It was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2021 Brit Awards and appeared on numerous 2020 year-end lists, including ones published by Billboard, The Guardian and NME. Critics viewed the high energy of the song and Lipa's vocals as uniquely reinterpreting the 1980s era. It was met with acclaim from music critics.
'Physical' was released through Warner Records for digital download and streaming as the album's second single on 30 January 2020. The lyrics describe the honeymoon phase of a relationship while showing themes of female empowerment and trusting one's instincts. Lipa uses a spoken word, belting and chanting vocal delivery, and quotes Olivia Newton-John's 1981 song of the same name. An uptempo dance-pop, power pop and synth-pop song, the song features a chugging synth bassline, drums and various percussion instruments. It was produced by Evigan and Koz, and stemmed from a Persian synth flute sample that was played by the former. and Sarah Hudson, taking inspiration from 1980s music and the 1983 film Flashdance. Lipa wrote the song with Jason Evigan, Clarence Coffee Jr. ' Physical' is a song by English singer Dua Lipa from her second studio album, Future Nostalgia (2020).
