5. Whatcha Doing

Average: 7.7

 

 

The video thumbnail

 

“Whatcha Doing” is a groovy pop song with funk and disco elements. Written by Lipa along with Caroline Ailin, Parker, and Harle, the lyrics delve into the tumult of entering a new relationship that challenges one’s sense of control and self. It captures the emotional whirlwind of feeling both terrified and exhilarated by the possibility of change, wrapped in a catchy melody that’s both reflective and danceable.

 

Highest score: 11 (... ready for it?)

Lowest score: 5 (Scene & dandy*)

4. These Walls

Average: 7.82

 

 

“These Walls” was pushed as the focus track on streaming playlists during album release week and as a result charted in the top 40 in the UK and Norway. I recall this being described as similar to Gwen Stefani's “Cool” in a Rolling Stone write-up back when Radical Optimism was being hyped as a Britpop psychedelic record. Dua gave a great performance of the song at Glastonbury.

 

It is the only song labeled as explicit on the album and has over 68 million streams on Spotify to-date. Dua said she got the idea of the track from being able to feel the energy of two people who have been arguing when you walk into a room. "Rooms capture things and they hold on to things", she said. "I think this song is a really good example of addressing the inevitable, it's that conversation that no one really wants to have, but you have to do it". Slant Magazine called the track "the most serenely devastating break-up song in recent memory".

 

Highest score: 10 (...ready for it & neill2407)

Lowest score: 5 (blacksquare & dandy*)

Shame that 'Maria' didn't make the top 5 as it's easily my favourite Radical Optimism album track :wub:

 

'Whatcha Doing' is probably my biggest grower from the album as I didn't care for it at all on first listen, but now it randomly gets stuck in my head from time to time. I'm not huge on 'These Walls' but Glastonbury did help it come to life a bit more.

I'm expecting:

 

1. Houdini

2. Training Season

3. Illusion

 

Basically the order of singles release. :lol: Would love Training Season to pull off a shock win though!

3. Illusion

Average: 8.7

 

 

The album's 3rd single “Illusion” comfortably finishes in 3rd, nearly a full number ahead of “These Walls”. The song became Dua's 16th UK top 10 hit and has over 197 million Spotify streams. The dance-pop banger with French house influences embodies the sound of summer.

 

On “Illusion”, Dua Lipa rejects falling for an “illusion”, a personality façade created by someone trying to deceive her, despite being able to see through this, she is choosing to see the situation as amusing. The music video was filmed at the Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc in Barcelona, which hosted diving and water polo events at the 1992 Summer Olympics. Lipa revealed that “Illusion” was the first song written for Radical Optimism. A lot of fans begrudge this single release for dragging on for months and its expensive physicals. It was promoted with 6 different remixes.

 

Highest score: 11 (Josh!), 10 (Juranamo, Nick F1, Ansel, Addy!, Mack, JulianNial)

Lowest score: 6 (Botchia)

2. Training Season

Average: 9.36

 

 

Debuted live at the Grammys, the album's 2nd single “Training Season” finishes in the runner up position. The song has over 412 million streams on Spotify and charted at number 4 in the UK and in the top 10 in Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands and New Zealand.

 

The Eurodisco-style track with its harmonies and piano lines is reminiscent of music by the girl group ABBA. It has a relentless, wordy chorus and a sonic palette of synths, organic basslines, and guitar flourishes. The lyrics are about Dua Lipa's demands from romantic partners as she chides bad dates and underscores her self-worth. Many fans criticized the music video for being boring. It shows Dua Lipa drinking a coffee in a café while a group of guys stare at her through the window. This video concept was later copied by the Russian pop singer Klava Coca.

 

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Highest score: 11 (Juranamo, Nick F1, Ansel, Jade, Juan Carlos), 10 (Scene, dandy*, k👠th, neil2407, Botchia, Addy!, Nina West, ...ready for it, Mack, -Jay-)

 

Lowest score: 6 (Ryan FM, vibe)

Robbed!

 

girl group ABBA

 

Umm… :kink:

:winner: 1. Houdini

Average: 10.02

 

 

The song that kicked Radical Optimism off in style saw Dua debut red hair for this new era with a choreography focused music video which won Best Choreography at this year's MTV VMAs. “Houdini” became an instant Dua classic and was released to critical acclaim and adoration from the little lipas. It took the familiar Dua sound and made it more quirky, more sweaty with its slightly psychedelic elements and guitar riff outro. It was also effortlessly catchy and relatable with the ghosting theme. The song started going viral on TikTok just days before all of Dua's music got removed from the platform amid a disagreement between Universal Music and TikTok over how much the app should pay artists.

 

“Houdini” has over 648 streams on Spotify. It reached number one in Belgium, and number two in the UK, being held off the top spot by Jack Harlow's viral “Lovin On Me”. The song also charted in the top 10 in dozens of countries across the world, but fell just short in the US where it entered at number 11.

 

Out of the 25 people that rated, “Houdini” received an impressive 8x 11s and 13x 10s, giving it an average of just over 10 :clap: In fact, only 2 people gave the song a score of lower than a 9.

 

Highest score: 11 (Qween, Jessie Where, k👠th, Botchia, Addy!, Mack, -Jay-, JulianNial), 10 (Juranamo, blacksquare, Y'all Starlight, Nick F1, Ansel, Josh!, Nina West, Jade, Juan Carlos, RyanFM, vibe, conorw)

 

Lowest score: 7 (...ready for it)

 

1. “Houdini” - 10.02

2. “Training Season” - 9.36

3. “Illusion” - 8.7

4. “These Walls” - 7.82

5. “Whatcha Doing” - 7.7

6. “Maria” - 7.62

7. “End Of An Era” - 7.54

8. “Falling Forever” - 7.4

9. “Happy For You” - 6.82

10. “French Exit” - 6.76

11. “Anything For Love” - 4.98

:winner: 1. Houdini

Average: 10.02

 

It took the familiar Dua sound and made it more quirky, more sweaty with its slightly psychedelic elements and guitar riff outro.

 

What a song *.*

 

Yes @ this description. I like to live in a fantasy universe where 'Houdini' was an actual reflection of the album and not an outlier

 

 

I still can't get enough of 'Houdini', it is actually quite a unique song and I think probably my favourite Dua track now.

Umm… :kink:

This is a BuzzJack meme :kink:

 

The results are more or less in line with my rate scores. My rank is:

 

My rate score / (Position in BuzzJack Rate)

11.0 - Houdini (1st)

10.0 - Training Season (2nd)

09.5 - These Walls (4th)

08.0 - Illusion (3rd)

08.0 - Whatcha Doing (5th)

07.5 - Maria (6th)

07.5 - End of an Era (7th)

07.0 - Happy for You (9th)

07.0 - Falling Forever (8th)

06.5 - French Exit (10th)

04.0 - Anything for Love (11th)

 

Thank you for hosting, kath!