Dua Lipa is back with an exciting new collaboration, teaming up with Belgian artist Pierre de Maere for her latest single, “These Walls.” As part of her upcoming album Radical Optimism, the track delves into themes of love and loss, adding a layered depth to her already diverse catalog. Known for constantly pushing her musical boundaries, Dua continues this trend with “These Walls,” showcasing her willingness to explore both new sounds and international collaborations.
The track itself is a unique fusion of acoustic and electronic elements, featuring a mix of instruments including acoustic and electric guitar, piano, synthesizers, drums, and even thumb piano. This textured soundscape underscores the song’s emotional lyrics, where Dua and Pierre reflect on the end of a relationship. In the chorus, Dua sings, “If these walls could talk / (They’d say) ‘Enough’ / (They’d say) ‘Give up,’” capturing a sense of inevitable heartbreak. Pierre de Maere’s lines in French echo her sentiment, adding a poetic layer in the language of love that deepens the song’s impact.
For Dua, “These Walls” marks another chapter in her journey of creative evolution, while for de Maere, it’s an opportunity to reach a broader audience through his work with a global pop icon. The song’s original version appears on Radical Optimism, an album that explores complex emotions within the framework of positive growth. Despite the bittersweet theme of “These Walls,” the song aligns with the album’s larger message—sometimes facing painful truths is necessary before one can find optimism for the future.
Fans can check out the lyric video for “These Walls” and get a taste of the new creative direction Dua is heading in. With the Radical Optimism tour underway in Oceania and Asia, and her recent viral Tiny Desk Concert performance, Dua Lipa continues to captivate audiences around the world.