PATTI SMITH JOINS DUA LIPA’S LONDON LITERATURE FESTIVAL PROGRAMME

words by ANOUK WOUDT

Though the lineup for Dua Lipa’s London Literature Festival features its fair share of musicians, this festival will not include the typical stage lights, theatrics and maxed-out speakers. The pop star’s London Literature Festival programme swaps performances for a deeper dive into the minds behind some of today’s most fascinating creative voices, bringing together a curated list of writers and thinkers to unpack life, their work and everything in between. Among the names joining the lineup is none other than Patti Smith — punk’s favourite poet and rockstar — alongside acclaimed novelist Zadie Smith and singer-poet Mustafa.

images courtesy of SOUTHBANK CENTRE

The programme was just announced today by The Southbank Centre, with the festival set to take place from Wednesday, October 21 to Sunday, November 1, as part of the Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary year. The opening weekend will host Dua Lipa herself in conversation with the aforementioned talents, as well as a curated number of other events across the festival with her Service95 Book Club. 

“Curating the line up for the London Literature Festival with my Service95 Book Club has been a true joy and I’m so proud of the program we have created. We’ll be joined by icons as well as emerging voices from across the arts the world needs to know. You will recognize some as friends of the book club, and others may be your first introduction, but ultimately, I wanted to create a space that brings together some of the most exciting writers, poets, and thinkers from around the globe. I’m looking forward to being both in-conversation and taking my seat in the audience at this iconic venue.” 

Shifting between a mix of literary icons and emerging voices, the premiering event starts with Dua in conversation withZadie Smith as they discuss Zadie’s extraordinary 2000 debut novel, White Teeth, a work of ambitious scope that was published when she was just 24 years old. The two will talk about learning to live with an artistic legacy earned at such a young age and speculate on what life in London might look like for the Joneses and the Iqbals in today’s political climate. Saturday will showcase a conversation between Dua and her friend Mustafa, the Sudanese-Canadian poet, singer, songwriter, and filmmaker, detailing the poems that move them and Mustafa’s poetry publication NOUR. Mustafa will talk about his lifelong relationship with poetry, and together, they will discuss their poetry idols, in an evening featuring readings by very special guests.

Patti Smith appears on Sunday, with a discussion on her intimate and unguarded memoir Bread of Angels alongside Dua, which traces her life from a post-war childhood through to her artistic coming-of-age, her marriage to Fred “Sonic” Smith, and her return to performing after Fred’s death. 

Other events include: A Conversation with Nadia Murad (Thursday, October 22), Translated Fiction Showcase (Wednesday, October 28), Fierce Sounds featuring Kae Tempest alongside a stellar line-up of boundary-pushing novelists (Friday, October 30) and Rewriting Male Tenderness (Saturday, October 31).

Celebrating authors in an increasingly digital age feels particularly necessary –  especially coming from the voice of one of pop’s biggest stars. Dua Lipa’s Service95 Book Club project values open discussion, debate and the exploration of new stories and issues shaping our world today – conversations that get lost in the humdrum of pop culture's glitz and glamour. This festival brings those voices back into focus, creating a space where literature, ideas, and cultural exchange get their rightful spotlight, encouraging the new generation to reconnect with critical thought and our humanistic sense of curiosity.