Dua Lipa Used ‘Hotter Than Hell’ to ‘Flip the Script’ on a Terrible Ex
The best dance music knows how to take pain and set it to a disco groove. Dua Lipa’s “Hotter than Hell” has a fun title but it came from some dark places. For example, the “Cold Heart” singer revealed that “Hotter than Hell” was inspired by a man who put her down constantly. Lipa wrote the song in question to make the situation seem different than reality.
Dua Lipa didn’t want ‘Hotter than Hell’ to show her personal weakness
Lipa might make colorful, vibrant music videos, but her tunes deal with negative emotions. Songs like “New Rules,” “Break My Heart,” and “Cold Heart” have an emotional tension that you won’t find in your average dance track from Madonna or Katy Perry. During a 2017 interview with The New York Times, the star explained her approach to songwriting. “Heartbreak makes good stories, so sometimes, as much as heartbreak sucks, it makes for good writing,” she said.
Lipa explained the relationship behind “Hotter than Hell.” “This guy just made me feel like I wasn’t good enough, always kicking me down in a way emotionally,” she said. “And I was in the mood to write a really sad song. But when I started writing lyrics I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t want to let him hear how he made me feel.’ I didn’t want to show weakness — that’s not what I wanted to portray.”
Lipa took “Hotter than Hell” in a different direction. “I was like: ‘O.K., I’m going to flip the script. I’m going to make it seem as if he couldn’t get enough of me,'” she recalled. “And instantly, the second I started writing, I started feeling better about the situation because I went into this imaginative world where everything had changed.”
Dua Lipa revealed her main goal as an artist
“Hotter than Hell,” like most of Lipa’s songs, has powerful production. However, the most striking aspect of the song is the “Houdini” singer‘s diva vocals. With “Hotter than Hell” and other songs, Lipa proved she has the same vocal prowess as earlier dance artists like Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, and Robin S.
While Lipa has been a songwriter, a dancer, and a model, she takes pride in something else. “I would like to think that my voice is my best feature,” she said. The club superstar revealed that she wants her voice to be instantly recognizable on the radio. That’s more important to her than any other aspect of her artistry. Considering how good she sounds on “Hotter than Hell” and other songs, she’s accomplished that goal!
‘Hotter than Hell’ was a flop and a hit at the same time
“Hotter than Hell” never managed to reach the Billboard Hot 100. American pop fans really missed out on this song! The tune appeared on the album Dua Lipa, which did not hit the Billboard 200 either.
The Official Charts Company reports “Hotter than Hell” peaked at No. 15 in the United Kingdom. There, the tune spent 21 weeks on the chart. In the U.K., the album Dua Lipa peaked at No. 3 and charted for a whopping 354 weeks.
“Hotter than Hell” wasn’t Lipa’s biggest hit but it showed her strengths as a songwriter and as a vocalist.
