In 2012, The Veronicas released the song "Lolita" as the lead single from Life on Mars, the title of what was meant to be their third studio album.

[1][2] Life on Mars was scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of 2012, however their record label Warner Music pushed the date back, and by October 2013 the album was mysteriously shelved.

"[5] 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.

[8] The Veronicas had finished work on their third album in July 2014 and were in the process of filming a music video for another track when they decided to have a late night songwriting session.

[9] Wanting to create one more song for the record, they got together with Sydney based production duo Anthony Egizii and David Musumeci of DNA and finished the track at 1:30am.

Speaking to Kathy McCabe of The Courier-Mail, Jessica Origliasso said: "We are in such a great place now as far as being artists and being comfortable as women and this song was the last piece of the puzzle to say goodbye to the broken parts of ourselves.

"[9] "You Ruin Me" was recorded at Sony Studios in Sydney, New South Wales with David Pritchard-Blunt playing the piano and arranging the strings.

[11] The recording features "minimalist"[12] instrumentation of piano and sweeping strings, an arrangement which Tim Byron of The Vine said was reminiscent of "Someone Like You" by Adele.

Cameron Adams of the Herald Sun opined that "the raw, palpable honesty in 'You Ruin Me' reminds you the Origliasso twins have that rare ability to connect.

[20] In Oceania, "You Ruin Me" debuted atop the Australian Singles Chart, becoming The Veronicas' second number-one hit in Australia since "Hook Me Up" in 2007.

[21] The CD single contributed to the song's success, with over 2000 sales in its first week, out-selling the 200 copies of Trainor's EP Title.

[35] Speaking of the concept to Stephanie Anderson of BuzzFeed, Jessica Origliasso explains that it was her idea to have a ballet inspired video saying, "I was listening to it, like a total dork, on the plane, we'd literally just recorded it, so I only had a voice note of the playback, and I took the earphones out and I was like 'Lis!

[38] Additionally, the track was sung live on the Australian version of Dancing with the Stars,[39] as well as breakfast television programs Sunrise[40] and Today.

[citation needed] The duo sang "You Ruin Me" on radio for the first time for Today Network's World Famous Rooftop on 30 October.