Did you also feel a little lonely between love-struck couples, lush bouquets, and cheesy chocolate boxes on Valentine’s Day? With ‘Training Season‘, pop icon Dua Lipa delivers a new, empowering dance anthem that captures the frustration and emotional rollercoaster of dating in the modern age perfectly. The single, which was teased with a show-stopping performance at this year’s Grammy Awards, was officially released on February 15th and possesses a potent addictive potential.
As the follow-up single to ‘Houdini‘ from her still long-awaited third studio album, ‘Training Season‘ was heavily inspired by the 28-year-old hitmaker’s personal experiences of a string of unsatisfactory rendezvous and is the musical embodiment of dating frustration. She explains how a horror date marked the birth of the track: “I had been on a string of bad dates, and the last one was the final straw. The next morning I arrived to the studio to [co-writers] Caroline and Tobias asking me how it all went and I immediately declared ‘TRAINING SEASON IS OVER’.”
The song addresses the ugly truth of the often disappointing and seemingly endless, repetitive process of finding the right partner for life. “Are you someone that I can give my heart to? Or just the poison that I’m drawn to?” On the way, one encounters betrayal, lack of trust, low esteem, and unrequited love. With lyrics such as “Need someone to hold me close. (…) Whose love feels like a rodeo. (…) He’s straight talking to my soul”, she explains what she desires in a partner instead. At the same time, it also becomes apparent that men never seem to fulfil these standards: “Someone with some potential. Is it too much to ask for?”
The inability of potential partners to build a bond that transcends the superficial is finally the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Lipa is no longer willing to ‘train anyone to love her properly’ and thus gives the boot to all men who fall below her standards: “I don’t wanna have to show ya If that ain’t you, then let me know, yeah ‘Cause training season’s over. (…) Don’t wanna have to teach you how to love me right”.
At the same time, the chart-topper also conveys an incredibly encouraging message to all singles out there. After all, every miserable date raises awareness of one’s expectations of a relationship, teaches one to appreciate one’s own company and not to sell oneself short. Ultimately, this is the most beautiful declaration of love to oneself. The track therefore also plays an important role in one’s development and in coming to terms with oneself. Lipa explains, “And while it is obviously about that feeling when you are just absolutely done telling people…men specifically in this case, how to date you right; it is also about my training season being over and me growing with every experience. I have never felt more confident, clear or empowered.” Therefore, ‘Training Season’ is not only a tribute to the hardships of dating, but also a vivid encapsulation of personal growth.
Musically, the song is convincing in the usual manner with catchy guitar rhythms and a gradual build-up, accompanied by captivating synths towards the chorus of the song. The lively uptempo and powerful pop beat, somewhat reminiscent of ABBA’s greatest dance anthems, allows Dua Lipa to showcase her outstanding vocal abilities and has the potential to become the next iconic pop song. ‘Training Season‘ is an exciting prelude to the singer’s announced “psychedelic-pop-infused” forthcoming album.
Written by: Vanessa Svejkovsky
Edited by: Nèri Cliteur
