Two years later, having not released any music, the duo announced, through a teaser video, that their new single "Lolita" would come out on 27 July 2012. They also announced that "Life on Mars" was the title of their third album. "Lolita" was a moderate success in Australia, peaking at number 23 on the ARIA Singles Chart and attaining a gold certification. Initially "Life on Mars" was to be released by the end of 2012, however, Warner Music pushed the date back to 2013. Throughout 2013, Warner Music went through internal changes which caused further delays for the third album's release. By October 2013, having still not released new music, "Life on Mars" was mysteriously shelved. Having been barred from releasing an album since 2007, the duo had had enough. When they were shortlisted for the Oz Artist of the Year Awards they chose to vent their frustrations on their official Facebook page with a message that said: "Despite our record label not allowing us to release music this year, we are still nominated in the top 50 for 'Oz artist of the year' awards!" They concluded the post with, "HELP US shove it in their faces, and please VOTE at the link below!!" Lisa and Jessica eventually hired a lawyer in a bid to get out of their contractual obligations with the label and were successful, so by 2013 The Veronicas became an independent act. Releasing a statement which described the struggles experienced with Warner, they said, "After 5 years of being in a 'Warner Brothers Records Lockdown', we are officially able to move forward RELEASING and Recording music without our past label dictating our creative journey, or withholding our musical releases + touring." By April 2014, The Veronicas signed with Sony Music and continued working on their record which was re-named "The Veronicas". For "The Veronicas", Jessica and Lisa wanted to create a "progressive pop" album drawing on inspiration from genres such as blues, trip hop, rock and roll, grunge, classical music, classical rock, pop and rap. Wanting to make an album which differed from their more familiar pop rock sound, Lisa said that this album would be "eclectic" and not "predictable in any way." Lisa said "We go from something like "Sanctified," which, to be honest, wasn't written with the idea of being a Veronicas track. That was very much written when I was in Nashville and I was immersing myself in the blues and roots-y, swampy soul singing.