“Exhale“ is an unreleased song by Dua Lipa which is an outtake from her second studio album "Future Nostalgia" (known originally at the time as "Glass House"), but was ultimately scrapped..
Background[]
It was recorded in 2019 and was produced by Ojivolta and The Monsters & Strangerz. It was released by Kenzie & Sia in 2020, for kenzie's album “EMOTIONS”. A snippet of the Dua's demo was leaked on January 11, 2024. A second snippet leaked on January 16, 2024. The song's length would later be revealed from a screenshot posted on the site Dbree alongside many other songs on the 27th, January 2025. The demo leaked in full on Feburary 16, 2025. A final version is known to exist that has not yet leaked.
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
Pressure buildin', put that on me
Time to finish what we started
Give me what I always wanted
Mirror, mirror, tell me something
[Pre-Chorus]
You been holdin' on and on for way too long
The beat is heated up, the bass go boom
(Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah)
You been workin' double time to catch your breath
The tempo speeded up but don't stop yet
(Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah)
[Chorus]
You need to, you need to exhale
Let all the shit go (Let it go, yeah)
Baby, you in control
You need to, you need to exhale
Let all the shit go (Let it go, yeah)
Baby, you in control
[Verse 2]
Don't stop, keep it goin'
Lights on, lights off, I'm still glowin'
Confidence I'm overdosin'
Voices tell me, "Keep your focus"
[Pre-Chorus]
You been holdin' on and on for way too long
The beat is heated up, the bass go boom
(Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah)
You been workin' double time to catch your breath
The tempo speeded up but don't stop yet
(Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah)
[Chorus]
You need to, you need to exhale
Let all the shit go (Let it go, yeah)
Baby, you in control
You need to, you need to exhale
Let all the shit go (Let it go, yeah)
Baby, you in control