How to Be Lonely

{{Infobox song

| name = How to Be Lonely

| type = single

| cover = Rita Ora - How to Be Lonely.png

| alt =

| artist = Rita Ora

| released = {{start date|2020|03|13|df=y}}

| recorded =

| genre = Pop

| length = {{duration|m=2|s=55}}

| label = Atlantic

| writer =

Lewis Capaldi
Peter Rycroft
Thomas Mann

| producer =

aboutagirl{{cite web|url=https://celebmix.com/aboutagirl-release-their-new-track-snooze/|title= aboutagirl release their new track 'SnOoZe'.|date= May 2020}}

| prev_title = Ritual

| prev_year = 2019

| next_title = Big

| next_year = 2021

| misc =

}}

"How to Be Lonely" is a song by British singer Rita Ora, released as a single through Atlantic Records UK on 13 March 2020.

Composition

"How to Be Lonely" is a mid-tempo ballad that deals with themes about "battling insecurity".{{cite web|url=https://www.idolator.com/7908020/rita-ora-returns-with-new-single-how-to-be-lonely|title=Rita Ora Returns With New Single "How To Be Lonely"|website=Idolator|last=Wass|first=Mike|date=13 March 2020|accessdate=13 March 2020}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/lewis-capaldi-gave-rita-ora-new-single-how-to-be-lonely-shite-at-singing-it-2622734|title=Lewis Capaldi gave Rita Ora new single 'How To Be Lonely' because he was "shite" at singing it|work=NME|last=Daly|first=Rhian|date=9 March 2020|accessdate=13 March 2020}}

Critical reception

Mike Wass of Idolator wrote that the song is a "nice way to kick off an era" that "does showcase the 'Anywhere' singer's powerful pipes and growth as an artist". Rob Copsey of the Official Charts Company wrote that the song features "opening guitar strums[,] Coldplay-sized chantalong chorus [and] catchy finger snaps, punchy electronic beats and some killer adlibs", concluding that Ora's "take on ugly crying powerhouse pop is masterfully done".{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/rita-ora-is-learning-to-love-herself-on-new-lewis-capaldi-penned-single-how-to-be-lonely-first-listen-review__29022/|title=Rita Ora is learning to love herself on new Lewis Capaldi-penned single How To Be Lonely: First listen review|publisher=Official Charts Company|last=Copsey|first=Rob|date=11 March 2020|accessdate=13 March 2020}}

Music video

In the music video, directed by Dave Meyers, Ora is in an empty room alone and then alone with a lot of people.{{Cite web|last=Zemler|first=Emily|date=2020-03-13|title=Rita Ora Learns to Love Herself on 'How to Be Lonely'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/rita-ora-new-single-how-to-be-lonely-966782/|access-date=2021-12-18|website=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}} An arrow hits her.{{Cite web|last=Alston|first=Trey|title=Galactic Shootouts, Skeletal Seduction: What's Going On In Rita Ora's 'How To Be Lonely' Video?|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/3161498/rita-ora-how-to-be-lonely-video/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327230503/http://www.mtv.com/news/3161498/rita-ora-how-to-be-lonely-video/|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 27, 2020|access-date=2021-12-18|website=MTV News|language=en}} In the next scene, she is walking in a room filled with eggshells. Then, she is dancing with a skeleton and a bear hugs her. After that, she falls into the sky.{{Cite web|date=2020-03-26|title=Rita Ora- How To Be Lonely (Trailer) Video|url=https://www.youlistener.com/videos/QsEVrlQm7-rita-ora-how-to-be-lonely-trailer|access-date=2021-12-18|website=YouListener|language=en-US}} Then she smashes a wall with a baseball bat.{{Cite web|title=There’s something about Rita|url=https://theface.com/music/rita-ora-how-to-be-lonely-new-single-lewis-capaldi-twist-miu-miu-music?token=450|access-date=2021-12-18|website=The Face|language=en-gb}} A UFO lands.{{Cite web|title=So Much Just … Happens in Rita Ora’s ‘How to Be Lonely’ Video|url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/03/rita-ora-how-to-be-lonely-video.html|access-date=2021-12-18|website=Vulture}}

Live performances

Ora performed the song live at BBC's Sport Relief 2020 telethon on 13 March.{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/sport-relief-2020-rita-ora-pussycat-dolls-a4384806.html|title=Rita Ora and Pussycat Dolls lead Sport Relief 2020 musical line-up|work=Evening Standard|last=Fenwick|first=George|date=11 March 2020|accessdate=13 March 2020}}

Track listings

Digital download / streaming{{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Rita+Ora&titel=How+To+Be+Lonely&cat=s|title=Dutchcharts.nl – Rita Ora – How To Be Lonely|work=MegaCharts|language=Dutch|accessdate=18 April 2020}}

"How to Be Lonely" – 2:55

Digital download / streaming - Live from London

"How to Be Lonely" (Live from London) – 2:56

Digital download / streaming - MÖWE Remix

"How to Be Lonely" (MÖWE Remix) – 2:54

Digital download / streaming - aboutagirl Remix

"How to Be Lonely" (aboutagirl Remix) – 3:23

Digital download / streaming - LARI LUKE Remix

"How to Be Lonely" (LARI LUKE Remix) – 3:21

Digital download / streaming - Sam Feldt Remix

"How to Be Lonely" (Sam Feldt Remix) – 3:11

Digital download / streaming - Bomba Estéreo Remix Remix

"How to Be Lonely" (Bomba Estéreo Remix) – 2:50

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.{{Cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/133108051/credits|title=Try the TIDAL Web Player}}

Rita Ora - vocals
Lostboy – producer
Tom Mann - producer, background vocals, bass, drums, guitar, keyboard, programming, synthesizer, vocal production, writer
aboutagirl - producer
Siba - additional producer
Amanda Merdzan - assistant engineer

Matt Wolach - assistant mix engineer
Michael Freeman - assistant mix engineer
Lewis Capaldi - songwriter, background vocals, guitar
Mark "Spike" Stent - mastering, mixing
Stuart Hawkes - mastering
Cameron Gower Pool - vocal production
Peter Rycroft - writer

Charts

scope="col"\| Chart (2020) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="row"\| Australia Airplay (Radiomonitor){{cite web\|url=https://themusicnetwork.com/charts/issues/1286/chart/?list=H100\| title=HOT 100 Issue 1286\|work=The Music Network\|access-date=20 August 2020}} \| 32
{{single chart\|Flanders Tip\|4\|artist=Rita Ora\|song=How to Be Lonely\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=12 June 2020}}
scope="row"\| Croatia (HRT){{cite web\|url=https://radio.hrt.hr/clanak/arc-100-datum-20-travnja-2020/228383/\|title=Croatia ARC TOP 100\|publisher=HRT\|accessdate=24 April 2020\|language=hr}}{{Dead link\|date=December 2023 \|bot=InternetArchiveBot \|fix-attempted=yes }} \| 17
scope="row"\| France (SNEP Sales Chart){{cite web\|url=http://www.chartsinfrance.net/Rita-Ora/How-To-Be-Lonely-s50963.html\|title=Rita Ora – How To Be Lonely\|publisher=PureMédias}} \| align="center"\| 142
{{single chart\|Ireland3\|96\|artist=Rita Ora\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=6 April 2020}}
{{single chart\|Dutch40\|40\|year=2020\|week=18\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=1 May 2020}}
scope="row"\| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ){{cite web\|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/hot-singles/2020-03-20\|title=NZ Hot Singles Chart\|publisher=Recorded Music NZ\|date=23 March 2020\|access-date=21 March 2020}} \| 19
{{single chart\|Poland\|33\|chartid=3436\|year=2020\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=22 June 2020}}
{{single chart\|Scotland\|8\|date=20200320\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=21 March 2020}}
{{single chart\|UK\|57\|date=20200320\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=21 March 2020}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" ! Country ! Date ! Format ! Version ! Label ! {{abbr\|Ref.\|Reference}}
scope="row" rowspan="7"\| Various \| 13 March 2020 \| rowspan="7"\| {{hlist\|Digital download\|streaming}} \| Original single \| rowspan="7"\| {{hlist\|Atlantic Records\|Warner Music}}{{ref\|a\|[a]}} \| rowspan="7"style="text-align:center;"\|
10 April 2020 \| Live from London
17 April 2020 \|MÖWE Remix
rowspan="3"\| 24 April 2020 \| aboutagirl Remix
LARI LUKE Remix
Sam Feldt Remix
1 May 2020 \| Bomba Estéreo Remix Remix

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

! Country

! Date

! Format

! Version

! Label

! {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row" rowspan="7"| Various

| 13 March 2020

| rowspan="7"| {{hlist|Digital download|streaming}}

| Original single

| rowspan="7"| {{hlist|Atlantic Records|Warner Music}}{{ref|a|[a]}}

| rowspan="7"style="text-align:center;"|

10 April 2020

| Live from London

17 April 2020

|MÖWE Remix

rowspan="3"| 24 April 2020

| aboutagirl Remix

LARI LUKE Remix

Sam Feldt Remix

1 May 2020

| Bomba Estéreo Remix Remix

^{{{note|a|[a]}}} Ora is signed to Atlantic Records UK who distribute her music in the UK, Warner Records handle releases elsewhere in the world except several Asian countries licensed by Sony Music Entertainment Asia.Streaming — {{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/tw/album/how-to-be-lonely-single/1501674999|title=Rita Ora - Let You Love Me|publisher=Apple Music|date=21 September 2018|accessdate=1 October 2018}}

References

Category:2020 songs

Category:2020 singles

Category:Rita Ora songs

Category:Songs written by Lewis Capaldi

Category:Atlantic Records UK singles

Category:2020s ballads

Category:Pop ballads

Category:Music videos directed by Dave Meyers (director)

Category:Songs written by Peter Rycroft