Review: Dua Lipa Transforms Miami Into Her Personal Dance Paradise

Dua Lipa brought her Radical Optimism world tour to the Kaseya Center last night, September 26. The British pop star is performing in Miami two nights in a row, with fans set to see her back on stage tonight, September 27. This marks the second time the artist has made a stop in Miami since her Future Nostalgia tour in 2022, where she kicked it off in the Magic City. It was a confetti and firework-filled night with elaborate visuals that transformed the arena into a kaleidoscope of colors and effects.

Lipa divided her setlist into four acts, kicking off with two hits from Radical Optimism: “Training Season” and “End of an Era.” She then weaved in hints of her Future Nostalgia album era from 2020 with songs like “Hallucinate” and “Break My Heart,” along with her hit collaborations “Electricity” and “Levitating.”

The stage was crafted into an elevated wave shape, mimicking the Radical Optimism album cover and overall theme. The design added dynamism to her performance as she and her dancers moved up and down the stairs of the wave, walking back and forth the b-stage. Lipa opened with “Training Season” in a gold bodysuit, the first of approximately five outfit changes throughout the night.

After much online criticism about her dancing skills, which eventually became a meme, particularly her “One Kiss” dance, the artist took it upon herself to take lessons and stunned the audience with every move on this tour. She actually performed “One Kiss” with a completely different, revamped dance that had the audience reminiscing about the summer of 2018.

In the middle of the second act, Lipa surprised the audience with an unexpected performance of “Conga” by Gloria Estefan, paying tribute to local musicians of the city she was visiting. She made her way to the b-stage, where she was joined by her full band surrounding her — trumpets, drums, the whole ensemble — bringing the song to life in the most authentic way possible. She absolutely killed it, and she had everyone on their feet.

She also did something many artists don’t do nowadays, likely due to safety concerns, which is interact directly with the floor audience. Lipa went around to standing fans surrounding the stage barricade, taking time to ask them about their night and take pictures with each of them. One super fan even shared that he drove all the way from Nashville to see the anticipated show. 

Leading up to “Physical,” the entire group of dancers dispersed across the stage as an echoing voice came on while Lipa changed outfits backstage. It instructed the audience to get up and work out, with giant text appearing on the screen telling people what to do as the dancers demonstrated. The entire crowd transformed into an ‘80s aerobics class.

Lipa transitioned into “Falling Forever,” accompanied by stunning visuals of running horses and flashing verses that served as a powerful symbol of the Radical Optimism album. The imagery expressed her desire to cultivate love and positive experiences in a life that ebbs and flows like waves, often heading toward an uncertain future. It was a symbol of running free and living in the moment, perfectly capturing the essence of her artistic vision.

When it came to “Love Again,” a ring of fire surrounded Lipa at center stage, and she began to levitate on a platform wearing a large white fur coat. The audience couldn’t tell if they were at a concert or a magic show. The fire almost served as a metaphor for her being able to find a spark in a relationship again, rediscovering herself, and coming out on top, resilient and renewed.

Then it got sentimental. Lipa introduced her next song by saying, “This is a song I will never stop singing.” It was “Be The One” from her debut album, a song held close to longtime fans’ hearts. 

She ended the night with an encore Miami will never forget, performing four of her greatest hits: “New Rules” (the song that first blew her up in 2017), “Dance The Night” (her big hit from the Barbie movie released in 2023), “Don’t Start Now,” and “Houdini,” where she performed her now-famous dance that went viral as an online challenge.

Lipa has always advocated for marginalized communities, cultural representation, and respect for all. Tonight, she shared those values with Miami and curated a special night that locals will never forget. She truly brought the house down and exceeded any expectations fans had of her performance. There’s no denying she made the night magical and unforgettable, and she had everyone dancing the night away.