Dua Lipa mourns the death of Duolingo owl

Singer Dua Lipa has responded to the supposed "death" of Duo, the green cartoon owl that serves as Duolingo’s mascot, after the language-learning app announced his passing in a playful social media post.

On Tuesday, Duolingo shared a statement online claiming Duo had died, humorously adding that "authorities are currently investigating his cause of death." The post concluded with a request for privacy on behalf of Lipa, stating, "We appreciate you respecting Dua Lipa’s privacy at this time."

Lipa joined in on the playful exchange by resharing the post on X (formerly Twitter) and commenting, “Til’ death duo part” with a broken heart emoji. She also left the same remark on Duolingo’s Instagram post about the fictional loss.

Duolingo’s connection to Lipa stems from a longstanding joke within the company's branding. A spokesperson for Duolingo told Entertainment Weekly that over time, the app had built a narrative in which Duo was romantically interested in Lipa, even staging a mock proposal outside her concert at Madison Square Garden.

While some speculated that the exchange might be part of a coordinated marketing campaign, Duolingo clarified that Lipa’s reaction was not a paid endorsement. “We’re just as shocked (and honored) as anyone that she’s acknowledged his tragic fate,” the spokesperson added.

Lipa wasn’t the only celebrity reacting to Duo’s fictional demise. Singer Joe Jonas commented “WTF” under Duolingo’s post, while Jordin Sparks wrote, “We had such a beautiful journey.”

The viral engagement around Duo’s "death" highlights Duolingo’s unconventional and often humorous approach to branding, which frequently involves pop culture references and social media interactions.