In late 2023, the internet was ablaze with a specific string of text:
For the uninitiated, RO stands for Radical Optimism , Dua’s third studio album, which officially dropped in May 2024. However, the 12 months leading up to that release were a treasure hunt. Leaked studio snippets, low-quality LQ audio files, and cryptic Instagram story teasers became the holy grail for pop enthusiasts. But where did these snippets come from? Why are they so coveted? And what do they tell us about the album that could have been ?
Let’s dive deep into the vault. To understand the value of the 2023 unreleased snippets , we must rewind to the sonic landscape of 2023. Following the monumental success of Future Nostalgia (2020), Dua had a problem: How do you top the perfection of dance-pop? DUA LIPA RO Sessions Unreleased -snippet- 2023-...
But for the collectors, the remains the ultimate artifact. It is a reminder that behind the Vogue covers and the Grammy wins, Dua Lipa is a musician hunched over a microphone at 2 AM, chasing a vibe that just might disappear.
And if you search hard enough tonight, on the deep corners of SoundCloud or a random Google Drive link, you might just find the snippet. Just don't expect it to stay up for long. In late 2023, the internet was ablaze with
What did we hear? Unlike the polished single "Houdini" (released November 2023), this snippet was raw. It featured a heavier, distorted bassline reminiscent of early Primal Scream. Dua’s vocals were drenched in reverb, muttering a pre-chorus that didn’t make the final cut:
Did Dua record a longer, more complex version of "Houdini" and scrap it for the snappier TikTok version? The snippet suggests yes. Listen close to the 2023 file, and you hear Kevin Parker whispering a count-in that was ultimately cut. As of 2026, we likely will never see an official "RO Sessions" box set. Dua has moved on; she is touring the Radical Optimism tour with a tight, 90-minute setlist. She rarely discusses the scrapped material in interviews, usually laughing it off: "Some songs are just for the studio floor." But where did these snippets come from
Fans speculate that at least three full songs from these 2023 sessions were scrapped entirely. We know this because the snippet hints at a different album title. Some sleuths noticed that the metadata of the -snippet- file contained the words "Dark Optimism" before it was scrubbed. The most famous theory regarding the DUA LIPA RO Sessions Unreleased files is that they represent the "lost bridge" of "Houdini." When "Houdini" finally dropped, fans noticed that the second verse was shorter than expected. The 2023 snippet contains a lyrical run that fits perfectly into that missing gap.