Los Angeles, Apr 29 (IANS): Singer Dua Lipa, who is known for belting out hits like "New Rules", "IDGAF" and "One Kiss", says pop artists, especially women have to work harder to be taken seriously in the industry.

Achieving the star status was not an easy ride for Lipa, who was speaking on the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast, reports aceshowbiz.com.

She said: "Artists in pop, especially women, have to work harder to be taken seriously. You have to work a lot harder for people to really believe that these are your lyrics, that this is your vision."

Citing an example from the title track of her second album "Future Nostalgia" as an example, the singer said she uses encouraging lyrics to help her feel more empowered.

"I know you ain't used to a female alpha," she used the line from the song as an example.

She said: "When I put lyrics like that into my record, and I perform them, I do feel more empowered and stronger, and yeah, I'm like, 'I am a female alpha,'. But it's also recognition that we are built on the backs of giants.

"There have been strong, influential women since I was very little in the music industry: Pink, Alicia Keys, Nelly Furtado, Madonna, Janet Jackson."

The 24-year-old singer said that she loves all of her songs."People go, 'Are you bored of singing the same song over and over again?' I'm not, because it's not really about me in that instance -- it's about the listeners," she said.