Real Friends

"**Real Friends**" is the first promotional single and the seventh track off Camila Cabello's debut solo studio album, *Camila*. It was released through Epic Records on December 7, 2017, along with the pre-order of the album. It is musically soft with an acoustic guitar as its foundation, it finds Cabello reflecting about her life while asking for an honest friendship. Its calm production draws from reggae and Latin and tropical music genres.

It entered charts in various countries worldwide including Canada, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, and Ireland. Although it did not appear on US *Billboard* Hot 100, it managed to debut at number six on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.

## Background

The song was first revealed by Camila in an Instagram's post introducing the album. On December 6, 2017, Camila posted the lyrics, along with the song's artwork, in her Twitter account to promote the song, that was released the next day. On December 21, 2017, Camila revealed the official tracklist of her debut studio album, *Camila*, which the song is featured as the seventh track. On January 7, 2018, she introduced the song in a tweet by presenting a snippet accompanied by a gif where some lyrics were shown.

The main inspiration behind the track was the industrialist environment of the Los Angeles City in which Cabello felt annoyed about when she was finishing the recording sessions for the album. Upon its release, the song was believed to be about the singer's relationship with her former group Fifth Harmony. However, Cabello denied these speculations. It was well received by music critics who complimented the soft acoustic sound in which it was built around while praised the performer's vocals.

## Composition

"Real Friends" is a low-key grooved song characterized by a minimalistic production, with a predominant acoustic guitar as the main instrument and additionally, a lone handclap as percussion. In contrast to the song's soft melody, the verses are sung calmly with Cabello using low register instead of her high soprano tone. In the lyrics, Cabello reflects about being surrounded by negative things and people while vulnerably asks for an honest friendship. It's most evident during the chorus, in which she sings: "I'm just looking for some real friends, all they ever do is let me down. Every time I let somebody in, then I find out what they're all about." As commented by Mike Nied of Idolator, Cabello "laments her ability to find true companionship over acoustic strings."
It's sound also exhibits influences of tropical, reggae and Latin music. It has a length of three minutes and thirty-three seconds. According to the sheet music published by Sony/ATV Publishing Co., Inc. on Musicnotes.com, "Real Friends" is composed in the key of C minor and set in a 4/4 time signature at a moderate tempo of 92 beats per minute. Cabello's vocal range spans from the low note B♭3 to the high note C5, while the music follows the chord progression of Cm7–Fm7–B♭–E♭/D.

## Reception

### Critical response

Upon its release, "Real Friends" received attention from several publications for its lyrical content which was believed to be about Cabello's relationship with her ex-bandmates from Fifth Harmony. Sam Warner from Digital Spy is an example, he said that the song's message could be a subtle dig at her former group. Alex Petridis analyzed the lyrics saying that sounds like it’s dealing with "nights spent feeling isolated while on tour." However, an interview with *Access*, Cabello denied these speculations affirming that the song does not refer to anyone in particular, but about a bad situation in which she found herself in a previous moment.
Critically, it was well received by music journalists. Elias Leight from *Rolling Stone* described it as sparest in comparison to her previously released tracks. For *Variety*'s Staff, "Real Friends" bears resemblance to "Love Yourself" (2015) by Canadian singer Justin Bieber. The magazine acclaimed the track by describing it as a "gentle, sparsely arranged ballad". Reviewing the album *Camila*, Jamieson Cox of *Pitchfork* praised "Real Friends" and another acoustic ballad "All These Years" describing them as "stunning" while Sam Lansky from *Time* similarly highlighted the song along with the "heartfelt" track "Consequences" writing that both "pretty" ballads showcase her vocals.

### Chart performance

"Real Friends" entered charts in various countries worldwide due to positive digital downloads and streaming numbers. It debuted at top
hundred in Canada, Netherlands, Scotland, Slovakia, and Australia while it reached top forty in several other including Portugal, Denmark, Ireland, and Belgium. In the United States, it did not enter the *Billboard* Hot 100 but debuted at number six on Bubbling Under Hot 100– a component that lists the top singles that have not yet charted on the main Hot 100.

## General information

### Label

Epic Records
Syco Music

### Producer(s)

Frank Dukes, Vinylz (add.)

A remixed version of the song featuring American musician Swae Lee was announced to be released on August 16, 2018, however, it was moved up to a day before.

## Trivia

* The song is rumored to be about some of the Fifth Harmony members.
* The cover art has Camila as a baby on it.
* The artwork from the song was drawn by Camila's little sister, Sofia.
* It was written in the district of Hollywood in Los Angeles when she was annoyed about the city's industrialist environment and "small things" that was happening in her life.
* The intro for the collaboration compared to the album version is a bit different.
* Camila almost didn't include this song on the album because she thought she wouldn't have enough time to complete it.

## Lyrics

* Solo version
* Duet version

**[Verse 1]**

No, I think I'll stay in tonight

Skip the conversations and the "oh, I'm fine"s

No, I'm no stranger to surprise

This paper town has let me down too many times

Why do I even try? Give me a reason why

I thought that I could trust you, never mind

Why all the switching sides? Where do I draw the line?

I guess I'm too naive to read the signs

**[Chorus]**

I'm just lookin' for some real friends

All they ever do is let me down

Every time I let somebody in

Then I find out what they're all about

I'm just lookin' for some real friends

Wonder where they're all hidin' out

I'm just lookin' for some real friends

Gotta get up out of this town

**[Post-Chorus]**

Oh, ohhh

Ohhh, ah

**[Verse 2]**

I stay up, talkin' to the moon

Been feelin' so alone in every crowded room

Can't help but feel like something's wrong, yeah

'Cause the place I'm livin' in just doesn't feel like home

**[Chorus]**

I'm just lookin' for some real friends

All they ever do is let me down

Every time I let somebody in

Then I find out what they're all about

I'm just lookin' for some real friends

Wonder where they're all hidin' out

I'm just lookin' for some real friends

Gotta get up out of this town

**[Post-Chorus]**

Lookin' for some new friends

Oh, ohhh

Ohhh, ah

**[Bridge]**

I just wanna talk about nothin'

With somebody that means something

Spell the names of all our dreams and demons

For the times that I don't understand

Tell me what's the point of a moon like this

When I'm alone again

Can I run away to somewhere beautiful

Where nobody knows my name?

**[Chorus]**

I'm just lookin' for some real friends

All they ever do is let me down

Every time I let somebody in

But I find out what they're all about

I'm just lookin' for some real friends

All they ever do is let me down

I'm just lookin' for some real friends

Gotta get up out of this town

**[Outro]**

Oh, ohhh

Ohhh, ah

**[Verse 1: Camila Cabello]**

No, I think I'll stay in tonight

Skip the conversations and the "Oh, I'm fines"

No, I'm no stranger to surprise

This paper town has let me down too many times

Why do I even try? Give me a reason why

I thought that I could trust you, never mind

Why all the switching sides? Where do I draw the line?

I guess I'm too naive to read the signs

**[Chorus: Camila Cabello & Swae Lee]**

I'm just lookin' for some real friends (real friends)

All they ever do is let me down

Every time I let somebody in

Then I find out what they're all about

I'm just lookin' for some real friends (real friends)

Wonder where they're all hidin' out (hidin' out)

I'm just lookin' for some real friends (real friends)

Gotta get up out of this town

**[Post-Chorus: Camila Cabello]**

Oh, ohhh

Ohhh, ah

**[Verse 2: Swae Lee]**

Trust slow for a reason (reason)

See through the fake pretty easy (yeah!)

Stayin' down 'till the world ends (easy)

Guilt trips on the weekend (hey)

I pack more than suits in my suitcases (yeah)

All this cash, that's friendly faces

Been movin' fast, I'm racin' (wait)

Get up, you're going places (c'mon)

Every day, tryna maintain

Same old me, ain't a damn thing change (change)

Real friends screaming, "Gang, gang, gang"

**[Chorus: Camila Cabello & Swae Lee]**

I'm just lookin' for some real friends (real friends)

All they ever do is let me down (oh-no-no)

Every time I let somebody in (woah)

Then I find out what they're all about (all about, ooh)

I'm just lookin' for some real friends (real friends)

Wonder where they're all hidin' out (hidin' out)

I'm just lookin' for some real friends (real friends)

Gotta get up out of this town

**[Post-Chorus: Camila Cabello & Swae Lee]**

Real friends

Oh, ohhh

Lookin' for some real friends

Real friends

Yeah!

**[Bridge: Camila Cabello & Swae Lee]**

I just wanna talk about nothin'

With somebody that means something (conversation)

Spell the names of all our dreams and demons

For the times that I don't understand (why?)

Tell me what's the point of a moon like this

When I'm alone again (yeah yeah yeah)

Can I run away to somewhere beautiful

Where nobody knows my name?

**[Chorus: Camila Cabello & Swae Lee]**

I'm just lookin' for some real friends

All they ever do is let me down

And I let somebody in

But I find out what they're all about

I'm just lookin' for some real friends (real friends)

All they ever do is let me down

I'm just lookin' for some real friends (real friends)

Gotta get up out of this town, yeah

**[Outro: Swae Lee & Camila Cabello]**

Spend a fortune with my real friends

Good gas, what we breathe in (oh, ohhh)

Pop corks with some real friends

Killin' the scene, yeah (ohhh, ah)

Hangin' with my real friends

That I surround myself with (ohhh, ah)

You have to have my back (ah)

Lookin' like my real friends

## References

1. ↑ *Instagram* - Camila introducing the album and revealing 2 tracks
2. ↑ Twitter - Camila revealing some lyrics for the song
3. ↑ *Twitter* - Camila revealing the official tracklist
4. ↑ https://twitter.com/camila\_cabello/status/950067298555088896
5. ↑ *Twitter* - Camila announcing a remix version
6. ↑ *iTunes* - Real Friends (feat. Swae Lee) on Apple Music