Dua Lipa’s “Houdini” Is a Pop Masterclass—With a Slick, Stylish Video to Match

Naturally, given Lipa’s sharp eye for style—the past year even saw her design her own capsule collection for Versace—the accompanying music video is a sleek vision of where her sartorial instincts are heading next. Directed by Manu Cossu with cinematographer André Chemetoff, it begins in the stark environs of a studio sound stage with mirrors along the wall, where Lipa starts to throw shapes with wild abandon, her freshly dyed red hair swinging across her face. (It’s hard not to be reminded of Madonna’s iconic “Hung Up” video; Lipa always knows how to nail a reference.)

Styled by her long-time collaborator Lorenzo Posocco, Lipa wears a Dion Lee fishnet corset top, navy Martine Rose track pants, and Puma sneakers—capturing the spirit of late-night hedonism she expressed in a release explaining the story behind the song. “This track represents the most light and freeing parts of my singledom,” she says. “[It’s] very tongue in cheek, exploring the idea of whether someone is really worth my while or if I’ll ghost them in the end. You never know where something may take you, that’s the beauty of being open to whatever life throws your way.” Lipa then goes on to stalk her way past the mirrors before a crew of dancers appears with the flash of a strobe light, and then lifts her up in a bacchanalian frenzy; finally, as the song reaches its epic conclusion, she’s left alone in the studio catching her breath.

It all serves as proof—if you really needed it—that Lipa is a pop powerhouse even without all the bells and whistles of a big-budget, overblown backdrop of a music video. With just one outfit, a handful of dancers, and an absolute banger of a track behind her, Dua Lipa has thrillingly, and self-assuredly, returned to the spotlight.