Dua Lipa has teased her new single with a snippet of a song, a video showing a string of numbers and images of herself with a key in her mouth. But some fans received an extra clue that has allowed them to decipher the title of the new song.
Fans who signed up to receive updates at DuaLipa.com received a text on October 31 that reads, “4-8-9-9-14-15-21 If you’re good enough you’ll find a way. Love, 4-21-1.”
These numbers, also used in the Instagram video, are a code in which each number corresponds to a letter of the alphabet, so 4-21-1 becomes Dua. The other numbers give you “DHIINOU,” which a fan on Reddit has pointed out spells “HOUDINI” when you unscramble it.
A major clue that “HOUDINI” is, in fact, the title of the single can be found in the images of Dua with a key in her mouth. When legendary magician Harry Houdini performed his death-defying escapes, he’d kiss his wife goodbye as part of the performance, in case he didn’t make it.
But what the audience didn’t know is that, reportedly, Bess Houdini would have a key in her mouth and pass it to her husband, who’d then use it to unlock whatever handcuffs or chains he was wrapped in.
Another clue for the song title? All this was posted on October 31, the anniversary of Houdini’s death in 1926.
Also of interest: On Friday, Kate Bush will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. On the cover of her 1982 album The Dreaming, Kate poses as Bess Houdini with a key in her mouth. There’s a song on that album called “Houdini.” Coincidence? Maybe not. Stay tuned.
Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.