By Beyoncé Vásquez
Dua Lipa hosted her ‘Service95 Book Club’ for a live recording at the New York Public Library (NYPL) on Monday. The event was a conversation with Dua and David Szalay for his newest novel, “Flesh.” The ‘Service95 Book Club’ has chosen the book as its next monthly read. The event was in partnership with Spotify and the NYPL.
300 fans, press, influencers, and literary figures filled The Edna Barnes Salomon Room at the NYPL. The hour long conversation brought smiles, laughs, and curiosity from the audience. The live recording will be available on Spotify in early October as a video and audio format.
“At Spotify, we’re on a mission to build the ultimate experience that delivers creativity to the world, and brings fans like you closer to your favorite artists and the books that you love,” said Dusty Jenkins, Spotify’s Chief Public Affairs Officer.
Jenkins joined the conversation and asked questions submitted by fans. The audience engaged with Dua and Szalay and learned about their experience as a reader and with books. “My love of literature started when I was little,” Dua said. “My mom would take me to the bookshop or the park, and I would spend the whole day reading. I connected with different stories, and I’ve loved books from that point on.”
Dua Lipa, David Szalay, and Dusty Jenkins for ‘Service95 Book Club’ event.
After the event, Szalay signed copies of his book and engaged with the attendees. During his conversation with Dua, the author talked about the process of his story, the characters, and his inspiration. “It’s one of the things that I’m most proud of with the book … it quite accurately portrays the way people change and the ways we stay the same,” he explained about the character development in the story.
The ‘Service 95 Book Club’ event was in partnership with Spotify and the NYPL.