Dua Lipa: 'When I was younger, I wished my name was Hannah, something normal'

June 5, 2023

"There was always the idea of being from two places at once," she explained. "I understood the duality of my heritage from an early age. People would always ask where my name is from.

"I was really proud of it, but when I was younger I wished my name was, say, Hannah - something 'normal' and English."

As well as "making up dance routines in the playground at school", the singer said "reading was also such a big part of my life".

When she moved to Kosovo, she discovered The Castle/The Siege by Albanian author Ismail Kadare, set amid a conflict in the 15th Century.

"The memory I have of reading it is that it was really difficult, it's a big book, but it was a gateway into my Albanian roots. It was like another milestone moment in my life that really shifted things for me."

When she moved back to London at 15, she came on her own and shared a flat with the daughter of family friends from Kosovo. That would be quite daunting for most young teenagers.

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-65804094