Becoming a pop star in 2017 is next to impossible. It’s also next to impossible to get a number one against the Justin Bieber and having the first solo female number one since Adele.

Seems a little far-fetched right?

However, for Dua Lipa’s fast growing career, these two major accomplishments seem to be just the start for her.

Dua Lipa became active as an artist when, at the age of fourteen, she began posting YouTube covers of her singing her favorite artist’s songs. Then at the age of fifteen, she moved to London away from her family in hopes of becoming a singer. Four years later, she released her first single under Warner Brothers UK, and her career quickly skyrocketed. Sharing a manager with Lana Del Rey, Lipa had to fight hard to establish her own credibility as an artist. It’s safe to say, however, that she has become her own artist and now is an independent entity. Her debut self-titled album, Dua Lipa, was released in June of 2017 after being delayed for four months and quickly became a cult-favorite on the internet.

The album kicks off with the fittingly titled song “Genesis.” This song, all about new beginnings, is the perfect start to a debut album, giving you a small taste of what is yet to come. The album moves right along to track two and gives you “Lost in Your Lights,” the first collaboration of many on the album. The song, featuring Miguel, seems like an odd combination of artists, but in actuality, makes musical sense. The two both have raspy qualities of their vocals, creating smooth and smokey harmonies. The true pop side of Lipa projects at around tracks four and six with “Be the One” and “Blow Your Mind (Mwah).” These two tracks not only climbed the charts but are so danceable and help build the overall momentum of the album. “Be The One” builds from a simple four note synth pattern to layered vocals with an incredible chorus. “Blow Your Mind (Mwah)” starts with a dark pop sound but builds to a lighter chorus that will drill into your brain for hours to come after a single listen.

The album then has a slight pause after six electronic-based songs. Lipa moves forward with three songs that display her variety as an artist. “Garden” has a stripped-back sound that shows a more emotional side and continues the subtle theme of religion in the lyrics. The simple start with the piano and Lipa’s chilling vocals shows a surprising side of the unapologetic pop-star. Sliding along to track nine “Thinking “Bout You” once again shows the versatility of Lipa. This guitar-based song shows the instrumental range of the entirety of the album and shows that Lipa isn’t afraid to stray from what she is comfortable with.

With the hit “New Rules” placed as track 10, the album gains energy. “New Rules” climbed the charts, but isn’t the mindless pop that goes number one. The clever pre-chorus along with the tropical-house sound has helped the hit gain popularity, empowering listeners everywhere. The next song up, “Begging,” is heavy on percussion and upbeat but prepares the listener for the final track. Many songs on the album are heavy on percussion, but Lipa never uses the same sounding pattern or same sounding instrument which makes her stand apart from many current artists.

Lipa wraps up the album with a collaboration with Chris Martin of Coldplay. “Homesick,” a stripped piano song, is incredibly different from every other song on the album. Although the other songs were stripped back, none were quite to this level. “Homesick” shows Lipa’s capabilities as a singer and shows off her vocal range. The harmonies with Martin add a whole new layer of depth and allow the listener to finish the album on a somber note.

I dare say that Dua Lipa was the top pop album of summer 2017. The interwoven repeating themes, connections between songs, the overall variety of styles, and odd but fitting collaborations make Dua Lipa a whole new kind of artist for a new time.