Throughout Dua Lipa‘s Radical Optimism World Tour, the multilingual superstar has taken on an ambitious challenge: covering iconic songs from the countries and cities she visits, in their native language. The Latin American leg of her tour began in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Nov. 7, and Spain’s portion kicked off in Madrid last May.
In an interview with Variety in October, the London-born superstar reflected on the ambitious concept, revealing she had already performed 57 unique covers at that point. “How fun would it be if every night we do a different song?” she recalled wondering. “And everyone was like, ‘Well, that’s quite ambitious.’”
“It started as we were going to do a few over the course of the tour, right?” added her bassist and bandleader, Matty Carroll. “But then we had that initial rehearsal and put three together really quickly, and then we said, ‘We could do a different one every night.’”
When it comes to singing in non-English languages, Dua Lipa admitted: “It’s very nerve-wracking! Especially when we we’re doing them in different languages, that’s definitely — my God, my playlist was on loop, all I was doing was looking at the lyrics and listening over and over for intonations and accents and how to try and perfect things in Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Czech!”
The “Don’t Start Now” hitmaker began the European leg of the tour with a rendition of Enrique Iglesias’ “Hero.”
The “Don’t Start Now” hitmaker began the European leg of the tour with a rendition of Enrique Iglesias’ “Héroe.” During her first of three shows in Mexico City (Dec. 1), she delighted fans by performing “Bésame Mucho” by Consuelito Velázquez, inspired by Luis Miguel’s rendition. Second night (Dec. 2), she teamed up with Fher from Maná for one of their most recognizable hits. And on the final night, Dec. 5, she paid tribute to the Queen of Tejano music, Selena Quintanilla, with whom she said she felt “a very special connection.” That, at the imposing GNP Seguros Stadium, was the closing show of her Radical Optimism Tour.
Here’s a breakdown of every Spanish- and Portuguese-language cover Dua Lipa performed during her trek across Spain and Latin America, in chronological order.
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Enrique Iglesias, “Héroe”
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}Date: May 11
Place: Madrid, SpainDonning a lace red one-piece, the British pop star surprised fans in Spain at the Movistar Arena Madrid, where she kicked off the European leg of her Radical Optimism World Tour. Showcasing her impeccable Spanish-language skills, she delivered a stunning rendition of Enrique Iglesias’ 2001 hit “Héroe,” fully in Spanish. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause at the heartfelt gesture, to which she responded with a warm “muchas gracias,” flashing a huge smile at the audience.
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Manu Chao, “Me Gustas Tú”
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}Date: May 12
Place: Madrid, SpainOn the second night of her performance at Movistar Arena Madrid, Dua Lipa captivated the crowd with a joyous rendition of Manu Chao’s beloved “Me Gustas Tú.” Effortlessly channeling the song’s buoyant, feel-good energy through its Spanish and French lyrics, she brought a nostalgic charm to the stage. Originally featured on Manu Chao’s breakout 2001 album Próxima Estación: Esperanza, the timeless track resonated with fans, bridging cultures and eras.
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Soda Stereo, “De Música Ligera”
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}Date: Nov. 7
Place: Buenos Aires, ArgentinaDua Lipa made her mark during the Latin American leg of her tour in Buenos Aires on Nov. 7 by paying tribute to Latin rock legends Soda Stereo with a cover of “De Música Ligera,” originally released in 1990. “I learned that rock music is really strong here in Argentina,” the artist said on stage, in nearly impeccable Spanish. Rocking a sparkly black jacket and a matching fur scarf, she wowed the crowd with this tribute. Check it out here.
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Miranda!, “Tu Misterioso Alguien”
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}Date: Nov. 8
Place: Buenos Aires, ArgentinaDuring her second night at Buenos Aires’ River Plate stadium on Nov. 8, Dua Lipa surprised fans by covering “Tu Misterioso Alguien” (2009) by Argentine electropop duo Miranda! The performance showcased a unique side of the country’s music, following her rendition of Soda Stereo the previous night. Before singing, Dua expressed her excitement, calling it a special moment and sharing her newfound love for the group. Reacting to the cover, Miranda!’s Alejandro Sergi and Juliana Gattas admitted they were in “total shock,” stating, “The version we didn’t even dare to dream of.” Watch it here.
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Mon Laferte, “Tu Falta de Querer”
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}Date: Nov. 11
Place: Santiago, ChileBelting out the iconic chorus of Mon Laferte’s breakout pop-bolero hit “Tu Falta de Querer” (2015), the British superstar captivated the audience with a heartfelt rendition during her concert at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago, Chile. The emotional performance served as a moving tribute to the beloved Chilean anthem. Watch it here.
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La Ley, “El Duelo”
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}Date: Nov. 12
Place: Santiago, ChileAn unforgettable moment unfolded at Santiago’s Estadio Nacional when Dua Lipa surprised fans with a rendition of La Ley’s “El Duelo.” The 1995 track, immortalized during the band’s MTV Unplugged performance with Ely Guerra, carries the chilling refrain, “¡Sin dolor no te haces feliz!” Dua’s emotional delivery honored the Chilean rock masterpiece that left the crowd mesmerized. Watch it here.
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Carlinhos Brown, “Magalenha”; Caetano Veloso, “Margarida Perfumada”
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}Date: Nov. 15
Place: São Paulo, BrazilIntroducing her next legendary guests in Portuguese, during her show in São Paulo, Dua Lipa honored Brazilian music legends by inviting Carlinhos Brown and Caetano Veloso to join her onstage. She performed “Magalenha” with Brown, backed by his percussionists, and later brought Veloso out for a duet of “Margarida Perfumada,” with Brown returning to play drums. Watch it here.
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Sérgio Mendes & Brasil ‘66, “Mas Que Nada”
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}Date: Nov. 22
Place: Río de Janeiro, BrazilDuring her recent concert in Rio de Janeiro, Dua Lipa honored Brazilian music by performing a cover of “Mas Que Nada,” a classic penned by Jorge Ben and made famous by Sérgio Mendes and Brasil ’66. The performance took place on Nov. 22 at the MorumBIS stadium. Notably, “Mas Que Nada” was the first Portuguese-language song to ever land on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 47 when it became a global sensation in 1966. Four decades later, the Black Eyed Peas joined forces with Mendes for a 2006 reimagining of the iconic track. Watch it here.
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Los Hijos del Sol, “Cariñito” (with Mauricio Mesones)
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}Date: Nov. 25
Place: Lima, PerúDuring her show at Estadio San Marcos in Lima, Dua Lipa surprised the crowd by performing a duet of the classic cumbia track “Cariñito” with Peruvian cumbia artist Mauricio Mesones. The song, originally by Los Hijos del Sol, was also recorded by Mesones’ band, Bareto, back in 2009. Lipa shared her excitement on Instagram, calling the night “PERFECT.” Check out their performance of the song here.
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Shakira, “Antología”
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}Date: Nov. 28
Place: Bogotá, ColombiaDuring her stop in Bogotá, Dua Lipa paid tribute to Shakira by performing her 1995 classic “Antología.” The next day, Shakira reacted on Instagram, saying, “I’m so touched to hear my song in Dua’s voice, in the same city where I wrote it years ago. See how music brings us together? A girl from London and another one from Barranquilla! Thanks Dua Lipa! What a treat!” she wrote alongside a clip of Lipa singing the track. The British artist replied in Spanish, “It was a beautiful night and I loved singing your song!” See Dua Lipa’s performance below.
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Consuelito Velázquez, “Bésame Mucho” (Luis Miguel version)
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}Date: Dec. 1
Place: Mexico CityDua Lipa dazzled at the GNP Seguros Stadium with the first of three concerts that will mark the end of her Radical Optimism Tour. The British star surprised the audience with a heartfelt rendition of “Bésame Mucho,” the iconic bolero by Consuelito Velázquez, which was widely popularized by Luis Miguel.
“Today, I want to pay tribute to a great Mexican composer, Consuelo Velázquez, whose song is deeply connected to the hearts of so many people around the world,” the singer said in perfect Spanish as an introduction. “I love this song because the story goes that she had never been kissed when she wrote it. And I think we composers write our dreams to make them come true.” Read the full review here.
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Maná, “Oye Mi Amor” (with Fher Olvera)
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}Date: Dec. 2
Place: Mexico CityDua Lipa’s second night at Estadio GNP was another one for the books, because not only did she sing another classic Mexican cover, but she invited one of the most renowned frontmen of the country. “Tonight we are very, very lucky because we have someone very, very special to sing with us,” said Dua Lipa from the stage, with the crowd roaring with anticipation. “Mexico City, please help me give a big round of applause to Fher from Maná!” she exclaimed.
Donning a black trenchcoat, his usual long hair tied in a half bun, and dark shares to boot, the Guadalajara hitmaker began belting out their 1992 smash hit “Oye Mi Amor.” The crowd sang along in glee, but when the British superstar hit the notes to the second verse belting “Si tu supieras que soy sinceroooo,” an obvious roar from the crowd unleashed as she sang it impeccable. Read the full review here.
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Selena, “Amor Prohibido”
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}Date: Dec. 5
Place: Mexico CityOn her final of three nights at the GNP Seguros Stadium in Mexico City, where she wrapped up her Radical Optimism Tour, Dua Lipa got the 65,000 attendees dancing to Selena’s classic “Amor Prohibido.”
“I chose this song because I feel a very special connection with this artist and with her feeling of belonging to two places at the same time. It’s something I deeply identify with, as I feel I am both Albanian and English, just as she was Mexican and American,” explained the London-born star of Albanian-Kosovar parents, speaking in Spanish.
“¡Dua, hermana, ya eres mexicana!” (“Dua, sister, you’re already Mexican!”), some attendees shouted, thanking her tribute to the country.
Read the full concert review and watch part of her performance here.
