Dua Lipa has hit out at the discourse and media coverage around the Epstein files, saying that it is “doing such a disservice to all the victims”.
The ‘Radical Optimism’ pop star brought up the late billionaire and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on the latest episode of her book club podcast, Service 95. She was speaking to author Roxane Gay about her book Bad Feminist.
Lipa discussed what she believed to be a lack of consideration for the victims named in the Epstein files, as many of these were underage.
“The way that the crimes have been reported, and the language that’s been used, has been doing such a disservice to all the victims,” she said.
“I keep thinking about all the stories that talk about the underage girls and the sex parties, rather than writing about the victims that were children who were trafficked.”
Lipa continued: “It’s putting everything under some kind of veil to protect – I don’t know who, [maybe] the reader – or trying to mask what is happening.”
Epstein was arrested in July 2019 for sex trafficking, and was found dead in his jail cell the following month while awaiting trial. Authorities later determined that he had hanged himself. He had pleaded not guilty.
He had previously spent 13 months in prison for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
The conversation around the January publication of the files relating to Epstein’s crimes has largely been focused on the celebrity figures who were associated with him and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving 20 years in prison.
Those named in the files include President Donald Trump, former POTUS Bill Clinton, Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew). They have all denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.
The millions of new documents relating to Epstein included 2,000 videos and approximately 180,000 images. The release is the latest in a slew of material released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a law intended to reveal information collected during two decades of investigations involving the late convicted paedophile.
In other news, talent agency Wasserman Agency has rebranded as The Team after its founder and former CEO, Casey Wasserman, was named in the latest Epstein files. Wasserman is currently selling his namesake company amid the escalating fallout.
Wasserman had previously said he “deeply regrets” the emails from 2003 between him and Ghislaine Maxwell. He claimed that they had been sent “long before her horrific crimes came to light”.
Numerous acts subsequently severed ties with Wasserman Agency, including Chappell Roan, Water From Your Eyes and Wednesday. Later, the likes of Weyes Blood, Orville Peck and Chelsea Cutler followed suit.
Dua Lipa has spoken out in the past about political issues, including the “Israeli genocide” in 2024. At the time, the singer said she was “willing” to “be met with a backlash” over her stance.
“When I speak about things that are political, I double-, triple-check myself to be: ‘OK, this is about something that is way bigger than me, and it’s necessary – and that’s the only reason I’m posting it’. That is my only solace in doing that,” she explained.
“[Speaking up is] a natural inclination for me, given my background and heritage, and that my very existence is somewhat political – it’s not something that is out of the ordinary for me to be feeling close to.”