I'm Not Afraid Anymore

"**Not Afraid**" or "**I'm Not Afraid Anymore**" is a song sung by American singer-songwriter Nick Jonas featuring American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released as the album's lead single on July 15, 2019, after which the song debuted on radio on July 11, 2019.

The song was written by Tove Lo, Ilya Salmanzadeh and Rickard Göransson, and produced by the former two alongside Nick Jonas. This song takes you its reggae-tinged vibe to its natural conclusion with a sun-kissed, oceanside party.

The reggae-trap song features vocals that are sung over percussion and guitar chords. No Auto-Tune was used on the sung vocals, but its reverberant audio were. The song was accompanied by a music video.

The song is re-released as a collaboration with Swedish singer Tove Lo, and at that time, it is released on July 11, 2022, with an accompanying music video. The song is rumoured on Tove Lo's third studio album. This is the 2nd collaboration between Nick Jonas and Tove Lo after *Close*, released in 2014 in Keegan Jeannotte's way and 2016 in reality.

## Writing and recording

In January 10, 2019, Nick Jonas and ILYA both planned to release his first studio album after Nick's breakup with Tove Lo called *Surf's Up*. His first song "I'm Not Afraid Anymore" is similar to Ed Sheeran's "Take It Back", but is recorded by Jamaican musician Mad Cobra.

Its instrumentation includes acoustic guitar, reggae guitar, solo cuban trumpet, steel drums, xylophone, and marimba. Caribbean rhythm includes timbales, maracas, bongos, congas, guiro, and finger snaps, creating a son cubano-reggae beat.

"I'm Not Afraid Anymore" is just as coral reef colourful, water sparkling, lush tropical and paradise beautiful as the 2019 original, but Tove Lo's vocals lend it a new dynamic — it's a duet now, two lovers looking up at the same night sky and the same sun-kissed, oceanside party.

The vocals for the outro were dubbed four times. Auto-Tune is not used at all in the song.

## Music Video

The music video does not include Lamar, instead using the song's original version and is filmed in Malibu, California on May 14, 2019, set in a tropical beach with cabanas and sand scattered through the floor. Nick Jonas and some of his friends are shown wearing swimsuits for the music video, featuring cameos from Jelly Otter, Pinch Raccoon and Baby Butter Otter.

## Lyrics

Dudes, surf's up!

Yeah man, Great Barrier Reef, the Caribbean.

To surf the perfect wave.

Cowabunga!

Here we go!

I'm a singer in the tropical water.

Ebb and flow!

The saltwater sprays with corals that shine.

Like jewels of the colours of the rainbow.

Hey!

I'm swimming in the ocean, and surfing back to shore.

Hey, dude, wanna go surfing? I'd love to go surfing.

Yeah!

In a sunny beach day. Sun, sea, sand, surf.

Palm trees with coconuts, and coral reefs and tropical fish.

Sea stars, sea jellies, parrot fish, clown fish, butterfly fish!

Anybody wants to feel in a cabana, saying I'm not afraid anymore. (I'm not afraid anymore)

It's feeling on deck in a sunny beach, saying I'm not afraid anymore. (I'm not afraid anymore)

Totally!

(note: the rap lyrics by Kendrick Lamar are in italics)

*The colourful Great Barrier coral reef.*

*I can swim underwater in the ocean.*

Have fun!

*I can feel like the Caribbean and the Bahamas.*

*'Cause pineapple juice is what I see an iguana.*

Bummer.

*I was surfing (surfing) the perfect wave (wave).*

*The saltwater sprays (sprays) in the tropical sun (sun).*

Cowabunga!

Anybody wants to feel in a cabana, saying I'm not afraid anymore. (I'm not afraid anymore)

It's feeling on deck in a sunny beach, saying I'm not afraid anymore. (I'm not afraid anymore)

*I'm not afraid anymore.* (I'm not afraid anymore). (4x)

Surf's up!

Wipeout!

## Trivia

* This song is the most popular song on Rewind 2021, from May 1 to August 14, 2021.
* Sometimes Nick Jonas only sings this song **I’m Not Afraid Anymore**, however, in Swimming in the Ocean, he sings this song **I’m Not Afraid Anymore** while Keegan Jeannotte swims in the wave pool at Great Wolf Lodge.
* Surf’s Up was a lyric of the song.
* There’s also another lyric called Swimming in the Ocean.