"Real Friends" is a song recorded by Cuban-American singer Camila Cabello for her debut solo studio album, Camila (2018). Written by Cabello, William Walsh, Louis Bell, Brian Lee and its producer, Frank Dukes, it was released as a promotional single with "Never Be the Same" on December 7, 2017. "Real Friends" has been described as musically soft, with an acoustic guitar foundation. In its lyrics, Cabello reflects on her life and asks for an honest friendship. The song's minimalist production has elements of reggae, Latin and tropical music.
"Real Friends" was inspired by the industrial environment of Los Angeles, which annoyed Cabello when she was finishing recording Camila there. The song was believed to be about the singer's relationship with her former girl group, Fifth Harmony, when it was released; Cabello denied this, saying that it did not refer to anyone in particular. The track was well-received by music critics, who praised its soft acoustic sound and Cabello's vocals. "Real Friends" debuted in the top 100 of several countries, including Canada, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Belgium and Ireland. Although it did not appear on the US Billboard Hot 100, it debuted at number six on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.
Video Real Friends (Camila Cabello song)
Background and release
"Real Friends" was written by Cabello, Frank Dukes, William Walsh, Louis Bell and Brian Lee, while production was handled by Dukes. Cabello was motivated to write the song when she was in Los Angeles finishing her debut solo album, Camila (2018). Dissatisfied with the city and its industrial environment, she found herself lonely and disappointed - prioritising work, without a social life.
"Real Friends", the last song created for the album, was recorded at Electric Feel Recording Studios in West Hollywood by Louis Bell and mixed at MixStar Studios in Virginia Beach, Virginia by Serban Ghenea and John Hanes. The song was released a week after its recording with "Never Be the Same" on December 7, 2017, as an instant-gratification track to accompany digital pre-orders of Camila.
Maps Real Friends (Camila Cabello song)
Composition and lyrics
"Real Friends" is a low-key song characterized by a minimalist production, with an acoustic guitar as the main instrument and a solo handclap as percussion. The verses are sung gently, with Cabello using her low register instead of her soprano voice. In the lyrics, she reflects on being surrounded by negative things and people, while asking for an honest friendship. In the chorus, Cabello sings: "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". According to Mike Nied of Idolator, the singer "laments her ability to find true companionship over acoustic strings".
Lasting three minutes and 33 seconds, the song is influenced by tropical, reggae and Latin music. According to sheet music published by Sony/ATV Music Publishing on Musicnotes.com, "Real Friends" is composed in the key of C minor and set in common time at a moderate tempo of 92 beats per minute. Cabello's voice ranges from a low of B?3 to a high of C5, and the music has a Cm7-Fm7-B?-E?/D chord progression.
Reception
Critical response
"Real Friends" received attention by several publications for its lyrics, which were believed to be about Cabello's relationship with her ex-bandmates in Fifth Harmony. Sam Warner of Digital Spy wrote that the song could be a subtle dig at her former girl group. Alex Petridis of The Guardian analyzed the lyrics, speculating that they explored "nights spent feeling isolated while on tour". Cabello denied the speculation in an Access interview, saying that the song did not refer to anyone in particular but was about a bad situation she had experienced.
The recording was well-received by music critics. Elias Leight of Rolling Stone described it as Cabello's sparest song by comparison with her past work. To Variety's staff, "Real Friends" resembled "Love Yourself" (2015) by Canadian singer Justin Bieber. The magazine further described it as a "gentle, sparsely arranged ballad". Jamieson Cox of Pitchfork called "Real Friends" and another acoustic ballad, "All These Years", "stunning" in his review of Camila. Sam Lansky of Time cited the song and the "heartfelt" track, "Consequences", as "pretty" ballads which showcased Cabello's voice.
Chart performance
"Real Friends" charted in a number of countries, based on digital downloads and streaming figures. It debuted in the top 100 in Canada, the Netherlands, Scotland, Slovakia and Australia, whilereaching the top 40 in Portugal, Denmark, Ireland and Belgium. The song did not enter the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, but it debuted at number six on the Bubbling Under Hot 100, a component chart listing the top singles which have not yet charted on the Hot 100.
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Camila.
Publishing
- Sony/ATV Songs LLC (BMI) O/b/O Sony ATV Music Publishing (UK) LTD/Maidmetal Limited (PRS) // Milamoon Songs (BMI) // EMI April Music, Inc. (ASCAP)/ O/b/O EMI Music Publishing (PRS) Nyankingmusic (ASCAP) // EMI April Music, Inc./Nyankingmusic/WMMW Publishing (ASCAP) // Warner-Temerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) O/b/O itself and Songs From The Dongs (BMI)
Recording
- Recorded at Electric Feel Recording Studios, West Hollywood, California
- Mixed at Mixstar Studios, Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Mastered at Mastering Place, New York City, New York
Personnel
Charts
Certifications
References
External links
- Audio on YouTube
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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