Worst in Me

"Worst in Me" is a song released by Julia Michaels, and sung by her in collaboration with Mattman & Robin. It originally appeared as one of the seven tracks on her third EP, "Nervous System", and later became the third single off the EP.

Although not having a music video, single cover or being announced as a single, it is considered so because of being sent to US adult contemporary radios. To promote the single, Julia performed the song on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon". She had previously performed the song on James Corden's "Late Late Show" while not being a single.

Background
It is described on Julia Michaels' official site as follows: "Delicate piano and skittering synths entwine with her soulful delivery on “Worst in Me.” Originally culled from a voice note on her phone, the song sees Julia open up about a failed relationship."

"I wrote it about my ex-boyfriend," she admits. "It chronicles our downfall and why we couldn’t work. Sometimes people are so afraid of something really good that they sabotage the relationship because they think it can’t be real. All of these little tiny things manifest into problems. You lose the bigger picture, which is that you love each other and genuinely care."

Composition
The song talks about a relationship going through problems and at the edge of ending. The topic is similar to Michaels' hit song "Issues", but according to the review of the album by Chris Willman of Variety, she's less hopeful about how the relationship will turn out.

Critical reception
Katherine St. Asaph of Pitchfork reviewed "Nervous System" naming "Worst in Me" one of the weaker tracks on the EP. She wrote that the song "leans a bit too much into the accept-me-at-my-worst confessional that’s become (fairly or not) singer-songwriter cliche: tell rather than show." She also lirically compared "Worst in Me" and "Issues" to american singer-songwriter Fiona Apple's song "Fast as You Can".

Personnel
Source: Tidal
 * Lyricists - Julia Michaels, Justin Tranter, Mattias Larsson, Robin Fredriksson
 * Producer - Mattman & Robin
 * Vocals - Julia Michaels
 * Background vocals - Julia Michaels
 * Bass, cello, clapping, drums, percussion, piano, synthesizer, violin - Mattman & Robin
 * Mixing - Mark "Spike" Tent
 * Programming - Mattman & Robin
 * Strings - Mattias Bylund
 * String arranger - Mattias Bylund

Commercial performance
The single didn't manage to enter to any main national chart. Following the release of the EP, "Worst in Me" entered at number 8 at New Zealand's heatseekers chart, which is a chart consisting only of songs that couldn't reach the New Zealand top 40.

The track was sent to US radios, specifically adult contemporary radio, and reached number 29 on Adult Top 40 chart and number 30 on Adult Contemprary singles chart. The single couldn't enter the Billboard Hot 100.

Chords
tabfan.com