The British-Albanian singer Dua Lipa has surprised her fans with an appearance in an iconic location of Barcelona for her latest music video
“Illusion” is the new song and music video with which Dua Lipa introduces the foundations of her new musical project. It sounds like a party and a dance floor and it’s clear Dua Lipa found her sound there. Festival and party type of music has become her personal brand and she embraced it once again here.
With this track, the London artist conquered the City of Barcelona. A maybe unknown location for outsiders. However, very well known for locals the swimming pools of Montjuic. It’s not surprising considering her dominance of music charts in recent years with songs like “Don’t Start Now” (2019), “Physical” (2020), “Levitating” (2021), or “Dance the Night” (2023). (Not to mistake this last one with “Dance the Night Away” by TWICE)
Dua Lipa is back with another dance anthem
“Illusion“ repeats the formula of psychedelic sounds that already proved to be so successful for Dua. This formula worked so well with “Houdini.” and it doing it again. The new music video is laden with symbolism: the contrast of black and white, her final redemption in red, and finally her ascent to the heavens in white beneath the Sagrada Familia. It signifies a maturation in emotional growth after a failed relationship, leaving behind red flags and toxicity for good. This topic is common in other songs by Dua Lipa. “New Rules” for example talks about very similar themes.
Dua Lipa navigates in the Picornell pool facilities located in Montjuic, a venue that was prominent during the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and subsequent Swimming World Championships. It’s a true gem situated in a privileged location that offers a stunning view of Barcelona’s skyline, including the Sagrada Familia.
The artist seems to have a special connection with Spain
Dua Lipa has been seen in the latest days walking through Madrid and Barcelona and it’s not the first time the singer has been seen in Spain. She has even posted pictures and videos on Instagram with quotes in Spanish and speaking the language.
The center’s facilities provide a modern, almost futuristic visual aesthetic where dance, music, swimming, diving, acrobatics, and choreography blend with the beauty of a unique landscape. Dua also used a similar Venue for “Houdini” almost looking like an industrial complex reconverted to a dance floor. It’s only a matter of time before “Radical Optimism” sees the light on May 3rd.
Her next album Radical Optimism is coming next month
If Dua Lipa is characterized by something, in addition to her talent for creating songs that automatically become global hits, it is for being seen in every place at every time like she teleports. One day she is on vacation in the Caribbean, the next day she is in Madrid and the following, suddenly and without telling anyone, she publishes a song that gets into your head in the blink of an eye.
The artist has shown us with her three albums that she works in silence and when everything is ready it comes to light, revolutionizing everything that comes her way. She is not the kind to make announcements very ahead of time. Afterwards, little by little she explains each of the steps she has taken until reaching that point, so on this occasion, it was not going to be different. A week after she shared the cover of “Radical Optimism” and having everyone theorizing a thousand different scenarios trying to give meaning to said peculiar cover, the artist has revealed the story behind this photograph. Perhaps, we can analyze it to see some of the themes of the album.
What can we expect from Radical Optimism?
In it we see the artist relaxing in the sea, while a shark approaches her. According to Dua Lipa, the meaning is “That feeling of chaos, danger and unexpected things that come around you and in the face of which you remain calm despite everything.” This is the premise that came to the artist’s mind after viewing photographs from that session, which is why she did not hesitate for a second to choose that as the cover that encompasses the 11 songs she will present on May 3.
The British singer wanted to capture the essence of youth, freedom and carefree fun. Letting things happen, whether good or bad, and without having the intention of changing them, but willing that they can change you. This radical optimism is the answer to the hardest thing to do today: staying positive, especially when everything around us tells us “This isn’t going to work” or “You’re not good enough.” These messages seem to be the main companions of the record Dua Lipa has worked on for so long.
Although one of the most commented factors in the strategy that Dua Lipa has followed for the release of this album has been the aesthetic disparity between each of the covers she has presented for “Houdini”, “Training Season” and the album itself. However, the moment the album drops we might see the connection between everything. Maybe, even look at a narration of an emotional trip between the various songs.
Guillermo Lorenzo Manzano
