
Is Dua Lipa the best literary interviewer?
D ua Lipa is, obviously, good at a lot of things. She sings, she dances, she writes dozens of songs, and she co-designed a collection with Donatella Versace. But if someone told you that she'd recently come out on top in a Mortal Kombat-style contest as the best literary interviewer, you'd probably think they'd taken her song Hallucinate a bit too literally.
Nevertheless, that's what's happened, in a YouTube video that has garnered more than a million views in a matter of weeks. And the case it makes is … surprisingly convincing. 'I was researching a video essay about the quality of literary interviews in different venues,' says writer Blake Lefray, who put the video together for his fledgling channel. He came across Lipa's interview with Hernan Diaz, author of the Pulitzer prize-winning Trust, and was 'pretty blown away'.
Though he had seen Diaz interviewed several times by journalists and TV hosts, Lipa's interview was 'easily the best', he says. 'At first, I thought crowning Dua Lipa the best current interviewer of novelists would be a ridiculous bit of clickbait – but the more I watched her interviews, the more I realised that, for me personally, she's the best one doing it right now. She asks smart questions dipped in empathy and curiosity.'
This sounds like hyperbole, but after you watch a couple of interviews, it's quickly noticeable that something feels different from the usual round of PR-prepared soundbites. In the Diaz interview, Lipa asks if one of his characters is based on an investigative journalist whose exposé of John D Rockefeller helped to break up the Standard Oil Trust – and Diaz, who's never heard of the journalist before, seems astonished. A chat with Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk includes a lengthy digression on the importance of William Blake as an anti-establishment figure in communist Poland. A conversation with Lincoln in the Bardo author George Saunders segues into a discussion about the importance of being non-judgmental during first drafts, and includes a (slightly star-struck) Saunders asking Lipa how it felt to perform at Glastonbury. skip past newsletter promotion
Sign up to Bookmarks
Discover new books and learn more about your favourite authors with our expert reviews, interviews and news stories. Literary delights delivered direct to you Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
after newsletter promotion
All of this isn't exactly standard for broadcasted author interviews. On late-night shows, questions are typically fluff – Jimmy Fallon's first question is usually some variation on 'How does it feel to have written such a bestselling book?', while Seth Meyers spent a chunk of his own interview with Diaz asking about the pen he uses to write longhand. Lorraine Kelly and Angela Rippon are a bit better at probing questions, but their segments are so short that there's barely time to hit more than the key points, let alone get into a meandering discussion about destiny, empathy or marriage equality under rightwing governments. Podcasts and book festivals are, of course, much better – and possibly a fairer comparison, but as Lefray notes, they are a lot less consistent than Lipa: occasionally awkward, sometimes excruciating, and far too fond of using the qualifier 'sort of'.
So how is she doing it? Firstly, Lipa seems to read a lot: in a keynote speech on the power of reading at the 2022 Booker prize, she mentions learning about the Albanian spirit of resistance through the work of author Ismail Kadare as a teenager. Her interviews are part of the book club she runs through her lifestyle website Service95, and while a cynic might suggest they're a way to build a personal brand while pocketing a bit of affiliate-link cash (Reese Witherspoon, Dakota Fanning, Natalie Portman and Fallon himself are just a few of the celebrities to have their own clubs along with, of course, Oprah), she started her first book club with some close friends back in 2019.
She was posting recommendations on Instagram long before Service95, and her own bookshelf, tantalisingly visible in most of her interviews, is stuffed with an impressively esoteric mix of books, from Katy Hessel's The Story of Art Without Men to Joe Coscarelli's Rap Capital. Maybe, as someone who's given hundreds of interviews in her time, she also understands what makes a good interview: the questions artists love and hate, the sorts of things they wish they were asked, and the things that make them open up. It's unclear if she alone writes the questions – her reps didn't respond to a request for comment – but she clearly knows the material: she's always familiar with side characters and subplots, and never seems caught off guard by an unplanned author aside.
Beyond all of that, perhaps Dua Lipa is a good interviewer because she reads the books the way authors hope they'll be read: diving into their characters and worlds for the sheer joy of the experience. It's obvious she reads thoughtfully and deeply, bringing her to an understanding of each work that naturally leads her to want to know more. Listen to enough of her interviews, and her enthusiasm is so infectious that it's difficult not to want to read more, or read more broadly, or just read better . All of that, and she also wrote Houdini. Time to step it up, Fallon.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
31 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Jamie Laing admits his sex life with wife Sophie Habboo became 'clinical' when they started trying for a baby after couple shared they are expecting their first child
Jamie Laing has admitted that his sex life with wife Sophie Habboo 's became 'clinical' when they started trying for a baby. The TV personality, 36, and podcast star Sophie, 30, recently announced they are expecting their first child earlier this month, and now Jamie has revealed that the pressure to try and conceive changed how he performed in the bedroom. The former Made in Chelsea star explained on the couple's NearlyParents podcast: 'I found it complicated. I don't know why I found it complicated. I just found it complicated at that moment. 'It was a tricky time. I think lots of men probably go through that. They find it complicated to perform, because when you're first doing it, you're like, "Oh my God, this is quite an intense moment". I found, anyway. 'So then when you even start trying for it, I didn't realise how clinical the whole thing is,' Jamie added. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The couple recently announced they are expecting their first child, and now Jamie has revealed that the pressure to try and conceive changed how he performed in the bedroom 'As soon as we started trying, it was like, "OK, we've got to go clinical like, this isn't like sexy time".' He continued: 'Nothing about it was sexy, nothing about it was cute, nothing about it was romantic. And every single one of my friends that I've spoken to, I would say 99 per cent of my friends have said it all. 'They were like, "Dude, you're basically used as some sort of funnel". That's the grossest way. There's nothing sexy about it.' Jamie admitted it was like a switch went off in his head when he knew he was having sex to create a baby as opposed to doing it for enjoyment with Sophie. He explained: 'As soon as I started to give it a go, and you're like, "Right. We're gonna try for babies", something changed in my head [and] then my body closed off. 'I don't know what happened in my head. Something clicked off. It was weird, and I've spoken to a lot of my friends, that happened to them as well. 'And then it became almost like PTSD in my whole mind, that this couldn't happen as soon as we're like, "We're doing this". 'It's scary. So, this thing goes on, which I think happens with a lot of different people, when they're trying for it.' Elsewhere in the episode, Sophie opened up on their pregnancy journey so far and revealed some of the struggles she'd been dealing. She confessed that when her second trimester, she felt like she was 'dying' and was dealing with a lot of hormones that made her frequently feel irritated, quipping: 'This girl has gone from a bit of a b***h to don't come near me.' She explained: 'Up until week eight, I was smooth sailing. No good aversions, no sickness, so much energy, I was like what is every talking about this is unbelievable. 'Week eight hit and everyone's starting to grate to me a bit. Like that man sat next to me on the plane breathing, like is it illegal if I punch him in the face? 'If you're a fan of the podcast, I love you so much but you're not going to like me if you meet me at the moment.' Jamie, 36, then admitted to struggling to get his head around Sophie's mood changes with pregnancy, recalling: 'I asked Sophie if she had any cravings and she said, 'No, the only craving I have is hating you'. 'I then spent an evening on Reddit looking at "Why does your wife hate her husband so much when they're pregnant". He went on: 'Sophie is teaching me to drive and I'm a little bit nervous in the car and she goes "You're a s**t driver". I'm literally in my head going "Oh my god she's hasn't eaten this is really scary". 'Sophie then gets so angry she says to me "I'm so angry I want to drive us both into the back of this car and kill us". And then she started crying!' Sophie confessed that the 'anger is uncontrollable' but that it 'was very fleeting' as she lamented how her 'enormous t*ts' also meant she couldn't fit in any of her clothes. While Jamie then candidly told listeners how he owed her a real apology after not taking her hormones seriously and threatening to leave her over her 'grumpiness'. Sophie said: 'Jamie was like "Oh you're just milking it, you fake all your hormones, there's no such thing". He went "Oh you're just faking all of this." I was like "Oh my god" as I'm lying there with my enormous t*ts out and I can't fit into a single thing.' Recalling the incident in question, she went on: 'We are leaving and I feel really sick this day and Jamie gets his camera out and goes "I'm going to vlog today". Like on my Sunday that I'm about to vomit all day long. 'And what happened was Jamie sits down and he goes "I'm going to call my friends and ask them what I should do about this. Because I'm going to have to leave you. I'm going to leave you because you're just so unbearable right now."' Jokingly pretending to break down in tears, she went: And I went "You're going to leave me and I'm pregnant".' In defence of his actions, Jamie quickly added: 'The amount of people who are going to call me an a*****e. Just a caveat to add - I had no idea the emotional journey that you go on, how your body changes. 'I just didn't understand the extreme things that go on and since having read stuff on Instagram, I am awe of what you go through. The hormone change is wild.' Showing their Chelsea roots, the couple also revealed that Sophie's worst craving so far was for caviar, recounting how they had dashed round London trying to find a shop that was open at 8pm. Jamie explained they eventually found a caviar store only to discover a single pot cost £240, as he declared: 'I was like "Well that craving has to stop there and then".


The Sun
37 minutes ago
- The Sun
Who is Blu Chegini and when is he joining Love Island 2025?
SON of a sex shop owner Blu is ready behave as his name suggests he will when he enters the famous villa. He's already admitted he's up for anything on Love Island 2025 — here's everything you need to know. 3 3 Who is Blu Chegini? Blu Chegini is a construction manager based in London who is set to feature on Love Island 2025. He graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 2023 with a Bsc Hons in construction project management. Blu now works in the capital's swanky Fitzrovia, where he manages construction projects — a role demanding organisation, leadership and resilience. Outside of his professional life, Blu is passionate about fitness and boxing. He is an avid pugilist, regularly participating in matches. Earlier in 2025, he slao traveled to Thailand to complete a Muay Thai course. The cheeky singleton, whose mum runs a well-known adult store in Spain, reckons his upbringing has prepared him for whatever Love Island might throw his way. Speaking to ITV, he revealed: 'My mum owns a sex shop in Spain, which everyone knows and is quite popular. 'Growing up as a kid I was laughed at for it, but little did people know that all their parents were buying stuff from there.' Asked what his parents would think about him potentially going all the way on national TV, Blu said: 'I haven't really spoken to them about it… Love Island in biggest launch episode shake up yet as first show sees never-seen-before twist 'It's not something I probably would have gone and said, like, 'look, listen, what's going to happen?' 'Yes, it's something that we've been open with our whole lives, it doesn't mean I'm going in there like, 'I'm going to do that' — whatever happens, happens. 'They're going to be supportive no matter what.' Blu also revealed how he has high hopes for the famous villa 's most infamous room. He said: 'I'm keen to see what the Hideaway's got in store. See how it compares — mum's shop and the Hideaway.' On what he's looking for in a partner on Love Island 2025, Blu didn't even mention looks. Instead he said: "Someone who is family oriented, has a lot of love to give and a lot of love to receive. "Personality goes a long way." As of June 9, 2025, Blu has an Instagram account with almost 7,000 followers — a number that's sure to shoot up during his time on Love Island. He regularly shares snaps of his daily life, travels and boxing exploits. When is Blu Chegini joining Love Island 2025? Blu is a contestants on the Love Island 2025, which kicks off at 9pm on Monday, June 9, 2025. Rather than being one of the initial batch of Islanders who will enter the villa at the very start of the series, Blu is joining the cast as a bombshell.


The Sun
37 minutes ago
- The Sun
M&S shoppers race to buy £3.50 margarita in a can that's has a new and improved feature that fans are going wild for
WITH summer now here, we're all dreaming of relaxing in the park or the garden with a cheeky drink in hand. And shoppers are going wild for the latest collection of tinned cocktails from Marks & Spencer. 3 3 3 The new collection of goodies has launched in store and there's something for everyone. The M&S store in Heswall shared the summer drinks on TikTok writing: "Look like summer." The original collection includes favourites such as mojitos, pina coladas and cosmos, but they've gone more experimental this time. M&S has some fan favourites up for grabs this summer, like Apertivio Spritz, which is made from bitter orange flavours and sparkling white wine. There's also a mint and elderflower Hugo Spritz and a Limoncello Spritz. Also up for grabs is an exotic Sake Spritz, made with a blend of the Japanese liquor in a tropical lyche flavour. But there's one cocktail that has everyone excited to try. Included in the new range of drinks is a margarita made with blanco tequila, zestty limes and sweet agave syrup. While M&S has released the iconic cocktail before, in the past it has been a fizzy version. But now shoppers are thrilled to see it come without the fizz and it costs just £3.50. The £3.50 M&S buy that'll make your whole house smell like a 'boujee candle' The TikTok video was a hit with viewers who couldn't hide their excitement over the new collection. One person wrote: "Hope this means M&S are finally selling a proper margarita that's not fizzy!" which the store liked, hinting it was. Another commented: 'Those little 14% ones are chef's kiss." "M&S STAYS WINNING," penned a third. Meanwhile a fourth said: "Omg the Hugo." "Heaven,' claimed a fifth.