We awarded 14 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2019 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2020 so far and what’s to come. Florence and The Machine’s How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, Lady Gaga’s Joanne, Lorde’s Melodrama, Saara Aalto’s Wild, Wild Wonderland and Sigrid’s Sucker Punch are previous winners in this category.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
OUT: now
TRACKLIST: Future Nostalgia; Don’t Look Down; Cool; Physical; Levitating; Hallucinate; Pretty Please; Love Again; Break My Heart; Good In Bed; Boys Will Be Boys
Spring 2020 was expected to see much-anticipated album releases from the likes of Lady Gaga, Sam Smith and Rumer but concern over how they they would land during a global coronavirus pandemic saw plans for them shelved, leaving the way clear for Dua Lipa’s sophomore collection.
Lipa makes the leap from theatres to arenas with the release of this second LP out 3/4/20 although it was actually brought forward a week after it leaked. Her May gigs at London’s O2 have been rescheduled. Tickets The album is very well named as the 11-song collection weaves 80s hooks into radio-friendly dance floor classics. The sound of a coronavirus-beating summer perhaps? Current single Physical is available to watch below.
It’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2017? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 13 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2017.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE?: Brighton Dome
WHEN: 5/10, world tour runs until 20/4/18
SETLIST: Hotter Than Hell; Dreams/No Lie; Lost In Your Light; Garden; Last Dance; IDGAF; Blow Your Mind (Mwah); Thinking ‘Bout You; New Love; Genesis; No Goodbyes; Scared To Be Lonely; Begging; Homesick; Be The One; New Rules
We arrive at the venue two-and-a-half hours before the doors open and are greeted by dozens of Dua Lipa fans already queueing to see their idol.
Lady Gaga would’ve been our number one but her Joanne world tour now arrives – fingers crossed – at The 02 for two dates early in 2018, rescheduled from this month. No matter. Heathers star Slater appears in this David Mamet play about cutthroat Chicago salesmen at the Playhouse Theatre in London’s West End from 26/10 through 3/2/18. Tickets
We awarded 12 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2016 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2017 so far and what’s to come. Lady Gaga, Shura, Suede and Florence and the Machine are among the previous winners in these categories.
