Video: Dua Lipa Drops New Single 'Illusion' From Forthcoming Album

3x GRAMMY and 7x BRIT Award-winning global pop powerhouse Dua Lipa has just released the single “Illusion” from her highly-anticipated forthcoming album, Radical Optimism, due out May 3rd.

In a statement, Dua said this about the song:

“‘Illusion’ was the first song Caroline, Danny, Tobias, Kevin and I worked on together, and it really broke the ice for the record. It’s about knowing what you’re getting yourself into, but staying for the hell of it. The joke’s on them, it’s the fun of playing someone at their own game because ultimately you won’t fall for an illusion.”

Directed by Tanu Muino, the music video for “Illusion” features Dua alongside dancers, high divers, and synchronized swimmers at the Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc in Barcelona, Spain. The video culminates with Dua climbing a castell-inspired tower, a reference to the infamous Catalonian tradition. The iconic pool served as the location for the “Slow” music video from one of Dua’s favorite pop idols Kylie Minogue.

“Illusion” was co-written by Lipa, alongside album collaborators Caroline Ailin, Danny L. Harle, Tobias Jesso Jr. and Kevin Parker, and was co-produced by Harle and Parker. The thumping, rave up track follows “Training Season” and “Houdini” taken from Dua’s upcoming album Radical Optimism.

Dua recently announced the first run of tour dates in support of Radical Optimism with shows in Berlin, Pula and Nimes taking place in June, which sold out immediately. In addition, Dua will play a show at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall on October 17th. Tickets will go on sale to the public here on Friday, April 12th at 10am local.

Inspired by Dua’s own self-discovery, Radical Optimism is an album that taps into the pure joy and happiness of having clarity in situations that once seemed impossible to face. The hard goodbyes and vulnerable beginnings that previously threatened to crush your soul, become milestones as you choose optimism and start to move with grace through the chaos. Radical Optimism transports its listener to a dreamy pop world rich in musicality, lyrically unapologetic and sonically liberating.

Rolling Stone has called the album “pop bliss,” while noting it is “uniquely and utterly Dua Lipa: confident dance pop full of witty Instagram-caption-ready one-liners.”

About Dua Lipa

3x GRAMMY and 7x BRIT Award-winning global pop powerhouse Dua Lipa has announced her highly anticipated third album Radical Optimism will be released May 3rd. The album features the recently released “Illusion,” “Training Season” and the euphoric club-ready track “Houdini,” which has become Dua’s longest running solo No. 1 on the UK Airplay charts and drew in over 12 million YouTube views within 24 hours of release. “Houdini” garnered immediate praise across the board from the likes of Billboard and Rolling Stone, who lauded the track as “a neo-psychedelic dance-floor rager," to Pitchfork and Vogue, who called it “a pop masterclass.” “Houdini” followed Dua’s hit song "Dance The Night" from the box office sensation Barbie, which landed on the Oscars shortlist and earned nominations at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards and the GRAMMYs.

Dua's certified platinum sophomore album Future Nostalgia solidified her position as both a critical success and top radio performer. The GRAMMY-nominated record was the longest running top 10 album by a female artist on the Billboard 200 in 2021, and spawned multiple worldwide hit singles, with “Levitating” earning certified diamond status and the title of Billboard’s No. 1 Hot 100 Song of 2021.

Dua has found superstar status on stage and off, thanks to her many passions outside of music. 2022 saw Dua launch Service95, a global style, culture and society editorial platform that now comprises a weekly newsletter, the Service95 book club and the Dua Lipa: At Your Service podcast, which has been lauded by The Sunday Times and The Guardian, and was named one of the Best Podcasts of 2022 by Spotify. Having graced every major fashion magazine worldwide from Vogue and Elle to W and Dazed, Dua added "designer" to her resume in 2023 when she co-designed Versace's "La Vacanza" collection alongside Donatella Versace herself, which Vogue deemed "the hottest collaboration of the summer."

Dua’s eponymous 2017 debut album is certified platinum, spawned six platinum tracks, and made her the first female artist in BRIT Awards history to pick up five nominations in a single year. Dua has a total of 10 GRAMMY nominations, with three wins for Best Pop Vocal Album, Best New Artist and Best Dance Recording. Across platforms globally, she has amassed over 38 billion streams and holds the record for having the top two most streamed albums by a female artist of all time on Spotify.

Photo Credit: Tyrone Lebon

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