Dua Lipa is preparing fans for a new chapter of music: not only is she dropping a new single later this week, she’s also just announced three accompanying launch events, which will take place in London, Los Angeles and Tokyo.
“I’m putting on three surprise launch events for Houdini,” she said on X (formerly known as Twitter). “The first one’s going to be in my hometown, London, this Thursday!!! I’m going to be inviting down some of my fans from the UK and around Europe, so keep your eyes peeled.”
I’m putting on three surprise launch events for Houdini in London, Los Angeles and Tokyo. The first one’s going to be in my hometown, London, this Thursday!!! 🫀🫀🫀 I’m going to be inviting down some of my fans from the UK and around Europe, so keep your eyes peeled 🔐 pic.twitter.com/YQWZRVig5l
— DUA LIPA (@DUALIPA) November 6, 2023
Fans have been suitably excited by the news: “Thank you for changing my life,” said one fan via a meme on X. “Houdini in less than a week,” said another, next to a video of Kris Jenner dancing in the wind, obviously.
ONLY 3 DAYS LEFT UNTIL HOUDINI, WHO'S READY???? pic.twitter.com/0XStQ7aXtY
— magda || HOUDINI IS COMING (@thinkinboutdula) November 6, 2023
houdini in less than a week pic.twitter.com/hl8e3vIoDk
— fab 🚀 IS SEEING TAYLOR (@repnostalgia) November 5, 2023
The speculation around a new musical era for Dua Lipa first began when the 28-year old artist deleted all her Instagram posts and then shared a new five second video with her 88.6 million followers.
Made up of second-long snippets of her face – with zoom-ins on her lips and eyes – the focus of the clip is a tiny key on a chain which Lipa rests on her lips and then puts in her mouth.
“Tell me all the ways you need me,” sings Lipa. The video then ends by listing seven numbers: 4 8 9 9 14 15 21, which don’t seem to form a pattern or a mathematical sequence. Convert each number into its corresponding letter of the alphabet, though, and you’re left with DHIINOU – an anagram for Houdini, who famously loved unlocking things.
Adding further fuel to this particular fire, a notification popped up on Spotify shortly after, teasing a new Dua Lipa single, titled Houdini. Then on Wednesday Lipa confirmed everyone’s speculations: her new single Houdini will be released on Thursday, November 9.
So all signs point to the Albanian-Kosovan singer imminently launching into a whole new era of music, possibly with her next album involved.
Bolstering the case is the fact that Lipa recently dyed her hair red – a major departure from her signature black locks – which also indicates the start of a brand new musical era.
Plus, back in August it was announced that the award-winning singer was finishing up work on a new album, which at the time was set to have a 2024 release.
“You have no idea what the reaction is going to be once it’s out, so there’s this nervous feeling,” said Lipa to the New York Times in August, describing the creative process as “insular and exciting”.
She didn’t offer up many more clues about the forthcoming record, but revealed that it would be “more personal”. She also added that it would be pop to prevent her fans from having “a meltdown”.
Lipa’s last studio album, Future Nostalgia, was released in March 2020, went to number one in the UK, number three in the US, won Best Pop Vocal Album at the Grammys and was nominated for a Mercury Prize.
Her most recent release was Dance The Night, a heady pop single created for Greta Gerwig’s July 2022 blockbuster Barbie which went straight to number one in the UK.
