Illusion (song)

"Illusion" is a song by English-Albanian singer Dua Lipa. It was released through Warner Records on 11 April 2024, as the third single from her third studio album, Radical Optimism (2024). A dance song containing psychedelic and French house influences, it was written by Lipa along with Caroline Ailin, Tobias Jesso Jr., and its producers Danny L Harle and Kevin Parker. "Illusion" topped the US Dance/Electronic Songs chart and reached the top ten in the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Croatia, Honduras, and San Marino.

Background and release
In 2023, Dua Lipa announced that her third studio album would be releasing in 2024. She released the first single from the album, "Houdini", on 9 November 2023. She went on to release the second single, "Training Season", on 15 February 2024. On 13 March 2024, the singer announced the album, Radical Optimism, via an Instagram livestream; she confirmed its title, cover artwork and release date. The tracklist of the album was also revealed on the same day, with "Illusion" serving as the seventh track.

Lipa announced the release of "Illusion" as a single on 4 April 2024, via her social media accounts, along with its cover artwork and a 30-second snippet of the song. It was released on 11 April 2024, through Warner Records.

Critical reception
Julia Koscelnik of V praised the song, stating that it "stands out as perhaps one of Lipa’s best songs, showcasing the artist at her strongest". El Hunt of Evening Standard gave the song 3 out of 5 stars; she criticised the opening verse due to its "odd phrasing" but praised the chorus.

Commercial performance
"Illusion" debuted at number 9 on the UK Singles Chart on 19 April 2024, becoming the third consecutive top-ten single from Radical Optimism.

Music video
The accompanying music video for "Illusion" was released alongside the song. It was directed by Tanu Muino and filmed at the Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc in Barcelona. Vogue Adria compared the music video to that for "Slow" (2003) by Kylie Minogue. The video featured a climbing structure based on human towers, a tradition in Catalan culture.

Track listing

 * Digital download / streaming single
 * 1) "Illusion" – 3:08
 * 2) "Illusion" (extended) – 4:23
 * 3) "Illusion" (instrumental) – 3:07
 * 4) "Illusion" (acapella) – 3:08


 * Digital download / streaming single
 * 1) "Illusion" (London sessions) – 3:12


 * Digital download / streaming single
 * 1) "Illusion" (Regard remix) – 3:20


 * Digital download / streaming single
 * 1) "Illusion" (The Blaze remix) – 4:10


 * Cassette / CD single
 * 1) "Illusion" – 3:08


 * 7-inch single
 * 1) "Illusion" – 3:08
 * 2) "Illusion" (instrumental) – 3:07