Alessia Bisini
Dua Lipa‘s new single Houdini marks a fresh start for the British vocalist. This trippy dance-pop track with an infectious beat follows her immensely successful album Future Nostalgia (2020).
Houdini tells a story of reviving female self-reliance. The tune captures the sensation that hits you at 4 a.m. when the night is nearly over, and you’re soaked in sweat from hours of dancing, but you’re not yet ready to call it quits.
For Lipa, the song symbolises the freeing and mischievous aspects of her life as a single woman. “It’s a playful tune that gets you pondering if investing feelings in someone is worthwhile or if it will end in remorse,” she told Earone.
“You never know where this emotion will lead you; that’s why it’s beautiful to accept whatever life brings with enthusiasm. I’m excited to share this feeling with my fans,” she added.
Lipa penned Houdini with creative input from Norwegian singer-songwriter Caroline Ailin, Danny Harle, Tobias Jesso Jr. and Kevin Parker of Tame Impala. They were instrumental in the project’s development, with Parker and Harle also handling production.
Paying Homage to Harry Houdini
Lipa’s lyrics honour the daring American-Hungarian performer and magician Harry Houdini.
On 31 October, the 28-year-old singer deleted all her previous posts from Instagram before sharing a teaser video full of hints about her new music. In the video, Lipa clapped a gold necklace with a key-shaped pendant between her teeth.
This gesture brings to mind one of Houdini’s most well-known stunts. He would allegedly retrieve the keys to his handcuffs by kissing his wife.
Following that, several seemingly random numbers flash on the screen: four, eight, nine, nine, 14, 15, and 21. Some of her fans began deciphering the mysterious numbers, and a few had deduced that the digits were code for the name Houdini.
“knowing when to stay and when to go, when to do, like Houdini.”
The British escape artist intended to recreate one of his most famous stunts by launching a series of cryptic messages in the social media world. During an exclusive interview with WECB Radio, Lipa explained: “The deeper meaning of the song is about knowing your worth, knowing when to stay and when to go, when to do, like Houdini.”
“Dua Lipa decided to take a cue from Kate Bush”
As well as paying homage to the unforgettable magician, Lipa decided to take a cue from Kate Bush, who appeared on the cover of her 1982 record The Dreaming with a key on her tongue as she was about to kiss a magician in chains.
What’s the future holding?
“I was freely and optimistically wandering through the world without any frets over the outcome”
The catchy song also offers a sneak peek into Lipa’s upcoming album set to release in 2024. “I wrote a considerable part of this album during my happiest moments of utter confusion. She revealed that I was freely and optimistically wandering through the world without any frets over the outcome.”
The British songwriter is now a renowned music star. She has won three Grammys and six BRIT Awards. Her 2020 album let her play with the 70s and 80s sounds and showed her talent for blending pop, synths and disco. In 2022, she was recognised among the top performers, with her Future Nostalgia World Tour being ranked among the best live exhibitions of the year by Variety and Billboard. What’s more, she has gathered over 38 billion plays worldwide and made history on Spotify as the woman singer with the two most listened-to albums ever.
Lipa’s popularity is not limited to her musical talent. She connects with fans through her wide range of interests on and off stage – her book club, Service95, has been particularly successful this year.
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Featured image courtesy of DeShaun Craddock via Flickr. No changes have been made to this image. Image licence found here.
Alessia Bisini
Alessia Bisini is a freelance writer and publicist based in Milan, Italy. Since 2014, her writing has been mainly focused on music, entertainment, and pop culture. She's also a gender equality advocate, especially in the music industry. Twice a month, she runs a newsletter called "Let's Go Girls!".