Dua Lipa is expanding her influence beyond music with the launch of the Manifesto Library in Portugal, a permanent literary space created through her Service95 Book Club. Housing nearly 100 carefully selected titles focused on freedom of expression, memory, power and identity, the project reflects the singer's growing commitment to using her platform not only through music, but through ideas that encourage conversation and critical thinking.
For Dua Lipa, books have never been an accessory to her public image. Long before launching a permanent library, she consistently spoke about reading as one of the most important influences on her personal and creative life. Through Service95, the editorial platform and book club she introduced in 2021, she gradually built a global community where readers, writers and artists could exchange ideas beyond the fast-moving world of social media. What began as a digital recommendation platform has steadily evolved into something much larger. With the opening of the Manifesto Library, that vision now takes physical form, giving readers a permanent space that reflects the values she has championed over the past several years.
The new library is housed inside Livraria Lello in Porto, Portugal, one of the world's most celebrated historic bookshops. Widely recognised for its remarkable architecture and long literary tradition, the venue provides an appropriate home for a project centred on imagination and intellectual curiosity. The library forms part of BABELL – City of Books, a new international literary festival designed to celebrate books as instruments of dialogue, education and cultural exchange. Choosing Livraria Lello was never simply about aesthetics. With more than 120 years of publishing and literary history behind it, the venue represents the kind of cultural institution that aligns naturally with Dua Lipa's ambition to make literature more accessible to new audiences.
Speaking about the project, Dua Lipa described the opening of the Manifesto Library as the fulfilment of a long-held dream. From the earliest days of Service95, her goal was never limited to recommending favourite novels or interviewing authors. Instead, she wanted to encourage readers to discover voices capable of challenging assumptions and expanding perspectives. Throughout the years she has repeatedly highlighted the importance of books that address subjects including race, identity, sexuality, migration and freedom of expression. Many of those works have also faced censorship or public controversy in different parts of the world. For Dua Lipa, creating a permanent library dedicated to these conversations represents an affirmation that literature remains one of society's most powerful tools for understanding complex realities.
The collection itself reflects that philosophy. Nearly one hundred carefully selected books are organised around four central themes: power, memory, voice and control. Visitors will find landmark works including Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, Reginald Dwayne Betts' Felon, alongside titles by Salman Rushdie, Olga Tokarczuk and many other internationally respected authors. Rather than assembling a collection based on commercial popularity, Dua Lipa chose books whose writers have questioned political systems, challenged cultural norms or defended creative freedom despite facing criticism or personal risk. The result is a library designed to provoke thought rather than simply celebrate bestselling literature.
She has also described the Manifesto Library as a tribute to books removed from classrooms, to writers persecuted for their ideas and to readers who continue defending the right to choose what they read. At a time when debates surrounding censorship and restrictions on literature continue across numerous countries, the project inevitably carries broader cultural significance. Rather than positioning the library as a political statement, Dua Lipa frames it as a celebration of curiosity and open discussion. The emphasis remains firmly on literature's ability to encourage empathy, broaden understanding and create conversations that extend far beyond the pages of any individual book.
That philosophy closely mirrors the mission of Livraria Lello itself. Representatives of the historic Portuguese bookshop have long described books as a form of freedom, capable of shaping both individual lives and collective societies. According to Francisca Pedro Pinto, Brand Director at Livraria Lello, literature represents one of humanity's greatest technologies for preserving imagination and independent thought. Within that context, the collaboration with Dua Lipa feels particularly fitting. Her commitment to literature has consistently appeared authentic rather than promotional, supported by years of interviews with authors, carefully curated reading lists and thoughtful editorial content that extends well beyond celebrity endorsement.
The opening of the library also highlights another dimension of Dua Lipa's evolving career. While she remains one of the world's biggest pop stars, she has increasingly invested in projects centred on education, culture and journalism through Service95. Alongside music, she now curates articles, travel recommendations, interviews and literary discussions that reflect her broader interests beyond entertainment. The Manifesto Library becomes the most ambitious extension of that vision so far. Instead of existing solely online, it creates a physical destination where visitors can engage directly with the books and ideas that have influenced her own worldview and artistic development over the years.
As contemporary artists continue expanding their influence beyond traditional creative boundaries, Dua Lipa's latest initiative illustrates how musicians can contribute meaningfully to wider cultural conversations. Music remains the foundation of her career, but projects like the Manifesto Library demonstrate an equally strong commitment to encouraging reading, supporting authors and promoting intellectual curiosity. Rather than presenting the library as another celebrity venture, she positions it as an evolving cultural space where literature becomes a starting point for dialogue, discovery and the exchange of ideas. In doing so, Dua Lipa reinforces the notion that creative influence is measured not only by chart success, but also by the conversations an artist chooses to inspire.