Why do Liverpool fans sing 'One Kiss' by Dua Lipa? The story behind the new anthem for Jurgen Klopp's men

Author Photo
Dua Lipa performing at the 2018 Champions League final

Liverpool's cup finals have been accompanied by a very familiar soundtrack in recent seasons. 

This year's EFL Cup and FA Cup finals — both penalty-kick shootout wins over Chelsea — saw the Liverpool contingent croon through their customary 'You'll Never Walk Alone'. It will be no different at the UEFA Champions League final on May 28 against Real Madrid.

But the Gerry and the Pacemakers classic, which first appeared in the 1945 musical Carousel, has a modern-day rival when it comes to being considered Liverpool's anthem.

After Jurgen Klopp's men downed Chelsea at Wembley, players and fans joined together in an exuberant rendition of 'One Kiss' by Dua Lipa. And it wasn't the first time.

MORE: Where is the Champions League final 2022?

Why do Liverpool fans sing 'One Kiss' by Dua Lipa?

Fittingly, for a song about a single encounter being all it takes to fall in love, the Reds faithful were smitten after the 2018 Champions League final in Kyiv.

It was a night to forget on the field for Klopp and his players as a Gareth Bale-inspired Real Madrid ran out 3-1 winners, but fans lapped up Dua Lipa's opening ceremony performance at the NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium.

She opened with 'One Kiss', a collaboration with Calvin Harris that spent eight weeks at number one in the UK charts. A banner in the Liverpool end depicted former captain Steven Gerrard kissing the Champions League trophy, accompanied by one of the song's lyrics and Lipa's performance went down a storm.

"I had never played a show of that size before," she told Liverpool's official website in a 2020 interview.

"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.

"I was so full of adrenaline it was over very quickly and I remember running off the pitch at the end with two of my tour dancers.

"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!

"I'm always extremely grateful for the support. It's heart-warming and I'm very lucky."

How many trophies have Liverpool won under Jurgen Klopp?

Despite the disappointment in Kyiv, Liverpool fans remained on the crest of a wave, convinced the Klopp era would bring back the good times.

In 2019, after amassing 97 points to finish as runners-up in the Premier League to Manchester City, they won the Champions League with a 2-0 final victory over Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid.

The following season, the Reds won their first English league title for 30 years, while also collecting the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

This season, they lifted the EFL Cup and FA Cup after penalty shootout wins over Chelsea and, each time, 'One Kiss' has been part of the celebrations.

At her arena show in Liverpool last month, Reds great Jamie Carragher presented her with a Liverpool shirt with 'Lipa 1' on the back.

Is Dua Lipa a Liverpool fan?

Despite this love-in, Lipa is not a dyed-in-the-wool Kopite. 

Her father and brother are Arsenal fans and, although she doesn't profess an affinity to any particular team, she concedes that family ties mean announcing herself as a Liverpool supporter would be somewhat unpopular.

MORE: How the 2022 FA Cup final was won and lost

"My dad and brother support Arsenal, and I think I would be getting in a lot of trouble if I said that I just support Liverpool," she told Wired last year.

Regardless, the Chelsea cup final defeats probably still went down very well in her Arsenal household. 

As Liverpool keep up their quadruple quest, more Dua Lipa viral moments could be on the horizon.

Author(s)
Dom Farrell Photo

Dom is the senior content producer for Sporting News UK.