Dua Lipa has slipped into that elite and envied realm of fame where everything is easygoing and sun-kissed and just beyond our grasp, and we’re all supposed to take it all at face value.
When the international pop star posted a series of holiday photographs on Sunday from a rough part of the coast of Mexico, it didn’t take many minutes for everybody else on the internet to collapse into the moment while everyone around them absorbed it. Sure enough, at first glance, that looked like a slice of heaven: a beach strewn with volcanic rocks and lush greenery, the soft golden light sufficing to make you question every single fluorescent bulb you ever decided to purchase for your living room.
It follows in the footsteps of Dua, wrapping up her Radical Optimism shows in Mexico City, a reminder that for some of us, vacations and commerce are so blurred that sometimes they happen in the same pair of clothes. There were, of course, a few bikini shots sprinkled in. A mirror selfie, a beach photo, that type of thing. All of them exude a certain confidence, a certain comfort level, their specific fitness regimen suggesting that Pilates is less a personal interest and more a life motto. What really made the post occur, though, was all the story that got entwined with it.
A video of whales is shown off in the distance, peacefully breaking through the water’s surface. A dramatic image of a man sitting in an infinity pool, looking at a sun dipping lower and lower into the ocean.
Through these vignettes, a totally different tone was forged, which was enough.
“My suitcase stays packed.”
This was enough.
The Glow of Someone Who Never Fully Unpacks.
Dua was also found roaming along the beach and even snuggling up beside actor Callum Turner, who seemed to have wandered into a reasonably decent indie rom-com and had no similar challenges as the average person did. And they looked like they hadn’t even checked their email. If vacation glow is even in existence, Dua Lipa has perfectly perfected it.
The Internet Reacts.
Many people were stunned and happy, and some even set goals for next year after watching Dua Lipa’s post.
One person said, “Those are my goals for 2026.”
Another joked, “I want her exercise routine and her life,” which, at this point, is honestly more of a rallying cry than a joke.
And a lot of it was very upbeat and celebratory, like “Love it for you, queen.” And some punches of truth, a fan posted: “For as long as Dua Lipa is alive, I will never be her. She’s just that girl.” Others had gone deeper into the meaning of that caption. “Some lives are meant for movement,” said one commentator. “Looks like yours is,” said one commentator.
“There is a freedom in always having the possibility of moving on to another horizon,” said another. Then came the most straightforward and most truthful assessment of all: “She’s already on vacation.”
