By Jack
At age 21 Dua Lipa has got boys figured out, which is certainly more than I can say. She has a newly released single called ‘New Rules’.
Her spirited debut, which dropped last month, has been on heavy rotation over here and Lipa carries the indelible mark of a One To Watch.
Like everything Lipa’s released ‘New Rules’ is crisp, dancey and entirely of it’s own mind. Similarly, as all good pop is, the song describes a shared experience. You’re seeing a guy. He seems sweet and he pays for your ubers home, but is he really into you? And why does he only text you when he’s high?
Alex Turner wrote a song from the guys perspective. Now Dua Lipa is providing the opposing view, with authoritative swagger:”If you’re under him / You ain’t getting over him“. Preach.
What Dua Lipa does really well is mix together apparently disparate musical ideas into a smooth, electropop purée. Sunny synths chime over a bhangra beat. The show is stolen by Dua Lipa herself. Flashy instrumentals aren’t really her thing: it’s all about that throaty, commanding voice.
We can always use another female empowerment anthem, especially when it’s this fresh and comes with a fun video that reminds us that sisterhood can be communicated without token lesbianism. ‘New Rules’ is another scorcher..