The Royal Albert Hall’s floor was transformed into a swirling catwalk for the evening, and Dua wound her way through the orchestra as she performed cuts including Levitating, Pretty Please and the early single Be The One (“a song that’s changed my life and allowed me to be here on stage tonight”).
The Heritage Orchestra, led by Ben Foster, added new flourishes to her back catalogue, with funky stabs of brass punctuating Pretty Please, and Maria gaining a playful Mariachi vibe.
A dramatic, string-drenched cover of Cleo Sol’s single Sunshine also lent credence to the rumours that Dua could record the next Bond theme.
Stripped of the need for choreography, the show highlighted the star’s live vocals – which were clear and powerful, even though the orchestra sometimes threatened to drown her out.
After playing for more than an hour, she changed into a black Chanel ball gown for the encore – with confetti raining down from the ceiling as she launched into a Studio 54-infused version of Don’t Start Now.
The concert was the star’s only UK show of 2024 apart from her Glastonbury headline appearance.
She will now jet off to Asia to commence her Radical Optimism world tour, which will reach the UK for a run of stadium dates next summer.
