Trust My Lonely

## Music video

"**Trust My Lonely**" is the fifth track and second single from Alessia Cara's sophomore studio album, *The Pains of Growing*. It was released on October 5, 2018 through Def Jam Recordings.

## Composition

"Trust My Lonely" is a pop track with elements of reggae featuring "plinking" synthesizers that lyrically concerns moving on from a relationship. iHeart Media wrote that the song "has lyrics that bounce between being hurt by a former partner and finding the strength to move on." Cara told *Billboard* that "When I initially wrote that song, I wrote it because of my insecurities. I think a lot of people, we become comfortable in our misery or comfortable in a relationship that may be bad for us. This song was just a reminder for me and for everyone to just trust yourself and let go of things don't serve you in a positive way, especially your heart and your soul."

The song was written by Alessia Cara, Warren Felder, and Andrew Wansel. It was one of five songs on *The Pains of Growing* that was produced by the duo Pop & Oak, who had previously produced Cara's breakout hit, "Here."

## Theme

Cara described the meaning of the song in a Twitter post following its release. It talks about learning to let go, as well as fighting against her own personal "demons". Cara has stated that the song is also about the end of a toxic relationship and cutting the problematic person off.

## Lyrics

It's time I let you go

I made the mistake, go writing your name on my heart

'Cause you colours showed

But it was too late, you left me stained, called it art

Do you crave control?

I've been your doll, that you poke for fun too long

So you should go

Don't look back, I won't come back

Can't do that no more

Go get your praise from someone else

You did a number on my health

My world is brighter by itself

And I can do better, do better

You and I were swayin' on the ropes

I found my footing on my own

I'm a-okay, I'm good as gold

And I can do better, do better alone

Alone, alone

There ain't no love 'round here

I loved you once, but it made me dumb

Now I'm seeing it way too clear

You hurt me numb, and for that I've run out of time

To have pain to feel (Pain to feel)

I've been your game

Just taking the blame for too long

Get on out of here

Don't look back, I won't come back

Can't do that no more

Go get your praise from someone else

You did a number on my health

My world is brighter by itself

And I can do better, do better

You and I were swayin' on the ropes

I found my footing on my own

I'm a-okay, I'm good as gold

And I can do better, do better alone

Don't you know that you're bad for me?

I gotta trust my lonely

Don't you know that you're bad for me?

I gotta trust my lonely

Don't you know you're no good for me?

I gotta trust my lonely

Don't you know you're no good for me?

I gotta trust my lonely

Go get your praise from someone else

You did a number on my health

My world is brighter by itself

And I can do better, do better

You and I were swayin' on the ropes

I found my footing on my own

I'm a-okay, I'm good as gold

And I can do better, do better alone

Don't you know that you're bad for me?

I gotta trust my lonely

Don't you know that you're bad for me?

I gotta trust my lonely

Don't you know you're no good for me?

I gotta trust my lonely

Don't you know you're no good for me?

I gotta trust my lonely

## Critical reception

Ryan Reed of *Rolling Stone* called the song "self-empowered" and judged it to be about Cara "crav[ing] independence". Julia Lennox of *ET Canada* characterized its lyrics as "empowering" and called it "groovy" with "trendy trap beats". *Variety* labelled it a "breakup song".

## Music video

A music video was released for the track featuring Cara dancing in a variety of settings, including on a beach and in a field, as well as in front of a number of colored backgrounds, which *Rolling Stone* deemed "playful, colorful" and "lighthearted". In the video, Cara is wearing the same oversize suit as she did in the music video for her previous single, "Growing Pains." Regarding the suit, she said during a September interview on the *Today* Show that "It's like an artistic way of symbolizing the idea of growing up [...] Sometimes you kind of feel like you're drowning and you feel like you're not ready for the roles life throws at you, so this was my way of symbolizing it in an artistic way."

## Trivia

* The background falling at the end of the video was a "happy accident".
* The song was written entirely by herself in her bedroom while she was having doubts about writing the album alone.

## References

1. ↑ "*Twitter* - secret’s out. new song ‘trust my lonely’ october 5th."
2. ↑ "Alessia Cara Drops New Breakup Song and Video, 'Trust My Lonely'"
3. ↑ "Alessia Cara Drops New Track 'Trust My Lonely'"
4. ↑ "Alessia Cara Shares New Single 'Trust My Lonely'"
5. ↑ "Hear Alessia Cara's Self-Empowered New Song 'Trust My Lonely'"
6. ↑ "Who Did Alessia Cara Write 'Trust My Lonely' About?"
7. ↑ "Alessia Cara Talks Jingle Ball Tour, Upcoming Album & Addressing Her 'Insecurities' on New Song 'Trust My Lonely'"
8. ↑ "Review: The Pains of Growing - Alessia Cara"
9. ↑ "Alessia Cara Never Runs Out of Eloquent Coming-of-Age Complaints on ‘The Pains of Growing’"
10. ↑ "*Twitter* - TRUST MY LONELY out now."
11. ↑ "Alessia Cara Drops Colorful Video for 'Trust My Lonely': Watch"
12. ↑ "Alessia Cara reveals new song “Trust My Lonely”: Stream"
13. ↑ "Alessia Cara Drops Colorful Video for 'Trust My Lonely': Watch"
14. ↑ "*Twitter* - happy accident"
15. ↑ "*Twitter* - feels wonderfully weird to have another song out in the world. I wrote this one a year ago in my room while having doubts about writing the album alone. It means the world that you listen and it means more that you show so much love. Thank you from my heart."