Last month, Dua Lipa posted a teaser for her new single, “Houdini,” with a close-up of a gold key lodged between her teeth, accompanied by the caption “catch me or i go.” Internet sleuths were quick to point out that fellow Brit Kate Bush’s 1982 album The Dreaming features both a song of the same name and a cover photo of the recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee with a similar key in her mouth.
But that’s where the similarities will likely end. Lipa’s forthcoming third studio album is reportedly a move in a more ’70s-style psychedelic direction, and while “Houdini” is a bass-driven post-disco romp in the vein of past hits like “Physical,” it’s infused with subtle touches of neo-psychedelia courtesy of co-producer Kevin Parker, a.k.a. Tame Impala.
“Houdini” finds Lipa daring a suiter to try to tame her: “If you’re good enough, you’ll find a way/Maybe you could cause a girl to change her ways,” she quips. And the propulsive three-minute track, which was co-produced by Danny L Harle, is about as fleeting as the singer’s patience.
Punctuated by grinding, “Thriller”-esque synths, live drum fills, and ’80s-style pads a la the Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights,” the song builds toward a soaring instrumental outro featuring a wicked talkbox solo. It’s enough to make one wonder what other magic tricks Lipa and company have up their sleeves.
The unexpectedly simple music video for “Houdini” sees Lipa, sporting crimson red hair, rehearsing by herself in a dance studio before being joined by a harem of male dancers, all sporting similarly dyed locks. Lipa shows off her newly honed choreographic skills throughout the brief clip, crowd-surfing on—and being consumed by—a sea of men but, not surprisingly, ending up alone.
Watch “Houdini” below:
Lipa’s third album is due out via Warner Records in early 2024.
