After weeks of teasing new music, Dua Lipa has finally unveiled her latest single, “Houdini.”
The new track seems to be just a glimpse of her forthcoming album, which will reportedly arrive at some point in 2024.
“Houdini” is a disco-tinged dance-pop song reminiscent of the music propelling Lipa from a rising artist to a superstar. It’s in line with the style of her recent critically acclaimed and commercially massive album, Future Nostalgia.
It’s the kind of production crafted from the ground up to get stuck in your head and get the masses singing along, and it’s sure to do just that.
While certainly not unwelcome, this direction doesn’t align with her earlier statements about her next musical chapter. In a previous interview, the Grammy winner hinted that the psychedelic sounds of the 1970s would influence her third full-length album.
While “Houdini” has moments that suggest such an influence, it largely follows the successful formula that has worked well for the star. Perhaps there’s more of that coming on the full-length?
Released on a Thursday, Nov. 9, “Houdini” was heavily promoted by Lipa, her label, and various music platforms the following day, which is common for new music releases and promotions.
The song comes with a music video, offering a stripped-down visual that features Lipa dancing in a mirrored studio. It’s a simple yet captivating video that showcases the singer’s dance skills, which have significantly improved throughout her career. The choreography, performed by a talented group, complements the song beautifully.
“Houdini” follows Dua Lipa’s previous single, “Dance The Night,” which was released in May as the lead track on the Barbie movie soundtrack. The catchy tune continued to explore the disco-pop sound that has made Lipa a chart-topping artist worldwide on Future Nostalgia.
Lipa’s immense popularity and the high anticipation for “Houdini” suggest that she may continue to prove herself as a consistent hitmaker, capable of delivering chart-topping songs and albums in the future. It should begin appearing on charts worldwide in about a week or so, when it may prove to be a quick win for the singer.
"I am a gay man, but I live in a queer space," says Rod Thomas, the artist better known as Bright Light Bright Light. "I identify as a gay man because I came out as gay and I sleep with men. But I definitely exist in what would be considered a queer music space."
That queer music space, in which he has been creating for over a decade, is all the better for his presence. A native of Wales who, for years, has called New York City his home, Thomas is a fixture on the scene, and even has a regular gig -- when he's not producing music -- DJing at Club Cumming, the nightspot co-owned by fellow LGBTQ luminary, actor Alan Cumming.
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