When she was 11, this young girl moved to Kosovo from London but felt she needed more to pursue her dreams. At 14, she convinced her parents to let her return to London, where she began working towards her goal of becoming a star. Her hard work paid off as she eventually broke Guinness World Records.
Born into an Albanian family, the girl moved to Kosovo with her parents, only to realize she needed to return to London to follow her dream. At 14, she left her family and started her musical journey, which led her to achieve global fame and Guinness World Records.
After this girl moved to Kosovo at 11, she realized that she needed to be in London to chase her dream. At 14, she left her family behind and returned to the UK, where she started her career. Now, she’s not only world-famous but has also set Guinness World Records.
Right from she was small, her passion for music, singing, and dancing was undeniable. She constantly put on performances for friends and family, knowing she had a natural talent. By the time she was nine, her singing teacher in London recognized her gift and moved her into a class with teenagers, an early sign that her voice and stage presence were well beyond her years.
When her family moved to Kosovo, her love for music never wavered. Her first concert there was Redman and Method Man, as hip-hop had a massive presence in Kosovo at the time. She always dreamed of seeing other stars like Nelly Furtado and Pink in her hometown, but they had not yet performed there.
When she became famous, she made it a priority to give back to her roots. One of her proudest achievements was founding the Sunny Hill Festival, which brings international artists to Kosovo. For her, it was about more than just music—it was about offering something for the people of her hometown to enjoy and cherish for years to come, making Kosovo a part of the global music scene. She sees this festival as a symbol of hope and celebration for her people, a way to share the international stage with them.
Her siblings also inherited her family’s love for the arts. While her younger sister graduated from drama school, her brother began producing music at the age of 17. This talent and passion for creativity seemed to flow through their family. She is incredibly proud of them, but even more so of her parents, whose sacrifices she witnessed growing up.
She shared how their relentless work ethic and determination to succeed in London shaped her own outlook on life. After fleeing war in Kosovo, her parents adapted to a new country, working multiple jobs and attending university in the evenings. Despite their struggles, they raised a family and pursued their education, which profoundly impacted her values. She stated:
“Everything I speak about comes from my upbringing. Seeing my parents adapt to any situation, raise a family, work many jobs, go to university in the evening… I watched them sacrifice, yet I understand how lucky I am to have a British passport and to have come back to London for my career.”
Apart from her professional inspirations, her parents’ relationship also affected her personal outlook. Her mother married her first love, which set a high standard in the girl’s mind and made her feel some pressure. She admitted that by her mid-20s, being single made her feel as though something was wrong with her.
However, she learned to embrace her independence and focus on herself, her growth, and her career before settling into a serious relationship or considering starting a family. She came to understand that self-development and personal fulfillment were important, no matter the timeline.
The girl in this story is Dua Lipa. The name she once found embarrassing as a child—meaning “love” in Albanian—has become famous worldwide. Despite the challenges she faced, from moving countries to pursuing a career away from her family, Dua Lipa has risen to become one of the world’s top pop stars.
In March, her hit song “Levitating” became the longest-charting Billboard Hot 100 song of all time. Her career reached new heights when she broke a Guinness World Record for selling the most tickets to a live-streamed concert by a solo female artist during her Studio 2054 event, which had over 5 million views.
In 2021, she broke another record and she became the most listened-to female artist on Spotify. Despite these remarkable achievements, including ten Grammy nominations and three wins, Dua remains humble. She doesn’t fixate on the accolades and continues to focus on creating music and experiences that resonate with her fans.
