oceania, Europe, and North America.[11] Artist pre-sale and general sale were announced at the same time.[1] Six days later, additional dates in Australia, New Zealand, France, Belgium, the UK, and the US were announced, due to high demand.[12][13] On 8 November 2024, she announced her concert in Jakarta for the following day was cancelled, citing safety concerns pertaining to the show's staging.[14] Moreover, Lipa was announced as the headliner for the 2024 edition of the Zomato Feeding India Concert, as well as for the 2025 lineups of I-Days Milano and the Kosovo-based Sunny Hill, her own organised music festival jointly with her father, Dukagjin Lipa.[15][16][17]

In March 2025, Kita Alexander was announced as the supporting act for shows in Australia and New Zealand.[18] On 1 April 2025, eight stadium concerts in the Latin America region were announced.[19] After selling out her shows in Santiago, Buenos Aires and Mexico City, new shows were announced in those cities, respectively.[20][21][22] That same month, Alessi Rose was announced as a supporting act for several European concerts; Dove Cameron also served as a supporting act alongside Rose on select dates.[23] Merk & Kremont served as co-supporting acts during the 7 June concert in Milan, Italy, alongside Rose.[24] Cil served as the supporting act for the North American concerts.[25] The supporting acts for select South American concerts were revealed in November: Yami Safdie in Buenos Aires and Princesa Alba in Santiago.[26][27] Bu Cuarón, daughter of the Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón, performed as the supporting act for the final concert of the tour in Mexico City.[28]

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Production

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Staging

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The main stage production initially consisted of two staircase structures as in the 2024 Asian leg (left), while being revamped for the 2025 shows with an infinity symbol-shaped platform (right).

The Asia leg of the tour featured an extended main stage with two staircase structures and a backdrop including a scenic video facade, risers for her band, and an integrated lift, which allowed for dynamic entrances and transitions.[29][30] The stage design for the 2025 dates was developed by American company Tait Towers, resembling the infinity symbol, with the main stage having a curved shape and platforms that evoke ocean waves.[31] At the back of the stage there is an integrated widescreen curved at the top edge that projects visuals such as water, light, and different landscapes throughout the show.[32] Secondary circular stages were located closer to the audience for parts of the concert that allow greater "intimacy and interactivity", as the C-stage additionally consisted of two scissor lifts that raised Lipa to about 14.5 ft (4.4 m), and during indoor arena shows, a "floating platform" was positioned in the center of automated rings.[32]

Meanwhile, Charm La'Donna served as choreographer,[33] the tour's production design was handled by Matt Pitman of Pixelmappers, and video graphics based on the four elements mixed with natural and "surreal" landscapes were created by Luke Halls Studio.[34] Cinema cameras such as the Panasonic PLV100, Sony FR7 mounted on tracks ("Waterbird tracks") and Autopod systems for dynamic camera movements were used. The Disguise GX3 Media Servers and Atmos Shogun Studio 2 were employed to control LED lighting, effects, and synchronisation.[35] For audio engineering, a Neve 5045 system was applied on every vocal channel to tame any potential feedback problems, and Shelford Channel microphones inserted with the Red Silk feature enhanced the harmonic content generated by the highs and high-mids.[36] Pyrotechnics, confetti cannons, smoke, and other special effects were also used.[31]

Fashion and styling

From the Oceania leg onwards, Lipa presented a wardrobe of five outfits styled by Lorenzo Posocco, which represented each act of the concert.[37] The first look was a Jean Paul Gaultier satin corset featuring a sheer fabric halter neckline, with visible seams and boning, both adorned with Swarovski crystals, paired with matching fishnet stockings and mid-calf boots custom-made by Paris Texas.[38] The second outfit was a customised, long-sleeved lace jumpsuit by Valentino, with a faux fur coat that is complemented by matching Christian Louboutin boots.[37]

The third look was a tailored bustier mini dress by the Attico with exposed boning at the back and a layer of textured floral lace at the front, cascading over fringe with sparkling crystals, completed with custom-made boots by Paris Texas.[39] The fourth outfit was a sheer Balenciaga lingerie dress, a customised version of a look from the fashion house's spring/summer 2025 collection, featuring the lace main piece and a matching giant faux fur coat, while the fifth and final look was a Chanel bodysuit adorned with gold chains, paying homage to a dress presented during the spring/summer 1992-1993 haute couture show.[40]

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Concert synopsis

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Lipa performing "End of an Era" in the middle of bowing feathered fans
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A ring of fire is lit up during a segment of the fourth act

The show for the 2025 dates lasts nearly two hours and is divided into four acts and an encore, with the displaying of an aquatic/"sea wave" atmosphere before the concert starts, playing a sound and visual introduction that depicts water, breaking waves, and a deep blue that creates the sensation of a "rolling tide".[41][42] Lipa emerges in the centre amidst white smoke and performs "Training Season", kicking off the recital.[43] She then performs "End of an Era" surrounded by her backup dancers manning burlesque-style feathers and a backdrop of pastel clouds.[42] Next, "Break My Heart" is performed set against deep red lighting, as dancers lift Lipa into the air,[44] followed by the closer of the first act of the show, the 2018 hit with Calvin Harris, "One Kiss".[45]

The second act begins with Lipa in a new outfit performing a chair routine for "Whatcha Doing" and a "cosmic" version of "Levitating".[46] After this, she walks through the crowd to greet fans and take selfies with them as she makes her way to the B-stage for "more" intimate songs.[47] There, Lipa performs "These Walls", preceding a cover of a song by a local artist based on the city she is touring in and, on select dates, accompanied by a surprise guest.[48] A "Mexican-indebted" visual performance of "Maria" closes the second act on the extended section of the stage in the middle of the venue.[49] The opening of act three is handled by the performance of "Physical", where dancers use glowing LED batons in a "high energy" routine after a "Jazzercise-like" warm-up interlude during an offstage costume change.[44][50] Lipa additionally commands the audience through the speakers to "shake those hips" and "swing around" like a workout instructor.[48] "Electricity" follows as a house-inspired rave and hyped-up version,[51] and a "churned out banger" rendition of "Hallucinate" is sung next after.[52] Lipa closes the section with a "killer version"-described performance of "Illusion".[53]

The element of fire is dubbed as the centrepiece of the fourth act.[53] "Falling Forever" is performed as Lipa stands atop the C-stage, and two backup singers are brought out in the middle of the song.[54] For "Happy for You", Lipa is located amid a "striking" tableau of clouds, which gives the illusion of a beautifully blossomed ambience.[55] Following this, "Love Again" is performed with Lipa singing in a ring of fire while hoisted in the air on a platform and cloaked in a faux fur coat.[46][48] To close the act, she performs "Anything for Love" still surrounded by the leaping flames and "Be the One" with a portion of the song a cappella, remarking on the track as her "personal favorite".[56] She also goes back into the crowd, standing amongst the barricaded fans and directly interacting with them for a second occasion at the show.[57] After a last interlude and outfit change, the encore begins with "New Rules", followed by the Barbie (2023) soundtrack single "Dance the Night" during a "glittering" performance.[58] "Don't Start Now" precedes the closing number of the night, "Houdini", with Lipa disappearing behind a puff of smoke as the lights shut off.[45][47]

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Critical reception

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Lipa's performance skills were unanimously praised by critics.

The Radical Optimism Tour received positive reviews from critics and was described as one of the biggest tours of 2025.[36] Following the opening night on 5 November 2024 in Singapore, Yamini Chinnuswamy of The Straits Times commended Lipa's performance skills, saying that "she never missed her beat, and her signature deep vocals never wavered".[59] Billboard Philippines' Gabriel Saulog summed up the show as "bold, (surprisingly) emotional, and undeniably unforgettable", while emphasising Lipa's "powerhouse" vocal performance.[60] Nikita Mahato from Mandatory claimed that Lipa offered a "rocking and sultry" performance and labelled the concert as an "enthralling experience".[61] Korea JoongAng Daily's Woo Ji-won lauded Lipa for "dominating the stage with her breathtaking vocals complemented by the top-notch sounds of her live band" and regarded the first Seoul show as a "promised party" that faded away the tension of the then-occurring 2024 South Korean martial law crisis.[62]

Ava Whitworth of Stuff highlighted the revamped production for the 2025 shows, dubbing it "insane" and "energy soaring" at the same time, and applauding the segments of Lipa interacting with the audience.[63] In a five-star review, Ashley Davey of the British edition of Rolling Stone praised Lipa's stage presence, stating that "slick choreography and sustained vocals" worked together to cement her as "a star in her own league", while The London Standard's Vicky Jessop declared that the concert stood out as a "victory lap for the megalithic pop star".[64][65] In the Chicago Sun-Times, Selena Fragassi remarked on the "high-calibre" production alongside Lipa's "power of her feminine mystique continuing to captivate for the next two hours."[66] Similarly, Nicholas Hautman of Us Weekly reported that the concert "[brought] the glitz and glamour" of Manhattan's legendary discotheque Studio 54, while commending Lipa's stage performance as "a crowd captivator".[67] The Harvard Crimson's Hannah M. Wilkoff acclaimed Lipa for standing apart "as a singer, a performer, and a master of crowd dynamics".[68]

Writing for Deadline Hollywood, Anthony D'Alessandro complimented the show, calling it a "homage to 70s disco and 80s sonic auras", although concluding that he felt the overall encore was "too rushed".[69] Joanne dePierre from The Stanford Daily exalted Lipa's live skills by asserting that the singer "reminded everyone exactly why she's one of pop's defining stars", albeit referring to the pauses of short breaks for outfit changes and staging resets as too "stretched".[70] In a more lukewarm review, Stephen Dalton of The Times considered that Lipa, despite delivering a "high-energy performance", remained "in generic dance-pop mode for most of the evening."[71] Likewise, Exclaim!'s Abhiraj Lamba wrote that Lipa "proved beyond doubt that she knows how to make a crowd dance to her beat", adding that "sometimes even being a fantastic performer is not enough to carry a show."[72]

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Commercial performance

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According to figures reported by Billboard Boxscore, the Radical Optimism Tour grossed $112.3 million and sold 960,000 tickets over its first 44 shows after wrapping the European leg on 27 June 2025 at Dublin's Aviva Stadium, resulting in Lipa's highest-grossing tour to date.[73] The eleven prior shows held in Asia from November to December 2024 grossed $21 million and sold 166,000 tickets, while the Oceania leg, carried out between 17 March and 4 April 2025, grossed $17.2 million from 139,000 tickets over ten shows.[74] The 23 European shows grossed $74.1 million and sold 656,000 tickets, including 86,000 purchased tickets which eventually grossed $9 million during a double-date residency at Paris La Défense Arena and two nights at Wembley Stadium that sold 151,000 tickets, ultimately grossing $19.1 million.[73] The tour ranked as the eighteenth highest-grossing of 2025 by earning $141.1 million and having sold 1.2 million in ticket sales across 59 shows.[2]

In Pollstar, Lipa appeared on the Artist Power Index (APX) chart after her two-night kick-off engagement on 5 and 6 November 2024 at Singapore Indoor Stadium, based on ticket sales, streaming, airplay and social performance.[75] The publication furthermore reported that the three shows held during late March 2025 at Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena sold 48,000 tickets and surpassed the grossing figure of $5 million.[76] Following the North American leg, Lipa re-entered at number six on the APX ranking after scoring the fifth-best Live 75 rank among all the performers on the 50-position chart, while additionally tallying the highest Live score among the six women in the top 10 during the week of 20 October 2025.[77] In a Top 20 Global Concert Tours list, she ranked number seven with an average box office gross of $2.6 million, based on an estimated attendance of 19,604 per city and an approximated general ticket price of $134.[78]

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Set list

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2024

This set list is from the 5 November 2024 concert in Singapore.[79]

  1. "Training Season"
  2. "One Kiss"
  3. "Illusion"
  4. "End of an Era"
  5. "Break My Heart"
  6. "Whatcha Doing"
  7. "Levitating"
  8. "These Walls"
  9. "Be the One"
  10. "Love Again"
  11. "Pretty Please"
  12. "Hallucinate"
  13. "New Rules"
  14. "Electricity"
  15. "Cold Heart"
  16. "Anything for Love"
  17. "Happy for You"

Encore

  1. "Physical"
  2. "Dance the Night"
  3. "Don't Start Now"
  4. "Houdini"

2025

This set list is from the 17 March 2025 concert in Melbourne.[80] It does not represent all concerts for the tour.

Act I

  1. "Training Season"
  2. "End of an Era"
  3. "Break My Heart"
  4. "One Kiss"

Act II

  1. "Whatcha Doing"
  2. "Levitating"
  3. "These Walls"
  4. Cover song
  5. "Maria"

Act III

  1. "Physical"
  2. "Electricity"
  3. "Hallucinate"
  4. "Illusion"

Act IV

  1. "Falling Forever"
  2. "Happy for You"
  3. "Love Again"
  4. "Anything for Love"
  5. "Be the One"

Encore

  1. "New Rules"
  2. "Dance the Night"
  3. "Don't Start Now"
  4. "Houdini"

Alterations and notes

  • During the 4 June 2025 concert in Amsterdam, in lieu of a cover song, "Scared to Be Lonely" was performed.[81]
  • During the 12 June 2025 concert in Antwerp, "These Walls" was performed with Pierre de Maere.[82]
  • During the 13 June 2025 concert in Antwerp, in lieu of a cover song, "Fever" was performed with Angèle.[83]
  • During the 20 June 2025 concert in London, "Hotter than Hell" was performed after "These Walls".[84]
  • During the 21 June 2025 concert in London, "IDGAF" was performed.[85]
  • During the 1 October 2025 concert in Dallas, "Physical" was performed with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.[86]

Cover songs

Beginning in March 2025, Lipa performed a cover of a song by a local artist based on the city she was performing in.[87][88][89]

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Tour dates

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More information Date (2025), City ...

Cancelled shows

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Personnel

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Credits adapted from Notch,[33] Deadline Hollywood,[69] and Variety.[88]

Band

  • Dua Lipa – vocals
  • Matthew Carroll – bandleader, bass
  • Sophie Galpin – guitar, backing vocals
  • Alex Lanyon – guitar, backing vocals
  • Ciara O'Connor – backing vocals
  • Naomi Scarlett – backing vocals
  • Adam Wade – drums
  • Georgie Ward – keyboards

Show and tour staff

  • Peter Abott – tour director
  • David Black – tour creative director
  • Charm La'Donna – choreographer
  • Matt Pitman – production and lighting designer
  • William Bowerman – musical director
  • Jason Ardizzone-West – production and set designer
  • Lorenzo Posocco – stylist
  • Robin Senoner – video director and programmer
  • Charlotte Wilde – video content producer
  • Charli Davis – video content designer
  • Paddy Lieshman – editor
  • Rob Hales – animator
  • Barbora Gillute – animator
  • James Hartford – animator
  • Ian Macintosh – animator
  • Chris Homer – animator
  • Kooch Chung – animator
  • Mark Todd – animator
  • Andy Coates – modeller
  • Justin Diamond – modeller
  • Aaron Veness – lighting director
  • Olly Martin – lighting programmer and associate LD
  • Oliver Hynds – design assistant
  • Sammi Lee Jayne – dance captain and assistant choreographer
  • Sharon June – associate choreographer
  • Ross Marshall – Notch designer
  • Tom Snell – associate designer
  • Isaac Fisher – assistant producer
  • Elizabeth Miranda – photographer
  • Jordan Munns – photographer
  • Mitch Lowe – photographer
  • Ashlea Caygill – photographer
  • Dugi Lipa – manager
  • Sofia Gold – manager
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Footnotes

  1. [a]
    Labelled as Lyon in promotional material.
  2. [b]
    Labelled as Paris in promotional material.
  3. [c]
    Labelled as Los Angeles in promotion material.
  4. [d]
    Labelled as Manila in promotional material.
  5. [e]
    Labelled as Tokyo in promotional material.
  6. [f]
    Labelled as Taipei in promotional material.
  7. [g]
    Labelled as Bangkok in promotional material.
  8. [h]
    This concert was a part of Zomato Feeding India Concert.[15]
  9. [i]
    This concert was a part of I-Days Milano.[16]
  10. [j]
    This concert was a part of Sunny Hill Festival.[17]
  11. [k]
    The 22 November 2025 concert was originally scheduled to take place at Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos, but was relocated to the outdoor area of Farmasi Arena due to the scheduling conflict with a match of the venue's local team, Botafogo FR.[157]

References

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