"Don't Start Now" is the first single and second track from Dua Lipa's second studio album, Future Nostalgia. It was released on October 31, 2019, through Warner Records.
The song also appears as the second track on her second reissue album, Future Nostalgia: The Moonlight Edition.
Background and compostion[]
"Don't Start Now" as the "natural first song choice" from Future Nostalgia to allow her to start a new chapter in her life. It was then released on 1 November 2019 through Warner Records on digital platforms globally and contemporary hit radio in the United Kingdom.[1] The song impacted the same format in the United States on 5 November. "Don't Start Now" is a nu-disco song with influences of Eurodance. The lyrics of the song involve Lipa addressing an ex-lover about moving on from a relationship.
An accompanying music video for "Don't Start Now" premiered through Lipa's official YouTube channel on November 1. It was directed by Nabil and depicts the singer passing through both a basement club and a masked ball. In promotion of the single, Lipa has performed "Don't Start Now" on The Graham Norton Show and Sunrise, as well as at awards ceremonies such as the 2019 MTV Europe Music Awards, the American Music Awards of 2019 and the ARIA Music Awards of 2019. On January 10th a professionally recorded live version was released on Lipa's Youtube.
Following the release of the expanded edition of her debut album, Dua Lipa: The Complete Edition, Lipa announced a new single titled "Swan Song". The song was released on 24 January 2019, in support of the film Alita: Battle Angel, and achieved moderate commercial success. Lipa stated at the time that she was in the writing process for an upcoming second studio album.[2]
"Don't Start Now" was written by Lipa, Caroline Ailin, Emily Warren and its producer Ian Kirkpatrick. The group had previously worked together on "New Rules", the sixth single from her eponymous debut studio album (2017). Lipa felt that the release of the song was a "natural" choice that would allow her to start a new chapter in her life, and chose it to be the lead single from Future Nostalgia.[3]
Tracklist[]
Remixes[]
- "Don't Start Now" (Dom Dolla remix) – 3:30
- "Don't Start Now" (Purple Disco Machine remix) – 3:36
- "Don't Start Now" (Zach Witness remix) [Malibu Mermaids version] – 4:52
- "Don't Start Now" (Kungs remix) – 3:36
- "Don't Start Now" (Pink Panda remix) – 2:05
- "Don't Start Now" – 3:03
Regard Remix[]
- "Don't Start Now" (Regard remix) – 3:08
Live in LA Remix[]
- "Don't Start Now" (Live in LA remix) – 5:40
Commercial performance[]
In November 2019, "Don't Start Now" debuted at number two on the UK Singles Chart with first-week sales of 49,334 units, making it Lipa's highest debut on the chart and seventh UK top-10 single.[4] It spent three consecutive weeks at number two; "Dance Monkey" by Tones and I kept it from the top spot.[5] "Don't Start Now" charted for 25 weeks in the top 10, the seventh-longest overall, and spent 67 weeks on the chart in total.[6][7] In July 2023, the song was certified quadruple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for track-equivalent sales of 2.4 million units.[8] "Don't Start Now" topped the Irish Singles Chart for two consecutive weeks, making it Lipa's fourth chart-topper in Ireland.[9][10]
In Australia, "Don't Start Now" entered the ARIA Singles Chart at number eight; it was Lipa's fifth single to reach the top 10 on the chart.[11] The song spent 10 non-consecutive weeks at number two, placing it in joint-second with "Moves like Jagger" (2011) by Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera for most weeks spent at number two without reaching number one.[12] It was blocked from the top spot by "Dance Monkey".[13] The song charted for 29 consecutive weeks in the top 10, the fourth-longest top 10 stay in the chart's history.[14] It was certified eight-times platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for track-equivalent sales of 560,000 units.[15] The song reached number three in New Zealand and was certified quadruple platinum by Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ) for 120,000 track-equivalent unit sales.[16][17]
"Don't Start Now" debuted at number 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with a first-week tally of 14,000 downloads sold, 13.2 million streams and 10.2 million radio impressions.[18] In its nineteenth week on the chart, the song rose to number two, held off the top spot by Roddy Ricch's song "The Box".[19] It became Lipa's highest-charting single in the US, and her second to reach the top 10.[20][21]
"Don't Start Now" spent 52 weeks on the chart, becoming Lipa's first song to spend an entire year on the chart. In March 2021, the song received a quadruple platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for track-equivalent sales of four million units.[22] In Canada, it peaked at number three on the Canadian Hot 100 and was certified nine times platinum by Music Canada (MC) for track-equivalent sales of 720,000 units.[23] In September 2020, almost a year following the song's release, Billboard introduced their Billboard Global 200 chart and "Don't Start Now" debuted at number 37 and later reached a peak of 30 the following March.[24]
Music video[]
The music video for "Don't Start Now" was filmed on October 14, 2019 in Brooklyn.[25] It was directed by Nabil Elderkin, who had previously worked with Lipa during her 2019 campaign for Yves Saint Laurent's "Libre" fragrance.[26][27] The video was produced by Eric Brown with Operator Media serving as the production company.[28]
Elderkin found inspiration for the treatment by skating around London while listening to the song. He used darker lighting and moods in a balance he felt complimented "Don't Start Now". Various concepts and edits were explored before Dua Lipa and her management signed off on the final cut. Lipa decided at the last minute to use the final scene at the start of the video.[29] The music video premiered on YouTube on November 1, 2019.[30][31]
Videos[]
Lyrics[]
[Intro]
If you don't wanna see me
[Verse 1]
Did a full 180, crazy
Thinking 'bout the way I was
Did the heartbreak change me? Maybe
But look at where I ended up
I'm all good already
So moved on, it's scary
I'm not where you left me at all, so
[Pre-Chorus]
If you don't wanna see me dancing with somebody
If you wanna believe that anything could stop me
[Chorus]
Don't show up, don't come out
Don't start caring about me now
Walk away, you know how
Don't start caring about me now
[Verse 2]
Aren't you the guy who tried to
Hurt me with the word "goodbye"?
Though it took some time to survive you
I'm better on the other side
I'm all good already
So moved on, it's scary
I'm not where you left me at all, so
[Pre-Chorus]
If you don't wanna see me dancing with somebody
If you wanna believe that anything could stop me
(Don't, don't, don't)
[Chorus]
Don't show up, don't come out
Don't start caring about me now
Walk away, you know how
Don't start caring about me now ('Bout me now, 'bout me)
[Bridge]
Up, up
Don't come out, out, out
Don't show up, up, up
Don't start now (Oh)
Up, up
Don't come out, out
I'm not where you left me at all, so
[Pre-Chorus]
If you don't wanna see me dancing with somebody
If you wanna believe that anything could stop me
[Chorus]
Don't show up (Don't show up), don't come out (Don't come out)
Don't start caring about me now ('Bout me now)
Walk away (Walk away), you know how (You know how)
Don't start caring about me now (So)
[Outro]
Up, up
Don't come out, out, out
Don't show up, up, up
Walk away, walk away (So)
Up, up
Don't come out, out, out
Don't show up, up, up
Walk away, walk away, oh
References[]
- ↑ Dua Lipa's Don't Start Now claims the top of the Official Trending Chart
- ↑ Dua Lipa’s New Rules For 2019 – Rolling Stone
- ↑ Dua Lipa Returns With Disco Kiss-Off ‘Don’t Start Now’ – Rolling Stone
- ↑ "Charts analysis: Tones And I holds off Dua Lipa at singles summit"
- ↑ "Charts analysis: Dua Lipa and Billie Eilish can't catch Tones And I"
- ↑ "The songs that spent the most weeks inside the Official Singles Chart Top 10"
- ↑ "Dua Lipa | Full Official Chart History"
- ↑ "British single certifications – Dua Lipa – Don't Start Now"
- ↑ "Dua Lipa claims fourth Number 1 on the Official Irish Singles Chart with Dont Start Now: "So thankful to all of my Irish fans!"
- ↑ "Dua Lipa makes it two weeks at the top of the Official Irish Singles Chart with Don't Start Now"
- ↑ "Australian Charts: Tones and I Logs Up 15 Weeks At No 1"
- ↑ "ARIA Chart: American rapper Lil Uzi Vert at #1, Dads on the rampage"
- ↑ "Tones And I Spends 20th Week At #1"
- ↑ ARIA Top 50 Singles: Dua Lipa – Don't Start Now"
- ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2022 Singles"
- ↑ Top 40 Singles: Dua Lipa – "Don't Start Now"
- ↑ "Dua Lipa Is Bringing Her Future Nostalgia Tour To New Zealand In 2022 / News"
- ↑ "Dua Lipa Blasts Back Onto Billboard Hot 100 With 'Don't Start Now'"
- ↑ "Roddy Ricch's 'The Box' Tops Hot 100 For 10th Week, Lil Uzi Vert Launches Three Songs in Top 10"
- ↑ "Dua Lipa's Top 5 Billboard 200 Debut Is a Big Pop Moment for Warner Records"
- ↑ "Roddy Ricch's 'The Box' Tops Billboard Hot 100 for Fourth Week, Dua Lipa's 'Don't Start Now' Hits Top 10"
- ↑ "American single certifications – Dua Lipa – Start Now"
- ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Dua Lipa – Don't Start Now"
- ↑ "Dua Lipa Chart History (Global 200)"
- ↑ "Dua Lipa is supposedly releasing new single 'Don't Start Now' in November"
- ↑ "Dua Lipa Is the Face of YSL Beauté's Latest Fragrance"
- ↑ "Dua Lipa on fashion, the future and her foray into fragrance"
- ↑ "Dua Lipa 'Don't Start Now' by Nabil"
- ↑ "Dua Disco: behind the scenes of the 'Don't Start Now' video"
- ↑ "Watch Dua Lipa's 'Don't Start Now' video"
- ↑ "Dua Lipa Drops 'Don't Start Now' Music Video"