To Love Somebody (Holly Humberstone song)

"To Love Somebody"
Single by Holly Humberstone
from the album Cruel World
Released23 January 2026 (2026-01-23)
GenrePop[1]
Length3:57
LabelPolydor
Songwriters
  • Holly Ffion Humberstone
  • Rob Milton
  • Jon Green
ProducerRob Milton
Holly Humberstone singles chronology
"Die Happy"
(2025) 		"To Love Somebody"
(2026) 		"Cruel World"
(2026)
Visualiser
"To Love Somebody" on YouTube

"To Love Somebody" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone. It was released by Polydor Records on 23 January 2026 as the second single from her upcoming second studio album, Cruel World (2026). Humberstone wrote the track with long-term collaborators Rob Milton and Jon Green, with Milton handling the production.

The lyrical content of "To Love Somebody" dissects the silver lining of losing relationships. She was inspired after witnessing a close friend's heartbreak and wanted to flip the narrative to "at least you got to love somebody". "To Love Somebody" is a thematic and sonic shift for Humberstone and was praised by critics. DIY billed it "a bittersweet earworm of a track", with Atwood writer Mitch Mosk saying that he cried "happy tears" upon his first listen.

Background and release

Humberstone released her debut album, Paint My Bedroom Black, in 2023, as well as supporting Olivia Rodrigo on the Sour Tour.[2] In 2024, she released the EP Work in Progress. It was composed of songs not included on Paint My Bedroom Black as opposed to releasing a typical deluxe edition. 2024 also saw her supporting Taylor Swift on The Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium.[3]

In mid-2025, Humberstone returned to musical releases with a contribution to the soundtrack for The Buccaneers, the song "Miss You to Death".[4] Months later, she confirmed that a "new world" was beginning, hinting towards the start of a new album cycle.[5] She thanked fans on social media for "waiting for [her] to get it right".[6] "Die Happy" then was released on 5 November 2025, with an album announcement expected to follow.[7] Humberstone announced the album, Cruel World, on 23 January 2026, as well as releasing "To Love Somebody".[8] It was accompanied by a visualiser, directed by Silken Weinberg.[9] It was inspired by Brothers Grimm, Victorian theatre and Nosferatu.[10]

Composition and lyrics

"To Love Somebody" is a pop song.[1] Humberstone wrote the track with long-term collaborators Rob Milton and Jon Green; Milton also produced it.[11] She wanted the theme for the song to be about the "grounding and destabilising" feelings that come with love.[12] She felt that there is often a contradiction with love, adding: "to love somebody, is to hurt somebody and to lose somebody, well at least you got to love somebody. In order to feel extreme happiness, you have to know extreme sadness."[13]

Speaking to Atwood about writing the song, Humberstone stated that she wrote the track after seeing someone close to her go through a "brutal heartbreak".[14] Despite the hurt involved, she wanted to express that it is better to have loved and lost, deeming it "part of the human experience".[14] "To Love Somebody" was recognised as thematically different to much of Humberstone's discography. As opposed to talking about fear and anxiety surrounding relationships, the lyrical content dissects a "warmer, more grounded, and self-assured" reflection of love.[14] The lyrics talk about cherishing the love you have, as well as finding the silver lining in the love you have lost. "To Love Somebody" also features a sonic shift from prior singles, with an upbeat tempo.[14]

Critical reception

NME described "To Love Somebody" as a "confessional and boldly vulnerable" song.[1] Mitch Mosk, writing for Atwood, admitted that he cried "happy tears" upon his first listen to the song and billed it a "glistening, gut-punch anthem".[14] Despite feeling it was thematically and sonically different from much of her work, Mosk felt it was at its core, a "familiar Humberstone alchemy" and praised the lyrical content.[14] DIY commended the listenability of the song, calling it "a bittersweet earworm of a track".[15] DIY also praised the visualiser for the song, calling it "delicious".[15] Euphoria also praised the lyrics, writing that she "knew how to infuse every line with a depth of emotion".[16]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Spotify.[17]

Charts

Release history

Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various 23 January 2026
Polydor [17]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Holly Humberstone announces new album 'Cruel World' with confessional single 'To Love Somebody': "In order to feel extreme happiness, you have to know extreme sadness"". NME. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  2. ^ "Holly Humberstone Embraces Uncertainty On Her Surefire Debut". Billboard. Archived from the original on 21 September 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  3. ^ "Holly Humberstone: Swift gig a hard secret to keep". BBC News. Archived from the original on 23 July 2025. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  4. ^ "Holly Humberstone – Miss You To Death". Euphoria. Archived from the original on 2 July 2025. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  5. ^ "Holly Humberstone returns with darkly romantic new single 'Die Happy'". DIY. Archived from the original on 27 January 2026. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  6. ^ "Holly Humberstone Shares New Single 'Die Happy'". UDiscover Music. Archived from the original on 8 December 2025. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  7. ^ "Holly Humberstone - Die Happy". SOS Music. Archived from the original on 14 December 2025. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  8. ^ "Holly Humberstone announces new album with single 'To Love Somebody'". Far Out. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  9. ^ "Holly Humberstone Announces Cruel World North American Tour". UDiscover Music. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  10. ^ "Holly Humberstone's second album Cruel World will "explore love as beautiful and inherently painful"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  11. ^ "Holly Humberstone – To Love Somebody: 13th Floor New Song Of The Day". 13th Floor. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  12. ^ "Holly Humberstone has announced her second album 'Cruel World' and some 2026 tour dates". Dork. Archived from the original on 5 February 2026. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  13. ^ "Holly Humberstone releases album lead single "To Love Somebody"". Melodic. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  14. ^ a b c d e f ""You're Only Human, Honey": Holly Humberstone Embraces Love's Highest Highs & Hardest Truths on "To Love Somebody," a Glistening, Gut-Punch Anthem". Atwood. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  15. ^ a b "Holly Humberstone kicks off 'Cruel World' era with new single 'To Love Somebody'". DIY. Archived from the original on 27 January 2026. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  16. ^ "Holly Humberstone – To Love Somebody". Euphoria. Archived from the original on 27 January 2026. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  17. ^ a b "To Love Somebody - Single by Holly Humberstone". Spotify. Retrieved 14 February 2026.
  18. ^ "Radio-Charts Österreich – Chartwoche 11/2026" [Radio Charts Austria – Chart Week 11/2026] (in German). IFPI Austria. Archived from the original on 20 March 2026. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  19. ^ "Airplay Radio Chart Top100 – 9. ožujka 2026" [Airplay Radio Chart Top100 – 9. March 2026] (in Croatian). Top lista. 9 March 2026. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  20. ^ "Top Radio Hits Estonia Weekly Chart". TopHit. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  21. ^ "Holly Humberstone: To Love Somebody" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  22. ^ "Radio-Charts Deutschland – Chartwoche 11/2026" [Radio Charts Germany – Chart Week 11/2026] (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Archived from the original on 20 March 2026. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  23. ^ "Latvijas mūzikas topa līderos − Dona dziesma "Tuvums"" [Latvian music chart leaders – Dons' song "Tuvums"] (in Latvian). TV Net. 10 February 2026. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  24. ^ "Top Radio Hits Lithuania Weekly Chart". TopHit. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  25. ^ "Hot 40 Singles: 30 January–05 February 2026". Recorded Music NZ. 30 January 2026. Archived from the original on 20 February 2026. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  26. ^ "Top Radio Hits Latvia Monthly Chart: February 2026". TopHit. 6 March 2026. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
  27. ^ "Top Radio Hits Lithuania Monthly Chart: February 2026". TopHit. 6 March 2026. Retrieved 8 March 2026.
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