MBW’s World’s Biggest Managers collection profiles the most effective artist managers within the world enterprise. Dugi Lipa is the supervisor (and father) of world pop phenomenon Dua Lipa. Right here he discusses his personal extraordinary story in addition to the challenges of administration within the fashionable music trade and way more. World’s Biggest Managers is supported by Centtrip, a specialist in clever treasury, funds and international alternate – created with the music trade and its wants in thoughts.
In one other world, this text would have fun the exact dental work of Dr. Dukagjin Lipa, a revered Kosovo-born practitioner. However life – and music – had different plans.
On this world? Dugi Lipa is finest referred to as the daddy and supervisor of world pop phenomenon Dua Lipa – although that sells his story dramatically quick.
Dugi grew up in Prishtina, Kosovo, the place as a 15-year-old he shaped a band that may obtain No.1 standing in his dwelling nation.
Regardless of musical expertise (he was educated on violin earlier than leaping to the guitar) Lipa was directed into dentistry, which he studied till battle within the former Yugoslavia modified the whole lot.
Arriving in London together with his then-girlfriend (now spouse) within the early Nineteen Nineties, Lipa fell immediately in love with the British capital. “I felt like I belonged from the very first second I stepped foot in London,” he remembers. “London was not a typical vacation spot for Albanians from Yugoslavia or Kosovo – however it was positively a spot for individuals who have been in love with music and the humanities.”
“I consider we get secretly educated in life, unknowingly, for what we’re destined to do.”
Whereas ready for the conflict to finish, Lipa started working in bars for promoter Imply Fiddler.
In the meantime, he reconnected with fellow Kosovo musicians dwelling in London (together with an English keyboard participant), and shaped a brand new band, ODA. Their self-produced album – recorded in a bed room studio and initially pressed in a run of 1,000 CDs – finally bought round 20,000 copies worldwide.
“That’s the place I discovered my love for managing artists,” Lipa says of this formative interval. “I used to be doing the reserving, the organizing, the distribution, negotiating the offers.”
He provides: “I consider we get secretly educated in life, unknowingly, for what we’re destined to do.”
Having pursued a advertising training whereas creating his inventive expertise, Lipa later returned to Kosovo together with his household, the place he was a part of constructing a profitable telecoms enterprise that was acquired by Slovenian Telecom.
With some cash in his again pocket, he subsequently based a advertising company that also operates – as Republika Communications – with Dua as its star consumer.
Dugi formally turned Dua’s full-time supervisor following her departure from TaP Administration in 2022.
He has since been navigating, contracting and arranging landmark moments in her profession, together with releasing her acclaimed third album Radical Optimism (a UK No.1), plus opening final yr’s Grammys and BRIT awards, and a surprising Glastonbury 2024 headlining set (which was livestreamed worldwide – a primary – following a pioneering settlement between Dugi, Warner Music, and the BBC).
Dugi additionally served as government producer on Dua’s landmark Royal Albert Corridor present in October, full with a 54-piece orchestra and 14-piece choir. That present, co-produced by Fullwell73 and Lipa’s Radical22, was broadcast worldwide and featured a uncommon visitor efficiency from Sir Elton John.
In 2025, Dua Lipa is taking over a world sold-out tour together with home stadium reveals – two nights at Wembley, two at Liverpool’s Anfield, and one in Dublin. Her worldwide jaunt began in Singapore in November 2024 and can possible conclude in South America in December.
All this, plus a number of Grammys and BRITs, and a jaw-dropping 48 billion-plus streams so far.
Right here, MBW speaks with Dugi Lipa about his journey from dentistry pupil to music supervisor, his views on publishing rights, and why the British music trade must rediscover its confidence…
When did music first change into essential in your life?
My dad and mom have been very a lot into music, however weren’t linked to the music world in any respect. My dad was head of the Historic Institute of Kosovo, an educational, and my mother was a trainer.
As an adolescent, I shaped a band with my mates. We had a No.1 hit in Kosovo, which nonetheless appears ridiculous! We have been a band of 15-year-old guys working towards in my storage – none of us aspired to make a dwelling out of it.
“the conflict began so I went to spend a number of weeks in london. Right here we’re, 34 years later.”
I went on to review dentistry, which was fairly typical at the moment in ex-Yugoslavia. You’d examine to be a health care provider, a dentist, a lawyer, an architect, or an accountant.
I moved to Sarajevo to review due to the political state of affairs altering in Kosovo and the College in Albanian language being banned by the Serbian regime [as the threat of conflict loomed in the early 1990s]. Then the conflict began. I had some mates in London, and so they invited me to come back and spend a number of weeks with them. No one thought the conflict was going to proceed and outline our lives.
With my then-girlfriend, now spouse, Anesa, we got here to London to spend a few months. And right here we’re, 34 years later.
After arriving in London you began working in bars for Imply Fiddler, putting up a friendship with legendary reside music mogul Vince Energy…
Sure. I labored behind the bar at CUBE Bar in Swiss Cottage, after which later at Bartok, Camden, in addition to Jazz Café, The Kentish City Discussion board, Level 101 – lots of them. It was one thing to do whereas ready for the conflict to finish.
Vince used to come back to CUBE Bar as a result of it was the brand new fashionable place within the Imply Fiddler [portfolio]. He felt snug speaking to me about issues, and I discovered it straightforward to speak to him. – not everybody did! Each time we have been there, we’d have conversations about music and festivals, advertising and artistic instructions. We had nice conversations about music, festivals and the way [Mean Fiddler] have been selling them. I typically assume fondly of him, God relaxation his soul.
“That’s once I began pondering perhaps I wasn’t minimize out to be a dentist in any case…”
Vince persuaded me I had one thing inventive to supply and helped me enroll in college to review advertising and communications, with the concept I’d come again and work within the advertising division at Imply Fiddler. However whereas I used to be taking the programs, Imply Fiddler was bought.
On the similar time, I’d began serving to out on the advertising facet for Studying Pageant, which was comparatively small in comparison with
what it’s as we speak. I liked it, and it gave me the bug for [the combination of] advertising and music.
That’s once I began pondering perhaps I wasn’t minimize out to be a dentist in any case…
After your time with Imply Fiddler, you moved into the world of selling and promoting, changing into a profitable Inventive Director. How did that profession change come about?
Whereas learning, I labored in nightclubs and in addition bought cable web door-to-door. It taught me rather a lot about folks, gross sales and negotiation – discovering a technique to speak to folks successfully is a vital ability that has helped me within the music trade to this present day.
After finishing my advertising diploma – and Imply Fiddler being bought – I had no want to return to working within the bars. That’s once I arrange my very own small advertising consultancy.
Within the early 2000s I landed a contract working with an affiliation of specialised British Airways companions that have been opening routes to Tirana in Albania, Prishtina in Kosovo, Zagreb in Croatia, Ljubljana in Slovenia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and all through Jap Europe.
I created a marketing campaign – the tagline was ‘Dwelling Is Nearer Than You Suppose’ – that not solely excited the consumer but additionally resonated with immigrant communities. British Airways and their companions favored it and needed to make use of the inventive [IP] outright, however that’s the place I noticed a possibility.
As a substitute of promoting, I requested to be employed as a contract Inventive Director: ‘I’ll provide the marketing campaign, however I wish to run it.’ After that, I began working as a contract Inventive Director with completely different promoting businesses in London. When you possibly can say, ‘I created a marketing campaign for British Airways,’ it opens lots of doorways.
No matter occurred to your personal musical aspirations?
After I arrived in London, I met sure folks from completely different bands again dwelling who’d moved right here. We discovered one another and began taking part in collectively, once we weren’t working in bars. [Dugi was the frontman and songwriter.]
For enjoyable, we began performing some native gigs and earlier than you knew it, we arrange a bed room studio after which had an album in our fingers [performing as the band ODA]. We recorded it with zero industrial expectations. However folks began to love it, and we bought many copies at each gig.
I ended up ordering 1,000 CDs, delivered to my flat in Swiss Cottage. They took up half the flat, and I believed, ‘What have I carried out? I’m by no means going to do away with these!’ However we bought these, after which we bought extra. We ended up promoting about 20,000 copies all around the world – in Kosovo, Albania, America, Australia, throughout Europe, wherever Albanians have been dwelling after leaving [their homeland]. That’s the place I discovered my love for managing artists. I used to be doing the reserving, the organizing, the distribution, and negotiating the offers.
Throughout the Nineteen Nineties, I found that our music had change into enormous; we had change into a cult band. Later, once I returned to Kosovo within the mid-noughties, the reunion noticed us commonly taking part in to 1000’s of individuals.
My final declare to fame is that we performed the Montreux Jazz Pageant. I consider it was one thing to do with the timing and Kosovo’s sturdy exit from the battle. I nonetheless do not know why we have been invited – I assume they’d an ODA fan working for them! – however I’m joyful to inform anybody that we did it.
What led you to return to Kosovo from London?
A number of years after my father handed away, I had to return to Kosovo to kind a number of issues out.
Some mates again dwelling have been beginning an web firm and had been asking me to affix their staff for years, so I did – as Inventive Director and Advertising and marketing Head.
We turned the market chief, then partnered with Slovenian Telecom to create the primary privately-owned telco in Kosovo. Six months later, they purchased us out.
“I wasn’t constructed for company life; I couldn’t deal with sending infinite emails to folks sitting proper subsequent to me.”
After that, I rapidly realized I wasn’t constructed for company life; I couldn’t deal with sending infinite emails to folks sitting proper subsequent to me. So in 2008, I began my very own advertising company – simply me, my spouse, and a designer. The telco firm turned our first large consumer, and shortly we grew to deal with all the foremost manufacturers and shoppers within the area.
That company nonetheless exists as we speak, now counting over 50 employees members. We do the whole lot for Dua in addition to different main worldwide manufacturers.
At what level in your life does Dua enter the image together with her personal musical ambitions?
Dua was 11 once we moved again to Kosovo in 2006. She all the time liked efficiency and music, and I liked taking her with me in all places I carried out with the band. And he or she didn’t thoughts staying up late with me on the highway! It was nice; we form of ‘grew up’ collectively in a means.
In 2010, our children wanted to return to the UK for GCSEs and A-levels, so Anesa and the kids returned to London. Every month I did two weeks in London, two weeks in Prishtina, and through holidays, we’d all be collectively. Then, at 14 or 15, Dua got here to us and stated, ‘I wish to do music, full-time.’
Folks ask me, ‘Dugi, she was 14, 15 – what have been you pondering saying sure to this child?’ However they don’t perceive; she was all the time very mature for her age, very decided, had a God-given expertise and her ardour was as tangible as it could possibly get.
With all my children, I by no means handled them like infants. We might have severe conversations about life and the long run, even once they have been youngsters. Children are a lot smarter, and way more resilient, than many dad and mom assume.
I perceive there was an early alternative with an X Issue advert that would have led Dua down a really completely different path?
Sure; you possibly can nonetheless discover that advert on YouTube.
Dua was about 16, she was a part of Sylvia Younger Theatre College in London and their ‘Highlight’ company, which did auditions for TV commercials, performs, musicals and many others. She received an audition for what turned out to be a promo advert for X Issue [released in 2013].
The ultimate stage of the audition required her to report a track – a Sister Sledge cowl [Lost In Music]. When she went to report, there have been casting brokers who stated, ‘Oh, I like this woman’s model.’ Then when the recording got here out, they stated, ‘I like her voice too!’
In Dua, it appeared like they’d discovered somebody with each the look and the sound. Then a gentleman from the music enterprise who I received’t identify – he’s a really proficient individual and an excellent skilled – provided a [production] deal to a 16-year-old Dua.
Dua directed that call to me. She stated, ‘I’d like to do it however you need to speak to my dad.’
That is the place our belief and understanding is available in; she discovered safety and belief in me. I seemed over the contract, had a gathering with him over Skype, and refused the deal. Anybody who had just a bit bit of data or expertise about contracts would by no means have signed it both.
“There have been a number of tears on the time however it was positively a call that needed to be made.”
There have been a number of tears on the time however it was positively a call that needed to be made. And after that, others within the music trade rapidly turned fascinated by Dua Lipa.
Have a look at all these TV documentaries popping out now about boy bands. All of them simply signed the very first thing they put in entrance of them, and so they now all remorse it. It was an early lesson for Dua and me about how the music trade can function at its worst.
There’s an outdated adage within the music biz: ‘By no means work with youngsters, animals… or artists who’re managed by their household!’ What’s your perspective?
I agree and strongly disagree on the similar time.
Younger folks don’t select to be touched by God-given expertise for writing songs, singing, performing. On the similar time, their mums, dads, brothers, sisters will be well-equipped to assist them… or they are often utterly unequipped.
It’s very pure for many who aren’t outfitted to say, ‘Darling, I can help you privately, emotionally. In case you have an issue, I’m right here, however I can’t aid you professionally.’
However there’s additionally this different facet, the place a guardian, a brother or a sister is outfitted to assist professionally, due to what they’ve carried out, seen and achieved in life. [Before becoming Dua’s official manager], I had handled main negotiations, promoting companies, creating companies, managing folks, and managing contractors, subcontractors, and companions – I had all of the expertise wanted to professionally signify my daughter.
“I’d argue there isn’t any higher state of affairs for an artist than to be represented by any person whose total focus in life has all the time been on them.”
I’d argue there isn’t any higher state of affairs for an artist than to be represented by any person whose total focus in life has all the time been on them – a mother, dad, sister or brother – however who can also be professionally outfitted to do it. That mixture is a blessing.
On the similar time, in case you’re [a family member] who’s not outfitted however needs to handle them anyway, I can see how that might be damaging.
What’s completely different in regards to the artist-parent supervisor relationship in comparison with a conventional administration relationship?
Individuals who work on the opposite facet of the negotiating desk typically object to guardian managers. Your pure intuition to offer on your youngsters is usually completely different from their intuition, which may be very business-oriented.
In my case, with Dua, it’s not primarily in regards to the cash, it’s in regards to the future; what I can do for Dua, what I can present, what safety I may give her. One thing I’d do for any artist I signify.
In 2024 you introduced a historic second: Dua ‘RE-ACQUIRED’ HER PUBLISHING RIGHTS from the pubco of her former administration firm, TaP. I’m guessing you dedicated lots of time, cash, and experience to strike that deal. Why?
It’s crucial for artists to retain their concepts, creativity, and IP – it’s their wealth. That’s one thing that belongs to the artist; it doesn’t belong to anybody else.
Personally, I’d make it regulation tomorrow that you simply can’t personal any person’s concepts, creativity, expertise, publishing rights. You may signify them, administer them, however possession of the songs they write would solely go to the one that created them. It’s their financial savings, their future. [Dugi is obviously referencing publishers taking ownership of a songwriter’s ‘future’ rights – not writers choosing to sell their catalogs years after creating them.]
“This second was actually about one thing we’ve already mentioned: household.”
After two years of heavy negotiations, I managed to get the publishing rights again which, as you say, was publicly reported.
Aside from creating this attention-grabbing, historic second – one thing that doesn’t occur fairly often – this second was actually about one thing we’ve already mentioned: household.
My curiosity is only about what’s proper for the artist… who additionally occurs to be my daughter. However I’d combat for each artist simply the identical as I do for Dua.
Dua’s skilled relationship with TaP ended abruptly in 2022. Why?
I can’t touch upon that aside from to say that from February 18, 2022, I totally took over the administration and supervisor’s function.
Do you remorse the unique publishing deal that was carried out with TaP?
My first step after the change was to ‘clear’ the home. Going by means of all of her contracts – with varied events – was precedence No.1, [including] the publishing rights.
“The publishing and the whole lot else that was owed to the artist needed to come again. And that’s precisely what I did.”
The publishing and the whole lot else that was owed to the artist needed to come again. And that’s precisely what I did. That represents my ideas on the matter. Past that, there’s no level having regrets. It was carried out the way in which it was, and I can’t remark particularly any greater than that.
On the finish of the day, it had a cheerful ending for us.
Folks generally overlook Dua as a songwriter as a result of they’re specializing in her as a performer. Are you able to speak about her songwriting talents?
It’s too straightforward for folks to place feminine pop stars in that outdated means: ‘She simply performs, different folks do the writing.’
However you need to be within the room to see how proficient Dua is, how she interacts with different songwriters and colleagues, how she expresses herself, how she contributes to the inventive moments. As I’ve stated, it’s a God-given expertise that she works extraordinarily laborious to consistently nourish.
She works with superb songwriters, however she is a very powerful a part of the writing on each track.
How do you assemble an enduring pop profession for an artist who initially turned recognized to a teen viewers, particularly as that teen viewers grows up and what they is likely to be on the lookout for in an ‘idol’ evolves?
Easy reply: You retain on writing and releasing nice songs. And you retain shocking folks.
Finally, that comes from Dua: the power to assume ahead, experiment together with her expertise, to be a trendsetter relatively than a follower, all whereas creating nice songs. That’s the ‘formulation’ – the magic.
Having re-acquired her publishing rights, you signed a landmark world admin cope with Warner Chappell. This implies Dua’s publishing and recordings are each represented by Warner Music Group. Does that make a distinction?
It is a landmark publishing deal – I consider it’s among the finest in historical past!
Having the whole lot below one roof at Warner positively expedites lots of decision-making. It additionally helps get Dua’s music into completely different areas by means of joint groups. They share the identical incentive to push the whole lot collectively towards the identical aim – the data, the publishing, the streaming, the sync. It’s working for us.
I additionally linked nicely with Man Moot at Warner Chappell. What I notably like about Man is that he’s an actual individual – like your pal on the bar! You may speak about soccer, music, historical past, in addition to enterprise.
Being in a managerial place, you don’t wish to simply do a deal and by no means see somebody once more. You wish to meet these folks, spend time with them, and benefit from the ‘wins’ collectively.
What’s your relationship like with the Warner staff now, notably within the post-Max Lousada period?
When Max Lousada was at Warner, he was my ally, my soundboard. I’m not too proud to ask for recommendation, and Max provided it with an abundance of data and expertise, for which I’ll all the time be grateful.
Max is not at Warner, however our state of affairs [with WMG] hasn’t modified. We’re nonetheless very proud of Warner; we now have many mates there. They’re very invested in our relationship, which I worth and respect.
Robert Kyncl [Warner Music Group CEO] is comparatively ‘new’ to the Warner scene. However he’s very valued within the trade as
knowledgeable who is aware of what he’s doing, having run large firms earlier than. He’s from Jap Europe, so we now have that connection as nicely.
When the change occurred, Warner was very respectful towards my relationship with Max. I had a number of conferences with Robert and the remainder of the Warner staff. Similar to with each enterprise, the music enterprise goes by means of change. That is now a brand new means of doing enterprise, and up to now, so good. I really feel that Robert is doing an excellent job; I like him.
I’d additionally like to say Joe Kentish [President of Warner Data UK, who initially signed Dua, pictured]. Joe has been instrumental for us in A&R and extra.
In these early years once we have been pondering, ‘Okay, we’ve received one thing right here – who can we flip to for manufacturing, what are our choices’, Joe was the man.
I noticed a YouTube factor lately [from rock music ‘influencer’ Rick Beato] the place a clip of Joe was taken out of context and criticised [as evidence that record labels don’t deserve their rewards from artist deals].
Satirically what Joe was truly saying in that clip – that probably the most profitable artists as we speak have an ‘additional’ dedication inside them to succeed – is 100% the reality. How way more report labels add to that may be a greater dialog, and is determined by every artist’s state of affairs.
Joe’s true calling is A&R, and he’s sensible at it. He’s one of many stars of as we speak’s music trade.
You’ve lately introduced stadium reveals for Dua. What’s it like to take a look at how far issues have come vs. that teenage woman staying up late to journey to reveals with you in Kosovo ?
I’m positive it’s the identical for folks in related conditions – we [at Radical Management] reside in our personal microcosm. We get up within the morning, come to work, do our emails, calls, our strategic conferences – simply the day by day factor. You by no means actually cease to consider the magnitude of what you’re doing. However each once in a while, you get an opportunity to step again and say, ‘What the f*ck?!’
Like Studio 2054 [Dua’s zeitgeist-grabbing livestreamed show] in the course of the pandemic. All people was saying, ‘The world goes to shit, what are we going to do?’ We got here up with one thing that the entire world watched.
Then Dua headlined Glastonbury, my favorite pageant on the planet. By way of my eyes, in that crowd, it felt like that complete present lasted three minutes! It was a dream come true.
These are the moments whenever you scratch your head, have a drink, and may say just one factor: ‘Wow.’
It wouldn’t be potential with out my staff at Radical Administration. I’m surrounded by nice folks and I give them lots of authority. I worth their opinions, and I take their recommendation very critically, that’s why they’re right here, and I’d wish to say an enormous thanks to all of them.
With the emergence of AI in music creation, what are your ideas on defending artists’ rights?
I agree that it’s foolish to recommend that AI can exchange the human connection between an artist and their followers. You may mimic the construction of an artist’s work, however you can not mimic its soul.
Nonetheless, songwriters are an enormous a part of these success tales, and so they don’t have a recognizable ‘face’ to the surface world like artists do. [Generative AI companies] taking their work with out authorization, with out asking, is morally incorrect.
“I fear in regards to the UK [government] embracing AI firms over and above the principles of copyright.”
It’s like saying [to a large AI] tech firm, ‘Is it okay if I simply take your code and replica it? Why don’t you make it open-source so we are able to all make our personal variations?’ Everyone knows why!
I fear in regards to the UK [government] embracing AI firms over and above the principles of copyright, and their very own songwriters. The UK trade is the primary one to combat this combat and we should defend the artwork; this may damage up-and-coming artists probably the most whether it is left unchecked.
For years, from abroad, I used to be amazed on the music that Britain produced and the way it touched folks all around the world. For the UK authorities to dismiss the worth of that may be an enormous mistake.
You’ve stated your self that the UK trade has misplaced some energy with regards to exporting superstars within the post-Dua period. Do you will have any optimism that may change?
The UK trade goes by means of ups and downs similar to the whole lot else. I believe report firms, particularly within the UK, are as soon as once more beginning to seek for and discover attention-grabbing artists who may develop into one thing superb. They’re on the lookout for proficient individuals who present a little bit spark, versus simply chasing algorithms.
Labels would possibly be capable of discover some expertise on social media platforms, however are these artists going to be the real article? Will they at some point be capable of fill a room with followers, or are they simply having a second the place folks hit the ‘Like’ button and transfer on.
The UK music trade has all the time been a world chief find expertise, creating it, committing to it, and breaking
it internationally: The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Elton, Adele, Dua and plenty of many others. I’m joyful to see these ideas returning.
