Dua Lipa: Social media users need to work together to achieve equality

Dua Lipa says female artists have to work harder to have the same recognition as their male counterparts, and social media users need to be kinder to one another.

Addressing the issues of social media during an interview with ITV News, the singer said in the battle for equality, people's actions on social media can be at odds with the image they portray offline.

She said although most voices are "pro-women" in a "sisterhood" way, there is a "darker side when you go on social media, and it feels like the same people are preaching for all this equality" but online are acting in a very different way.

She also said she believes the best way to combat violent crime in the UK is by people "looking after each other."

The singer made the comments during an interview with ITV News' Arts Editor Nina Nannar following a weekend in which two teenagers lost their lives, sparking a row over policing of violent crime in the UK.

The 23-year-old said people should: "Look after friends and family.

"Make sure [you're looking after your] circle and the people that you do go out with at night."

She added: "There's bad things that happen all the time, the only way we can try and combat that is by looking after each other."

The Brit award winning 23-year-old soared to fame after a series of chart hits, including Be The One and New Rules.

Lipa's family originally came to the UK to escape a violent conflict in the country as it spit away from what is now Serbia.

The singer also said she feels saddened by the current refugee crisis and is concerned Brexit will have an impact on people and the opportunities they have.

"Seeing the refugee situation at the moment makes me quite upset, especially everything to do with Brexit, because I feel like young kids from all over the world won't have the same opportunities that I did," she said.

She went on to add: "We as people have to be so much more accepting and understand the struggle, and understand in whatever way we can the stresses and everything that comes with coming from an immigrant family."