It seems a strange mix, a love song by an Albanian-English songstress and thousands of passionate football fans.
You wouldn’t think these two things would go hand in hand, but they do.
The fans are Liverpool supporters and the songstress is Dua Lipa.
So why do Liverpool fans sing One Kiss?
Let’s take a closer look…
Why Do Liverpool Fans Sing One Kiss?
When Liverpool took on Real Madrid in the Champions League Final in 2018, Dua Lipa’s ‘One Kiss’ was riding high in the charts practically everywhere. She performed it at the opening ceremony for the Final and the Liverpool fans in attendance belted it out alongside her. Since then it has been heard at both Anfield and the Cup Finals Liverpool has taken part in, and adopted by the fans as an anthem of their own.
It All Started in 2018…
Back in January 2018 Scottish DJ and record producer Calvin Harris, Canadian singer Jessie Reyez and Dua Lipa got together to pen the music and lyrics to a dance-pop house song, tinged with elements of disco, funk and garage.
Shortly afterward Dua Lipa recorded the song at God’s Eyes Studios in Los Angeles.
Produced by Harris, the track was released at the start of April 2018 and made waves around the globe almost instantly.
It spent eight weeks at number one in the UK singles charts and topped the charts in 32 other countries, in 13 of which it was certified multi-platinum (in excess of 2million units sold).
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But, I hear you ask, where do Liverpool fans come into this?!
Well on 26 May 2018 Liverpool took on Real Madrid in the Champions League Final in Kyiv.
And also at the Final was Dua Lipa.
That is because firmly ensconced at the top of the UK, and most of Europe’s, music charts at that time was One Kiss.
She would be performing the song at the opening ceremony of the Final.
A very nervous Dua Lipa opened her set with the song, and admitted:
“I get really nervous before I perform anywhere, let alone the Champions League final. I remember standing at the side of the pitch with my palms sweating waiting to run on and get into position.”
But the backing of the Liverpool fans certainly made things easier for her.
Almost as soon as she started singing, the 30,000 Liverpool supporters in the ground started belting out the hit in sync with her.
At the same time, a huge banner in the Liverpool end was adorned with an image of Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard planting his own kiss on the Champions League trophy, accompanied by one of the song’s lyrics alongside it.
Dua Lipa would later go on to say:
“I was very lucky to have the support of people back home right there in the stadium in Kiev. I’m still shocked when watching it back seeing all these fans singing along to my song!”
And It Was Carried on in 2022
Although Liverpool lost that final to a Gareth Bale-inspired Real Madrid, it started a lasting bond between Dua Lipa and the club’s supporters.
The bond was created due to the undeniably positive, upbeat and catchy nature of the song, and the role it played as Liverpool found themselves finally returning to the top table in English and European Football.
Liverpool stadium announcer George Sephton elaborated on this in 2022.
“It has an easy hook to pick up on,” he said. “So the fans took to it and it was associated with our return to the big time. Only recently has it picked up again, but the crowd are back on it.”
In fact, when Liverpool took on Real Madrid again in the 2022 Champions League Final, their supporters belted out the song again in the streets of Paris where the game was being held.
The song was also played as Liverpool celebrated both their FA Cup and League Cup wins over Chelsea in 2022.
Calvin Harris was invited to spin some tunes at the resulting victory parade in the city centre a few days later.
And after Dua Lipa performed in Liverpool in April 2022 Jamie Carragher surprised her backstage with a Liverpool shirt with ‘Lipa 1’ on the back.
Dua Lipa has gone on to describe herself as an “honorary Liverpool supporter”, saying she “loves Liverpool, it’s always got a special place in my heart.”
Her dad and brother support Arsenal though, so she has stopped short of declaring herself an official fan of the red side of Merseyside!
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Final Thoughts
So hopefully this has illustrated why and how One Kiss has inadvertently become such a popular song amongst Liverpool fans!
In some ways, it is just a case of being in the right place at the right time.
At the time Liverpool were taking on Real Madrid in their first Champions League Final in over a decade, Dua Lipa’s One Kiss was riding high at the top of the charts practically everywhere.
They were bought together at the NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv in May 2018, with Liverpool fans joining in with the song fervently during the opening ceremony for the match performed by Dua Lipa.
Since then the song has become associated with the club’s return to the big time and has been heard regularly at Anfield and the Finals they have gone to since.