Dua Lipa has teased a new single ‘Houdini’ with a cryptic video message to fans on Instagram.
The pop singer posted a snippet of new music on her account, in which she can be heard singing, “Tell me all the ways you’ll need me”.
At the end of the snippet, a series of numbers flash up: 4 8 9 9 14 15 21. These numbers, when translated to their equivalent letters, can be re-arranged to form the name Houdini.
Today (October 31) also marks the anniversary of the day that the famous magician and escapologist died in 1926.
The abstract references to Houdini appear to continue, with Lipa being shown with a golden key necklace resting in her mouth. During his acts, one of Houdini’s methods of escape was to receive the key to his handcuffs by his wife passing it to him in their mouths as they kissed.
This imagery has form in pop music history: in 1982, Kate Bush’s album ‘The Dreaming’ had a cover that depicted the singer holding a key in her mouth, preparing to pass it onto somebody. That album also features a track called ‘Houdini’.
Dua Lipa has been teasing new music repeatedly in recent weeks. The singer shared another clip of music this week (October 29), also featuring her with a key in her mouth, and a caption reading, “I’m not here for long”. A previous teaser from two days earlier was captioned, “Catch me before I go”.
Earlier this month, fans predicted that a new era could be on the way from the ‘One Kiss’ singer after she wiped her Instagram profile and uploaded a new profile picture.
The singer’s highly anticipated follow-up to 2020’s ‘Future Nostalgia’ has been teased for a few years. In March last year, she told Elton John that the album was “50 per cent done”, before walking the statement back in December. “When I was speaking to Elton I really felt like I was halfway done,” she said.
In an interview with New York Times Magazine in August of this year, it was then revealed that the album will be released in 2024.
The same profile also appeared to suggest that Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker has worked on the album. When discussing the collaboration, the writer of the piece said it’s “a rumour [Lipa] all but confirms by denying.”
As for what fans can expect, artist said last year that her third album has “taken a complete turn”, adding: “The album is different – it’s still pop but it’s different sonically, and there’s more of a lyrical theme. If I told you the title, everything would make sense – but I think we’ll just have to wait.”
The singer’s Barbie collaborator Mark Ronson also revealed that he’s heard some of Lipa‘s new album, describing it as “incredible”.