Houdini

"**Houdini**" is a song by English-Albanian singer Dua Lipa. It was released on November 10, 2023 as the lead single from Lipa's upcoming third studio album.

## Background

Earlier in 2023, Lipa announced her upcoming third studio album would be released sometime in 2024 with a new sound that sees her moving away from the disco sound of *Future Nostalgia* (2020), embracing more of 1970s-era psychedelia. After having deleted all of her Instagram posts in October 2023, Lipa posted a picture of herself with red hair captioned "miss me?". On 27 October, she shared a close-up picture of a key between her teeth, accompanied by the phrase "catch me or I go". In anticipation of the song, Lipa replaced the cover art of her previous albums with kaleidoscopic versions on streaming services.

On October 31, 2023, the official SMS/Whatsapp service was launched, enabling Dua Lipa HQ to directly communicate with fans who had registered on her website, providing them with updates and snippets of the upcoming single's rollout.

Dua Lipa shared a song snippet on October 31, 2023, along with the code "4-8-9-9-14-15-21". The following day, the single's cover art was unveiled, and deciphering the code by substituting the corresponding letters of the English alphabet and rearranging them revealed the title of the single as "Houdini". This choice aligned with the promotional theme of "keys," paying homage to the renowned Hungarian magician/illusionist Harry Houdini, known for his escape artistry.

On November 4, 2023, Lipa provided a snippet to those who had subscribed for updates on her website, followed by another snippet on her social media two days later. Unfortunately, the full song leaked online just two days before its official release. By November 14, 2023, an official "Houdini (Instrumental)" surfaced online but was swiftly removed for undisclosed reasons. Subsequently, on December 1, 2023, an official "Houdini (Extended Edit)" version was released, featuring a new single cover.

## Promotion

On November 6, 2023, the unexpected revelation of three launch events for the single was made, scheduled for November 9th in London, November 14th in Los Angeles, and November 20th in Tokyo. Fans in the UK could participate in a competition for two tickets to the London event by sending an SMS/Whatsapp message to Dua Lipa HQ with the phrase "Catch me or I go...," while EU fans were required to text "I'm not here for long...".

## Critical reception

Houdini was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. Helen Brown from *The Independent* gave the song five out of five stars, mentioning that although "there's some daftness in the lyrics, (...) pop is no place for pedantry —especially not when it comes to a singer whose lockdown hit, 'Levitating', saw her laughing in the face of gravity".

Rhian Daly from *NME* gave the song four out of five stars, writing that "while she might be switching up her sonic palette, there's one thing you can rely on Dua to be consistent with —giving us confidence-filled bops that help us unlock the best versions of ourselves, even if just for three minutes".

Betsy Reed from *The Guardian* also gave the song four out of five stars, stating that "it's ferociously catchy without being bludgeoning, and does a more convincing job of combining her appreciation for vintage sonics with diamond-tooled pop songwriting than *Future Nostalgia* did. For Lipa, being a pop star clearly is still the main event, and 'Houdini' suggests no threat to her dominance".

Writing for *Clash*, Robin Murray said that the song is "Dua Lipa doing what she does best —a gleaming, sun-drenched pop star who yearns to dominate huge spaces." Writing for *Pitchfork*, Shaad D'Souza mentioned that the song "doesn't reinvent the wheel: Lipa taunts a man into proving he deserves her attention, squarely in the brazen, invulnerable *Future Nostalgia* mode. But production from Kevin Parker and Danny L Harle provides some of the drive and loony spark that was missing from Lipa's club tracks thus far".

## Lyrics

* Standard
* Extended Edit

**[Intro]**

Okay, [instrumental]

**[Verse]**

I come and I go

Tell me all the ways you need me

I'm not here for long

Catch me or I go, Houdini

I come and I go

Prove you got the right to please me

Everybody knows

Catch me or I go, Houdini

**[Verse]**

Time is passing like a solar eclipse

See you watching and you blow me a kiss

It's your moment baby don't let it slip

Come in closer are you reading my lips

**[Chorus]**

They say I come and I go

Tell me all the ways you need me

I'm not here for long

Catch me or I go, Houdini

I come and I go

Prove you got the right to please me

Everybody knows

Catch me or I go, Houdini

**[Verse]**

If you're a good enough you'll find a way

Maybe you could cause a girl to change

Do you think about it night and day

Maybe you can be the one to make me stay

**[Verse]**

Everything you say it sounded so sweet

But do you practice everything that you preach

I need something that'll make me believe

If you got it baby, give it to me

**[Chorus]**

They say I come and I go

Tell me all the ways you need me

I'm not here for long

Catch me or I go, Houdini

I come and I go

Prove you got the right to please me

Everybody knows

Catch me or I go, Houdini

**[Verse]**

If you're a good enough you'll find a way

Maybe you could cause a girl to change

Do you think about it night and day

Maybe you can be the one to make me stay

**[Chorus]**

Oooh, oh

I come and go

Tell me all the ways you need me

I'm not here for long

Catch me or I go, Houdini

I come and I go

Prove you got the point to please me

Everybody knows

Catch me or I go, Houdini

**[Instrumental break]**

**[Outro]**

Houdini

Catch me or I go, Houdini

**[Intro]**

(Mmm)

(Mmm)

**[Chorus]**

I come and I go

Tell me all the ways you need me

I'm not here for long

Catch me or I go Houdini

I come and I go

Prove you got the right to please me

Everybody knows

Catch me or I go Houdini

**[Verse 1]**

Time is passin' like a solar eclipse

See you watchin' and you blow me a kiss

It's your moment, baby, don't let it slip

Come in closer, are you readin' my lips?

**[Chorus]**

They say I come and I go

Tell me all the ways you need me

I'm not here for long

Catch me or I go Houdini

I come and I go

Prove you got the right to please me

Everybody knows

Catch me or I go Houdini

**[Post-Chorus]**

If you're good enough, you'll find the way

Maybe you could cause a girl to change her ways

Do you think about it night and day?

Maybe you could be the one to make me stay

**[Verse 2]**

Everything you say is soundin' so sweet (Ah-ah)

But do you practise everythin' that you preach? (Ah-ah)

I need something that'll make me believe (Ah-ah)

If you got it, baby, give it to me

**[Verse 3]**

Weave the ceiling from tomorrow

Free the people from daylights

All the plans go out the window

When we're out this late at night

**[Chorus]**

They say I come and I go

Tell me all the ways you need me

I'm not here for long

Catch me or I go Houdini

I come and I go (I come and I go)

Prove you got the right to please me

Everybody knows (I'm not here for long)

Catch me or I go Houdini

**[Post-Chorus]**

If you're good enough, you'll find the way

Maybe you could cause a girl to change her ways

Do you think about it night and day?

Maybe you could be the one to make me stay

**[Bridge]**

Oh-oh

Ooh

Time is passin' like a solar eclipse

See you watchin' and you blow me a kiss

It's your moment, baby, don't let it slip

Come in closer, are you readin' my lips?

They say

Ooh

**[Chorus]**

I come and I go

Tell me all the ways you need me (Ooh)

I'm not here for long

Catch me or I go Houdini

I come and I go (I come and I go)

Prove you got the right to please me

Everybody knows (I'm not here for long)

Catch me or I go Houdini

**[Verse 4]**

Weave the ceiling from tomorrow

Free the people from daylights

All the plans go out the window

When we're out this late at night

**[Chorus]**

They say I come and I go

Tell me all the ways you need me

I'm not here for long

Catch me or I go Houdini

I come and I go (I come and I go)

Prove you got the right to please me

Everybody knows (I'm not here for long)

Catch me or I go Houdini

**[Outro]**

Houdini

Houdini

Houdini

Catch me or I go Houdini

## Music video

The music video for "Houdini" was directed by Manu Cossu and released alongside the song. It is set in a dance studio, where a redheaded Lipa performs a choreography with a group of redheaded male dancers.

Dua Lipa - Houdini (Official Music Video)
## Track listing

1. "Houdini" – 3:05
* **Digital download – extended edit**
1. "Houdini" (extended edit) – 5:53
* **Streaming – extended edit**
1. "Houdini" (extended edit) – 5:53
2. "Houdini" – 3:05
* **Digital download – Adam Port mix**
1. "Houdini" (Adam Port mix) – 3:22
* **Streaming – Adam Port mix**
1. "Houdini" (Adam Port mix) – 3:22
2. "Houdini" – 3:05
3. "Houdini" (extended edit) – 5:53
* **7-inch single**
1. "Houdini"
2. "Houdini" (instrumental)
1. "Houdini" (London sessions) – 3:02
* **Streaming – London sessions**
1. "Houdini" (London sessions) – 3:02
2. "Houdini" – 3:05
3. "Houdini" (Adam Port mix) – 3:22
4. "Houdini" (extended edit) – 5:53
* **Digital download – Danny L Harle slowride mix**
1. "Houdini" (Danny L Harle slowride mix) – 3:05
* **Streaming – Danny L Harle slowride mix**
1. "Houdini" (Danny L Harle slowride mix) – 3:05
2. "Houdini" (London sessions) – 3:02
3. "Houdini" – 3:05
4. "Houdini" (Adam Port mix) – 3:22
5. "Houdini" (extended edit) – 5:53

### Cover art

CD artworkExtended Edit artworkAdam Port Mix artworkLondon Sessions artworkDanny L Harle "Slowride" Mix artwork
## Trivia

* The physical releases were shipped at oddly staggered dates.
	+ The UK and Irish CDs and cassettes were shipped on November 10, 2023; EU and Australian orders shipped on December 29, 2023; Canadian orders shipped on January 12, 2024; and USA orders shipped the latest on February 23, 2024.
		- This dating for USA orders led many to speculate whether *DL3* was set to release in late-February or early-March 2024.

* "Houdini" promotional imagery and video teasers emphasised a key in Lipa's mouth.
	+ After the single name was revealed, this became clear as famed Hungarian magician/illusionist Harry Houdini was an escape artist, and his wife would secretly pass him keys with a kiss so he could use them to escape.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Dua Lipa Shares Cryptic Video Teasing New Music: ‘Tell Me All The Ways You Need Me’" - *Billboard.*
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Is Dua Lipa pulling a magic trick with her new single?" - *KS95 94.5.*
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Harry Houdini - *Wikipedia*.
4. ↑ Dua Lipa on Instagram: "I’m putting on three surprise launch events for Houdini in London, Los Angeles and Tokyo." - *Instagram.*
5. ↑ Warner Connect Live - *WMG*.