Dua Lipa: I want to emulate Madonna and peak in my 40s

Pop star Dua Lipa says she wants to emulate Madonna and peak in her 40s.

The chart-topping singer, 24, has enjoyed a stellar start to her music career, including a UK number one album and wins at the Grammy and Brit awards.

And the London-born star said she is planning for a long stint at the top – before retiring “with a couple of dogs”.

She told the Sun newspaper: “I want to do this for as long as I can. I feel like Madonna peaked at 40 or 45 and made the best pop album known, and she continues to kill it.

“Women, we can do it for as long as we want to. And then at some point I’ll retire with a couple of dogs and take up smoking again.”

She added: “The success I’ve had is more than I ever imagined was possible. To be really honest, I never thought I would get this far.

“Not because I didn’t think I could, but because I didn’t know something like this was possible.

“Every time I went on stage was so exciting. At the Grammys, that moment, I sometimes have to watch it back to remember it, because when they called my name I felt like I blacked out.”

Lipa, who was named best new artist at last year’s Grammys, said she had the word “patience” tattooed on her hand to remind her of the importance of hard work.

She released her self-titled album in 2017 to critical and commercial acclaim.

Her second effort, Future Nostalgia, arrived in March and has spent four weeks at the top of the UK albums chart.