New Rules

Saw Dua Lipa at a small venue in London—maybe 200 people, tight space. She opened with New Rules, that song that’s basically a masterclass in not being a pushover. Don’t answer the phone when he’s drunk and lonely. It’s become one of the biggest songs in the world, which tells you something about what people actually need to hear.

She’s gone from indie favorite to something genuinely global in just a few years. The hits stack up: One Kiss, I Don’t Give a Fuck, Be The One—they’re everywhere, and they’re everywhere for a reason. They’re catchy, but there’s more to it than that. She sings with this complete confidence, like she’s not trying to convince you of anything, just stating facts.

The concert itself was efficient. No production excess, no trying to overwhelm you. She moved through the songs the way someone who actually owns them would, not like she was performing them. Played Blow Your Mind, Electricity, Scared to be Lonely. Clean, direct, no filler.

She mentioned something about touring and workouts—how every city is different, so she tries different things. Yoga here, boxing there, whatever’s available. It seemed genuine, not a canned answer. Just someone figuring out how to keep her body working while she’s constantly moving.

What I kept noticing was the straightforwardness of it all. The songs don’t ask permission, don’t apologize. New Rules could be preachy or victim-narrative, but it’s neither. It’s just practical: know your value, don’t let people use you, move on. There’s no romance in it, no hope that maybe things will be different. Just clarity.

She’s got this quality where being a global superstar doesn’t seem to touch her. No performing for the machinery of fame. Just someone with real material and the confidence to stand behind it.