“New Rules” is about moving on from an ex and how you need to stay away from them. The narrator needs to treat themselves like they would a friend with their own advice.
The music video premiered on July 7, 2017. After seeing covers of the song and recreations, Dua Lipa was inspired to release a new video with a compilation of the covers. At the end, she expressed her gratitude
Lyrics -
Talkin' in my sleep at night, makin' myself crazy (Out of my mind, out of my mind) Wrote it down and read it out, hopin' it would save me (Too many times, too many times) My love, he makes me feel like nobody else, nobody else But my love, he doesn't love me, so I tell myself, I tell myself
[Pre-Chorus] One: Don't pick up the phone You know he's only callin' 'cause he's drunk and alone Two: Don't let him in You'll have to kick him out again Three: Don't be his friend You know you're gonna wake up in his bed in the morning And if you're under him, you ain't gettin' over him
[Chorus] I got new rules, I count 'em I got new rules, I count 'em I gotta tell them to myself I got new rules, I count 'em I gotta tell them to myself
[Verse 2] I keep pushin' forwards, but he keeps pullin' me backwards (Nowhere to turn, no way) (Nowhere to turn, no) Now I'm standin' back from it, I finally see the pattern (I never learn, I never learn) But my love, he doesn't love me, so I tell myself, I tell myself I do, I do, I do
[Pre-Chorus] One: Don't pick up the phone You know he's only callin' 'cause he's drunk and alone Two: Don't let him in You'll have to kick him out again Three: Don't be his friend You know you're gonna wake up in his bed in the morning And if you're under him, you ain't gettin' over him
[Chorus] I got new rules, I count 'em I got new rules, I count 'em I gotta tell them to myself I got new rules, I count 'em I gotta tell them to myself
[Bridge] Practice makes perfect I'm still tryna learn it by heart (I got new rules, I count 'em) Eat, sleep, and breathe it Rehearse and repeat it, 'cause I... (I got new...)
[Pre-Chorus] One: Don't pick up the phone (yeah) You know he's only callin' 'cause he's drunk and alone (alone) Two: Don't let him in (uh-ooh) You'll have to kick him out again (again) Three: Don't be his friend You know you're gonna wake up in his bed in the morning And if you're under him, you ain't gettin' over him
[Chorus] I got new rules, I count 'em I got new rules, I count 'em (Whoa-ooh, whoa-ooh, whoa) I gotta tell them to myself I got new rules, I count 'em (Baby, you know I count 'em) I gotta tell them to myself
[Outro] Don't let him in, don't let him in Don't, don't, don't, don't... Don't be his friend, don't be his friend Don't, don't, don't, don't... Don't let him in, don't let him in Don't, don't, don't, don't... Don't be his friend, don't be his friend Don't, don't, don't, don't... You're gettin' over him
