London Is Lonely

"London Is Lonely"
Single by Holly Humberstone
Released20 January 2022 (2022-01-20)
Length3:54
Label
SongwriterHolly Ffion Humberstone
ProducerRob Milton
Holly Humberstone singles chronology
"Seventeen Going Under"
(2021) 		"London Is Lonely"
(2022) 		"I Would Die 4 U"
(2022)
Music video
"London Is Lonely" on YouTube

"London Is Lonely" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone. It was released on 20 January 2022 and was written solely by Humberstone. Rob Milton, her long-term collaborator, produced the song. She performed "London Is Lonely" at the 2022 Brit Awards, where she also won the Brit Award for Rising Star. A music video shot in an abandoned London Underground station accompanied the song.

The lyrical content of "London Is Lonely" explores Humberstone's experiences with moving to London, specifically the loneliness and isolation she felt. She had lived in Grantham until she was 19 and moved down to Deptford in a bid to further her music career. Feeling like an "alien", writing songs in her bedroom became her safe space. NME billed it a "heartbreaking number".

Background and release

Following the release of her debut extended play (EP) Falling Asleep at the Wheel (2020), Humberstone signed with Polydor Records in the UK and Darkroom and Interscope Records in the United States.[1] With the label, she released her second EP, The Walls Are Way Too Thin.[2] As well as spawning the single "Scarlett", the EP earned Humberstone a Brit Award for Rising Star,[3] as well as the Best Mixtape accolade at the 2022 NME Awards.[4] Her first musical release following the project was a feature on Sam Fender's song "Seventeen Going Under".[5] "London Is Lonely" followed as her next solo release, released on 20 January 2022.[6] A music video for "London Is Lonely" was filmed in an abandoned London Underground station.[7]

Composition and lyrics

Humberstone wrote "London Is Lonely" by herself, with long-term collaborator Rob Milton handling the production.[8] She wrote it in February 2020, just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic affected the UK.[9] She wrote it about her experiences moving out of her childhood home in Grantham and down to London in a bid to further her music career. She had moved to Deptford, aged 19, into a house share which was also referenced in "The Walls Are Way Too Thin".[10] She felt overwhelmed with the move and despite having so many more people around her, she felt isolated and that she did not belong there. Humberstone felt that going home each day and writing songs had become her "safe space" to process daily events, which resulted in writing the track.[6]

Humberstone references Stranger Things in the opening line of "London Is Lonely", comparing London to the Upside Down. Speaking of the line, she admitted that she felt like an alien when she wrote the song. She was living in a small flat in an area she did not know well and had very few friends, therefore spent a lot of time shut inside her bedroom alone. She added: "I just shut myself in my room because the outside was so chaotic – I felt like I couldn’t really deal with it and process it."[11] On its release almost two years later, she still confessed that she often related to the loneliness of the track.[12]

Live performances

Humberstone debuted "London Is Lonely" at the 2022 Brit Awards ceremony; she also received the Rising Star accolade at the ceremony.[13] She also performed the song on BBC Radio 1 for their Live Lounge segment, as well as a cover of Doja Cat's "Kiss Me More".[14]

Critical reception

NME felt the track was "poignant" and urged people to listen to the "heartbreaking number".[15] UDiscover Music agreed, labelling it "her most heartbreaking and poignant song yet" and felt that Humberstone had "become the UK's next great songwriting talent".[16]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Spotify.[17]

Charts

Weekly chart performance
Chart (2022) Peak
position
UK Sales (OCC)[18] 41

Release history

Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various 20 January 2022
[17]

References

  1. ^ "UK Newcomer Holly Humberstone Signs With Darkroom/Interscope/Polydor Records". Variety. 17 March 2021. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Holly Humberstone announces new EP 'The Walls Are Way Too Thin'". NME. Archived from the original on 2 November 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  3. ^ "Brit Awards: Holly Humberstone wins the rising star prize". BBC News. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  4. ^ "Holly Humberstone wins Best Mixtape at the BandLab NME Awards 2022". NME. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  5. ^ "Sam Fender shares acoustic version of "Seventeen Going Under" with Holly Humberstone". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on 10 February 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  6. ^ a b "Holly Humberstone releases heartbreaking single "London Is Lonely"". Melodic. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  7. ^ "Holly Humberstone - 'London Is Lonely' music video". Coup De Main. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  8. ^ "Holly Humberstone releases new song "London Is Lonely"—listen". Alternative Press. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  9. ^ "Holly Humberstone releases new single 'London Is Lonely'". DIY. Archived from the original on 21 May 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  10. ^ "Holly Humberstone on being the BRITs Rising Star, oversharing in song and why she'll never grow up". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 22 July 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  11. ^ "Holly Humberstone: Off the Deep End". The Forty Five. Archived from the original on 16 October 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  12. ^ "Listen to Holly Humberstone's new piano ballad 'London Is Lonely'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 9 November 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  13. ^ "Holly Humberstone announces Sleep Tight Tour". TotalNtertainent. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  14. ^ "Watch: Holly Humberstone covers 'Kiss Me More'". Coup De Main. Archived from the original on 19 November 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  15. ^ "Holly Humberstone shares heartbreaking new single 'London Is Lonely'". NME. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  16. ^ "Holly Humberstone Releases Poignant New Single, 'London Is Lonely'". UDiscover Music. Archived from the original on 22 July 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  17. ^ a b "London Is Lonely - Single by Holly Humberstone". Spotify. Archived from the original on 29 January 2025. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  18. ^ "Holly Humberstone | full Official Charts history". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
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