How to Be Lonely

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

"How to Be Lonely"
Single by Rita Ora
Released	13 March 2020 (2020-03-13)
Genre	Pop[1]
Length	2:55
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Lewis Capaldi Peter Rycroft Thomas Mann
Producer(s)	aboutagirl[2]
Rita Ora singles chronology
"Ritual" (2019) "How to Be Lonely" (2020) "Big" (2021)

Composition

"How to Be Lonely" is a mid-tempo ballad that deals with themes about "battling insecurity".^[3][4]

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".^[3] 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".^[1]

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.^[5] An arrow hits her.^[6] 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.^[7] Then she smashes a wall with a baseball bat.^[8] A UFO lands.^[9]

Live performances

Ora performed the song live at BBC's Sport Relief 2020 telethon on 13 March.^[10]

Track listings

Digital download / streaming[11] "How to Be Lonely" – 2:55 Digital download / streaming - Live from London[11] "How to Be Lonely" (Live from London) – 2:56 Digital download / streaming - MÖWE Remix[11] "How to Be Lonely" (MÖWE Remix) – 2:54 Digital download / streaming - aboutagirl Remix[11] "How to Be Lonely" (aboutagirl Remix) – 3:23

Digital download / streaming - LARI LUKE Remix[11] "How to Be Lonely" (LARI LUKE Remix) – 3:21 Digital download / streaming - Sam Feldt Remix[11] "How to Be Lonely" (Sam Feldt Remix) – 3:11 Digital download / streaming - Bomba Estéreo Remix Remix[11] "How to Be Lonely" (Bomba Estéreo Remix) – 2:50

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.^[12]

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

Chart (2020)	Peak position
Australia Airplay (Radiomonitor)[13]	32
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[14]	4
Croatia (HRT)[15]	17
France (SNEP Sales Chart)[16]	142
Ireland (IRMA)[17]	96
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[18]	40
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[19]	19
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[20]	33
Scotland (OCC)[21]	8
UK Singles (OCC)[22]	57

Release history

Country	Date	Format	Version	Label	Ref.
Various	13 March 2020	Digital download streaming	Original single	Atlantic Records Warner Music [a]	[11]
	10 April 2020		Live from London
	17 April 2020		MÖWE Remix
	24 April 2020		aboutagirl Remix
			LARI LUKE Remix
			Sam Feldt Remix
	1 May 2020		Bomba Estéreo Remix Remix

• ^{^[a]} Ora is signed to Atlantic Records UK who distribute her music in the UK, Warner Records handle releases elsewhere in the world^[11] except several Asian countries licensed by Sony Music Entertainment Asia.^[23]