I Have Questions

In 2012, Cabello auditioned as a solo contestant on the American version of The X Factor. After failing as a soloist, she was selected to compete on the show in a group with four other contestants. Together, they formed Fifth Harmony, finished third in the competition, and then signed a joint record deal with Simon Cowell's label Syco Records and L.A. Reid's label Epic Records. Cabello collaborated as a member of the group for three years, releasing two studio albums, an extended play and eight singles. According to Nielsen Soundscan, the group had sold more than seven million digital downloads in the United States before her departure in December 2016.{{cite magazine|url= http://features.billboard.com/camila-cabello-talks-solo-music-life-after-fifth-harmony/|title= Camila Cabello Talks Solo Music and Life After Fifth Harmony|magazine= Billboard|first= Chris|last= Martin|date= February 25, 2017|access-date= February 13, 2018|archive-date= May 14, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170514163759/http://features.billboard.com/camila-cabello-talks-solo-music-life-after-fifth-harmony/|url-status= dead}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7625591/camila-cabello-leaving-fifth-harmony-third-album|title= The Saddest Part of Camila Cabello Leaving Fifth Harmony|magazine= Billboard|first= Jason|last= Lipshutz|date= December 19, 2016|access-date= January 8, 2018}} While touring to promote their second album 7/27 (2016), Cabello felt lonely and sad and wrote songs to express her feelings and to help her to get negative things "off her chest". She wrote "I Have Questions" in a hotel bathroom during a very low moment of her life. She explained in May 2017:

{{cquote|"I started writing (it) in a hotel bathroom on tour a little over a year ago. I was completely broken during that time, I was in the kind of pain that's uncomfortable to talk about, and it was the kind of chapter you never want to read out loud."|author=Camila Cabello on "I Have Questions" writing.{{Cite news |url=http://www.complex.com/music/2017/05/camila-cabello-i-have-questions |title=Camila Cabello's New Single "I Have Questions" Is Here |date=May 21, 2017 |work=Complex |first= Omar|last= Burgess|access-date=June 3, 2017}}}}

In an interview with Latina magazine, she commented on her decision to leave Fifth Harmony and her future plans saying: "I needed to follow my heart and my artistic vision. I'm grateful for everything we had in Fifth Harmony and for [this new] opportunity. I am less focused on success and more on doing my best and pursuing my artistic vision to the fullest, wherever that takes me."{{cite magazine|url=http://www.latina.com/entertainment/celebrity/camila-cabello-latina-magazine-march-april-2017|title= Exclusive: Camila Cabello on Leaving Fifth Harmony and Why She Keeps Her Love Life Guarded|magazine= Latina|first= Jesus|last= Trivino|date= March 13, 2017|access-date= January 8, 2018}} In early 2017, she started recording her solo debut album which she titled The Hurting. The Healing. The Loving. During recording sessions, Cabello returned to writing "I Have Questions", forcing herself to confront her feelings. The results inspired Cabello to keep writing songs where she could express her feelings, making music that was helping her to "heal". As she explained in a message posted on social media: "I realized I wasn't making music just to make an album anymore, I was making this music to heal, it wasn't until I had made enough songs to listen back to and realized I could hear myself coming back through these songs. I didn't write it with the intention of delivering a message, but I realized the message was in the hurting, the healing, and the loving."{{cite magazine|url= https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7793101/camila-cabello-the-hurting-the-healing-the-loving-album-i-have-questions-single|title= Camila Cabello Announces 'The Hurting, the Healing, the Loving' Album & New Song 'I Have Questions'|magazine= Billboard|first= Ashley|last= Iasimone|date= May 14, 2017|access-date= February 13, 2018}}

In May 2017, she finally teased her first solo material revealing the title of the album, and a release date for her first solo single, "Crying in the Club". It was released on May 19, 2017, along with its music video, which features an intro that incorporates the lines from the first verse of "I Have Questions". On May 22, she published the lyric video for the song. It was later released to music stores and streaming services.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/fifth-harmonys-camila-cabello-announces-solo-album-in-emotional-post-w482351|title= Fifth Harmony's Camila Cabello Announces Solo Album in Emotional Post|magazine= Rolling Stone|first= Ryan|last= Reed|date= May 15, 2017|access-date= February 13, 2018}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/watch-camila-cabellos-plaintive-i-have-questions-lyric-video-w484436 |title=Watch Camila Cabello's Plaintive 'I Have Questions' Lyric Video |last=Legaspi |first=Althea |date=May 25, 2017 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=June 3, 2017 |archive-date=May 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170529024149/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/watch-camila-cabellos-plaintive-i-have-questions-lyric-video-w484436 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.mtv.co.uk/news/s1y1qk/camila-cabello-teases-new-song-i-have-questions-in-her-crying-in-the-club-video|title=Camila Cabello Teases New Song 'I Have Questions' In Her 'Crying In The Club' Video|date=May 19, 2017|publisher=MTV News|access-date=June 3, 2017|first= Mike|last= Pell}} However, later in the year, Cabello announced that the album's title would be changed and all the previously released material, including "I Have Questions", would not be included on the final cut. The album's new title was Camila.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8061610/camila-cabello-debut-album-release-date-title-cover-art-instagram-post|title=Camila Cabello Reveals Release Date For Self-Titled Debut Album: 'Feels Like the End of a Chapter'|magazine=Billboard |first=Allison |last=Stubblebine|date=December 5, 2017|access-date= February 13, 2018}} In interview with Zane Lowe for Beats 1, Cabello explained that she no longer felt those songs represented the artist she had become. She confirmed that the only previously released track appearing on the album would be "Havana."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/camila-cabello-on-self-titled-debut-album|title=Camila Cabello Reveals More About Her Self-Titled Debut Album|magazine= Teen Vogue|first= Lauren|last= Rearick|date= December 16, 2017|access-date= February 13, 2018}} The song is featured as the thirteenth track on the Japanese limited edition CD.{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Camila-Japan-Bonus-Track-Cabello/dp/B077ZG55RH|title=Camila [Japan Bonus Track]|publisher=Amazon|access-date=February 12, 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20180213204406/https://www.amazon.co.uk/Camila-Japan-Bonus-Track-Cabello/dp/B077ZG55RH|archive-date=February 13, 2018|df=mdy-all}}

File:Bibi Bourelly press photo.png, best known for co-writing songs for Rihanna's Anti album (2016), co-wrote the song with Cabello and its producer Jesse Shatkin.|alt= Picture of a young, brunette woman who is sat on the floor and rests on a concrete wall. She wears jeans and a dark shirt.]]

"I Have Questions" has a dark, melancholic sound with themes of abandonment and the acknowledgement that a former companion was not who they appeared to be.{{cite web|url= http://www.mtv.com.au/camila-cabelo/news/youve-gotta-hear-camila-cabellos-heartbreaking-track-i-have-questions|title= You've Gotta Hear Camila Cabello's Heartbreaking Track 'I Have Questions'|publisher= MTV News|first= Hillary|last= Hughes|date= May 22, 2017|access-date= February 15, 2018|archive-date= July 13, 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180713110348/http://www.mtv.com.au/camila-cabelo/news/youve-gotta-hear-camila-cabellos-heartbreaking-track-i-have-questions|url-status= dead}} Cabello has explained that the song is about a friendship that went awry, adding that she wrote it with one person in mind, but there are others to whom the song is directed.{{cite web|url=https://www.idolator.com/7663198/camila-cabello-crying-club-video|title= Camila Cabello Drops "Crying In The Club" Video: Watch|publisher= Idolator|first= Christina|last= Lee|date= May 19, 2017|access-date= February 13, 2018}} As the song title implies, the singer has many questions for the song's subject. Throughout the song, she expresses her confusion, looking for answers and explanations. As the song opens, she airs out her feelings in the first verse, over a soft cello line, "Why did you leave me here to burn? / I'm way too young to be this hurt / I feel doomed in hotel rooms / Staring straight up at the wall / Counting wounds and I am trying to numb them all / Do you care? / Why don't you care?"{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/a/camila-cabello-digs-deep-on-her-new-single-i-have-questions|title= Camila Cabello Digs Deep On Her New Single "I Have Questions"|publisher= Genius|first= Robby|last= Seabrook III|date= May 21, 2017|access-date= February 13, 2018}}{{cite magazine|url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/hear-camila-cabellos-sweeping-debut-crying-in-the-club-w483189|title= Hear Camila Cabello's Sweeping Debut Solo Song 'Crying in the Club'|magazine= Rolling Stone|first= Ryan|last= Reed|date= May 19, 2017|access-date= February 13, 2018|archive-date= September 10, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170910182507/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/hear-camila-cabellos-sweeping-debut-crying-in-the-club-w483189|url-status= dead}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7809441/camila-cabello-i-have-questions-lyric-video|title= Watch Camila Cabello's New Lyric Video for 'I Have Questions'|magazine= Billboard|first= Jillian|last= Frankel|date= May 25, 2017|access-date= February 13, 2018}} Singing the second verse, Cabello wonders how someone could cut her so deeply: "Number one, tell me who you think you are / You got some nerve trying to tear my faith apart / Number two, why would you try and play me for a fool? / I should have never ever ever trusted you."{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jan/11/camila-cabello-camila-review-havana-fifth-harmony|title=Camila Cabello: Camila review – Havana hitmaker makes breakups look easy|work=The Guardian|author=Petridis, Alexis|author-link=Alexis Petridis|date=January 11, 2018|access-date=January 11, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/camila-cabello-review-1.16051715|title='Camila' review: Camila Cabello's powerful solo debut|work=Newsday|first=Glenn|last=Gamboa|date=January 11, 2018|access-date=January 12, 2018}}

The song continues with drum machine beats and hi-hat reminiscent of trap music.{{cite web|url=https://www.axs.com/listen-camila-cabello-opens-up-on-new-song-i-have-questions-118849|title= Listen: Camila Cabello opens up on new song 'I Have Questions'|publisher= AXS|first= Lucas|last= Ville|date= May 25, 2017|access-date= February 13, 2018}} Lucas Villa from AXS noted that instead of "staying a victim", Cabello expresses herself as a "survivor on this haunting and honest interrogation session". Mike Pell of MTV News felt that the song's production recalls Britney Spears' "Everytime" (2004). Rolling Stone{{'}}s Althea Legaspi wrote that Cabello sings with "raw emotion".

Reviewing Camila, Kitty Empire of The Guardian commented on the change of the material for the album. She felt the exclusion of "I Have Questions" was "unexpected" as she views the song as "excellent".{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jan/14/camila-cabello-camila-review-solo-debut |title=Camila Cabello: Camila review – tuneful and unexpectedly nuanced|author=Empire, Kitty|author-link=Kitty Empire|date=January 14, 2018|work=The Guardian|access-date=January 16, 2018}} Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone magazine, described it as "brooding" and praised its stripped-down production,{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/review-camila-cabellos-camila-w515387|title=Review: Camila Cabello Eschews Bangers on Personal, Low-Key Solo Album|work=Rolling Stone]|first=Rob|last=Sheffield|date=January 12, 2018|access-date=January 12, 2018|archive-date=January 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113093107/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/review-camila-cabellos-camila-w515387|url-status=dead}} while Taylor Weatherby of Billboard characterized it as "poignant".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8093971/camila-cabello-camila-album-review|title=Album of the Week: Camila Cabello's 'Camila'|magazine=Billboard|first=Taylor|last=Weatherby|date=January 11, 2018|access-date=January 12, 2018}}

On its release, "I Have Questions" had minimal commercial success. It debuted at number 94 in France, number 82 in Portugal and peaked at number nine in Spain — Cabello's third top ten on the Spanish chart.{{cite web|url=http://spanishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Camila+Cabello&titel=I+Have+Questions&cat=s|title= Camila Cabello - I Have Questions (Song)|publisher= spanishcharts.com|access-date= February 13, 2018}} In the United States, the song did not appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, only managing to chart on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles at number 24.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/camila-cabello/chart-history/hbu/|title= Camila Cabello Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)|magazine= Billboard|access-date= February 13, 2018}}

Cabello performed "I Have Questions" as an introduction to "Crying in the Club" at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards on May 21, 2017.{{Cite news |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/camila-cabello-billboard-music-awards-2017-performance-i-have-questions-crying-club-1006037 |title=Billboard Awards: Camila Cabello Gives First Solo Performance Since Leaving Fifth Harmony |last=Perez |first=Lexy |date=May 22, 2017 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=May 22, 2017}} Following the event, she performed the whole song during a special encore performance on Xfinity. For this performance, Cabello dressed in white on a dark stage with red petals surrounding her.{{cite web|url=https://www.elitedaily.com/entertainment/celebrity/camila-cabello-i-have-questions-performance/1955651|title= Watch Camila Cabello 'I Have Questions' Full Performance|website=Elite Daily|first= Katie|last= Corvino|date= May 21, 2017|access-date= February 15, 2018}} She also performed the song at the 2017 iHeartRadio Much Music Video Awards, and on Britain's Got Talent on May 31, 2017. Mike Nied of Idolator described it as an "impactful performance that featured strong vocals".{{Cite news |url=http://www.idolator.com/7663931/camila-cabello-britains-got-talent-crying-club |title=Camila Cabello Lights Up 'Britain's Got Talent' With "Crying In The Club" |date=June 2, 2017 |publisher=Idolator |first=Mike |last=Nied |access-date=May 31, 2017 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Crying in the Club.{{cite AV media notes |title=Crying in the Club |type=7-inch |others=Camila Cabello |year=2017 |publisher=Epic Records / Syco Music |publication-place=US |id=88985449207 }}

Publishing

• Published by 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 itself and Aidenjulius Music (ASCAP) // BMG Gold Songs (ASCAP)/Arjouni Publishing (ASCAP)

Recording and management

• Recorded at the Big Cage, Los Angeles, California
• Mixed at MixStar Studios, Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Mastered at the Mastering Palace, New York City, New York
• Bibi Bourelly appears courtesy of Def Jam Recordings

Personnel

{{Div col}}

• Camila Cabello – songwriting, lead vocals
• Bibi Bourelly – songwriting, background vocals
• Frank Dukes – additional production
• Serban Ghenea – mixing
• Dave Kutch – mastering
• Jesse Shatkin – songwriting, production, instruments, programming, recording
• John Hanes – engineering
• Sam Dent – additional engineering

{{Div col end}}

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|artist=Camila Cabello|title=I Have Questions|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2017|relmonth=5|certyear=2021|access-date=July 7, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Camila Cabello|title=I Have Questions|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2017|certyear=2020|access-date=April 13, 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Camila Cabello|title=I Have Questions|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2017|certyear=2021|access-date=October 5, 2021}}

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{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{YouTube|bSdPkBKHqac|"I Have Questions" (Lyric Video)}}

{{Camila Cabello}}

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Category:2010s ballads

Category:2017 songs

Category:Camila Cabello songs

Category:Songs written by Camila Cabello

Category:Songs written by Jesse Shatkin

Category:Songs written by Bibi Bourelly

Category:Song recordings produced by Jesse Shatkin