Sober (Selena Gomez song)

"Sober"
Song by Selena Gomez
from the album Revival
ReleasedOctober 9, 2015
Recorded2015
Studio
Genre
Length3:14
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"Sober" is a song by American singer Selena Gomez from her second solo studio album, Revival (2015), included as the fifth track on the record. The song was leaked two days prior the album's release, on October 7, 2015, and was originally scheduled to be released as the album's fifth single following "Kill Em with Kindness". Gomez collaborated with songwriters Chloe Angelides, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, and Julia Michaels, along with Norwegian duo Tor Hermansen and Mikkel Eriksen, who handled production under their stage name Stargate. Frequent collaborator Dreamlab handled the vocal production as well as background vocals. Driven to create a unique sound for herself, the singer focused on lyrics that reflected personal experiences, along with referencing influential albums of her youth, specifically Christina Aguilera's fourth studio album Stripped (2002).

"Sober" is a midtempo synth-pop power ballad based around an expansive 1980s-influenced song structure; the production features chunky beats and synth stabs. Inspired by social awkwardness after a night of drinking, the track describes a dysfunctional relationship which falls apart due to her lover's complex relationship with alcohol and how it changes their personality. "Sober" was well received by music critics, many of whom deemed it an album highlight. Praise was given to the track's emotional depth, vocal delivery, and production, while drawing comparisons to the works of Lorde, Tinashe, Sia, and Lana Del Rey. Upon release, "Sober" peaked on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart at number 22.