“HOW ELSE CAN WE EXPECT CHANGE FOR THE BETTER IF NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE CHANGEMAKERS ADVOCATING FOR JUST THAT?”: IN CONVERSATION WITH DUA LIPA ABOUT “SERVICE95”

“HOW ELSE CAN WE EXPECT CHANGE FOR THE BETTER IF NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE CHANGEMAKERS ADVOCATING FOR JUST THAT?”: IN CONVERSATION WITH DUA LIPA ABOUT “SERVICE95”

Interview by Carolin Desiree Becker
Credit: Universal / Dua Lipa

The 26-year-old is celebrated as the ruler of modern pop music, last with her record-breaking album FUTURE NOSTALGIA, released in 2020.
Now, however, Dua Lipa dares to take a new step and no longer wants to dedicate her voice only to her own music: With Service95 she launches a weekly newsletter magazine, which will be a compilation of young artists and other relevant voices of our time. Her goal: A push for the necessary change and to turn the wind into the direction of positive advancement.

Why “Service95”? What does the name stand for?

The name came easily to me: Our aim is to be of service to our readers, as I’ve tried to be of service to those closest to me for as long as I can remember. The 95 for 1995, the year I was born

What is the goal of this platform you have been creating the past months?

Our goal is to broaden the horizons of our readers, and to share stories that wouldn’t normally get the attention or platform we’re giving them. Our hope is to offer people a trail off the beaten path, to give insights into people and places we’re passionate about.

You write a lot of lists and record things for yourself, and sharing those things with more people is what drove you to create Service95. Why did you choose to create a special platform for this and don’t use existing social media channels?

Social media only allows me limited space for sharing – it’s hard to capture someone’s attention for longer than a few seconds on Instagram, as much as I love sharing there. Service95 is a dedicated hub for sharing in a more meaningful way, for those seeking to expand their own scopes. It allows for more time, more space, and more nuance, though we’ll be pairing it with social media exclusives – they’ll both be in conversation with each other!

What does a place need to have to make it on one of your lists? Is there one specific place stuck in your head which you would recommend everyone to give a visit?

For me, a place has to evoke a memory for me to be worth telling people about. It can be a memory of one dish in particular, the curation of a particular exhibit, the way I felt when I was there, the people I was there with, the people I wish I could’ve shared it with. If you subscribe before our first issue goes out on 3 February, you’ll see in my first editor’s letter a few places I can’t get out of my head!

Service95 will also give a platform to young talents and important contemporary voices. Why is this space so essential to offer and in which responsibility do you see artists in general?

Young talent is truly the future – bold, exciting voices making noise are the ones making change, too, pushing us into the future in ways that are dazzling and exciting to watch happen in real time. Part of the joy of Service95 is joining some of those voices early on their journeys, amplifying their messaging alongside more established names, and helping shine a light on their important work. How else can we expect change for the better if not paying attention to the changemakers advocating for just that?

In some way, you’re discovering yourself as an editor in that sense – might that have been the path you would have taken if it wasn’t for the music?

I have to admit, I’m enjoying the editor’s role more than I knew possible, because I’m getting to work with other editors on executing my years-long vision for the newsletter and the podcast. It doesn’t hurt that the Service95 team are bringing stories to the table that deserve their places there – they make my “job” a much easier one.

Where do you see the future of Service95? How should the platform develop and where do you see the potential change that it could bring?

While it’s still so early, the sky really is the limit for Service95. My hope for it is that people connect with our goals and ambitions, and that the stories we’re producing and sharing reach as many eyes as possible. However, that growth in the future is still to be determined… for now, we’re just excited to show you all what we’ve been working so hard on for months!