Dua Lipa blew the roof off Scotiabank Arena in Toronto and here's an honest review

Toronto has had a particularly excellent summer of concerts and shows, with a heavy lineup of performers and bands. From the Oasis reunion and others hosted at the brand-new Rogers Stadium, the legendary 'Weeknd Weekend', and Kendrick Lamar's show with SZA, Toronto saw some truly iconic gigs this season.

If you're anything like me, then your summer concert bucket list is still not quite checked off with only a few days left until the official start of fall.

Lucky for me, the ultra-talented, disco diva Dua Lipa herself kicked off a two-night Radical Optimism tour stop in Toronto on Monday, Sept. 1, and I had the extra-special privilege of attending — review incoming.

Touring for her third studio album, Dua Lipa launched the North American leg of her Radical Optimism tour at the Scotiabank Arena on Labour Day —  and this show was set to be killer.

As a lifelong nose-bleeds ticket holder, this show would mark my first time taking in a concert from floor-level, which was already exciting — even before the music started. In addition to her chart-topping hits, I'm also a huge fan of Service95, Dua's editorial platform that covers fashion, culture, literature, activism, and insights from her life. Some of the best books I've read this year have come from a Service95 recco.

So with a healthy dose of excitement, I arrived at the venue on Monday with my little sister in tow, just in time to see Miss Lipa take the stage. An evening celebrating the album that fuelled my 2024 summer was about to start.

As the stage sat darkly illuminated to the hum of the fans slowly trickling into anticipation, Dua kicked off the party, launching into her set with the incredibly catchy Training Season.

Erupting from the stage in a golden body suit with matching boots, she came clad in armour to kick off an incredible (nearly) two-hour show.

Counting a dozen backup dancers, a live band, and two (extremely talented) backup singers, this concert was major party vibes from the get-go.

Dancing, flipping her hair, and hyping up the crowd, Dua's infectious energy was alive and beating throughout the venue.

Making this first-time concert even better, I had been granted special access to the front-of-house area, right next to the cameras. This proved for the ultimate view of Dua and her stage, but lacked the dance party that had quickly formed with the crowd ahead.

Opting for good vibes over good views, we soon moved to the general section of the floor upfront and stayed there for the entire show — no regrets.

Watching Dua sing and dance almost effortlessly on stage, it's hard not to think about how far she has truly come. Born in London and raised in Pristina, Kosovo, Dua Lipa moved back to the U.K. alone at age 14 to pursue her dreams — and those years of hard work, sweat, and tears were paying off right in front of my eyes.

As she ripped through other Radical Optimism bangers with a choreographed precision that could only come from 10 months of touring, Dua gave us Toronto fans a little special treat.

As a new addition to the show, Lipa performs a cover from a local artist in whatever city she plays, and in Toronto, we had the pleasure of watching her perform the classic Nelly Furtado hit I'm Like a Bird.

Cue my favourite part of the show — seeing Dua perform outside her mega-hits, in an intimate setting with her band. It was a heartwarming relief from the dance party.

Introducing the song by reminiscing about her youth and listening to the album on repeat, Dua serenaded us for a heartfelt moment that was met with a bit of nostalgia for our girl, Nelly.

Of course, this was a feel-good moment in the crowd, listening to Dua's natural skills and trying to sing along on key. I'd attach the video I took of this performance right now, but I'll save you readers from having to listen to my awful background singing.

As the concert continued, Dua gracefully danced and swayed across the stage, even lighting it up (literally, with a ring of flames) at one point. From the foot-stomping Maria to the scream-inducing Illusion, cutesy One Kiss, and back again, she never appeared to be tired and always, always had perfect hair.

Just when you thought the crowd couldn't scream any louder, confetti cannons would burst with the crescendo of her hits. Covering the floor and my hair with tiny pieces of blue, pink, and heart-shaped flakes, it was another first-time moment for me, since cannons never reach the upper 300s section.

Dressed in a pretty-in-pink outfit with a matching fur coat, Dua wowed the crowd from a rising stage platform and gave a beautifully sad rendition of Anything For Love, while the OG hit Be The One started the dance party up again.

Throughout each performance, Dua made sure to thank all of the fans in attendance and share her appreciation, always sprinkling in multiple thank-yous. She even went one step further to interact with fans, leaping down from the stage to take selfies, share hugs, and make some very (very) serious fans cry.

Now, usually I would label such displays of appreciation as corny or fake, but Dua’s energy and personality just felt too genuine to dismiss as a ploy for fan appreciation.

Not even the title of both the tour and album, Radical Optimism, was lost on the crowd, which truly seemed present, alive, and just generally happy to be there.

The encore could have been a mini-show in itself, with four smash hits of New Rules, a mashup of Dance The Night and Don't Start Now, and my ultimate favourite, Houdini. With barely five minutes in between the main show and the encore, Dua again dazzled fans with a spectacular performance and picture-perfect hair.

You couldn't tell me that I wasn't the best dancer right there on the floor, or that Dua recognized those skills too and locked eyes with me. It's this kind of concert delusion that I use as a marker for a great show, crazy or not.

As soon as Lipa left the stage to thunderous applause, my sister and I quickly exited. Thanks to the close exit by the floor section, we completely missed the lineups and (extremely sweaty) crowds that always ensue when departing a show at large venues like Scotiabank Arena.

Between the non-stop dancing, luxury outfit changes (like a mesh Dior body suit with matching gloves), confetti cannons, pyrotechnics, and tantalizing graphics, this was a 10/10 show for me.

Delivering everything and beyond what I expected from a pop concert, Dua Lipa gave us her best, and we, major fans or not, were deeply moved by it.

My next move? Watching countless hair tutorials on how to achieve that signature Dua Lipa wave.