James Reid Shares Why It Took Him 3 Years to Release New Single, ‘Hurt Me Too’
There's no denying that Filipino-Australian singer-songwriter James Reid is a superstar.
The artist first made a name for himself as an actor and teenage heartthrob in popular dramas including Good Vibes, Pintada and On the Wings of Love, before also solidifying himself as a talented artist with an unmistakable voice. Today, he's also the CEO of his own music label, Careless Music, and after collaborations with South Korean artists, including Day6's WOOSUNG and GOT7's JAY B and BamBam, and releasing his last album, lovescene, last fall, he's newly signed to Sony Music Philippines with a brand new single.
The new track is called "Hurt Me Too," a song that's as catchy as it is devastating as James sings about the heartache of lost love. Backed by a gorgeous, stripped-back piano instrumentation that puts all of the focus on his vocals, it's a song about knowing you're not the only one hurting after your relationship falls apart. The song dropped today, and we had the pleasure of chatting with James to learn all about the song and what's next for him in the interview below.
The Story Behind 'Hurt Me Too'
James Reid: I think the inspiration for this song came from a lot of things. I actually, really do not write more heavy, sad, breakup songs. I generally like to think I am a happy person, but this was one of the only ones that really dove into that side of myself and it actually took me three years to release this track. I think it just did not make sense at that time, especially with all the music I was doing, but then it was honestly just too good of a song to not release, so I changed it and stripped it down. It started off as synth-pop originally, and now it's with piano because I really wanted to focus on the meaning of the song, which was "sometimes in life, you give your best, you give your all, but it is sometimes just not enough, and sometimes it's just like that. I guess it was more of a feeling of empathy." I know how much you are hurting and how much this sucks, because I feel it too, and I think about it sometimes people forget that, but that was where I was coming from with this song and with the instrumentation and everything, I really stripped it down to focus on me and the music. Take away the big production and everything.
What 'Hurt Me Too' Means
JR: I think it is like empathy trying to understand someone else's pain. I feel it too, and I know exactly what you are going through. Also, telling them I tried my best. That's what I want them to take away from the track.
(Photo credit: Aya Cabauatan)
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James' Favorite Lyric
JR: The lyric is, "I know it hurts 'cause that **** hurt me too." For context, I came from an acting background in the Philippines and transitioned to music, and I am always subject to a lot of criticism and everything online. I think that people forget that because I put on a smile and try my best to navigate through all the noise and all the drama that I get online, it's pretty hard for me, too. I think that was the first thing I wrote for this song, "I know it hurts cuz that **** hurt me too," and I built the song from it. I think it really is the core essence of this song.
On Singing in English and Tagalog
JR: This song is only in English. For the upcoming EP that this is leading up to, there are English and Tagalog tracks. This will be the first track of the EP that is coming out this year and it is leaning into more heartfelt and more stripped down—more what goes into my mind and my unique perspective that only I can really talk about and letting my fans into my mind and this song sets the tone for the whole EP.
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What's Next
JR: Other than the EP that is coming up, I have been planning on doing a film. I haven't done anything in acting since 2019, so it has been a while and I left the whole acting thing so I could pursue music and try to do things on my own terms for a while and take a break. But the film I have been working recently, for the past few months, revolves around music, actually. It is still in the early stages, so hopefully, by late this year or by the latest early next year, it should be coming out. I am excited because it is my first time acting in five years, I think. I am infusing the music into it so it is a project that is pretty close to me.
(Photo credit: Aya Cabauatan)
Final Thoughts on 'Hurt Me Too'
JR: I will actually be performing it on the 23rd, which is the day before it comes out. So there is a music festival here in the Philippines, the Kaogma festival. It is a massive festival. I will be performing "Hurt Me Too" for the first time the day before it comes out. This song will be coming a few hours after I perform it. The fans will be getting a sneak peek before it drops, so I am excited and nervous to perform it for the first time.
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