"Make Me (Cry)" is the debut single recorded by American actress and singer

Noah Cyrus Noah Lindsey Cyrus (born January 8, 2000) is an American singer and actress. As a child actress she voiced the titular character in the English dub of the film ''Ponyo'' (2008), as well as having minor roles on shows like ''Hannah Montana'' and ' ...

. It features vocals from English producer, singer and songwriter

Labrinth Timothy Lee McKenzie (born 4 January 1989), better known by his stage name Labrinth, is an English singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer. After initially pursuing a career in music production, Simon Cowell signed him to his record labe ...

, and it was released on November 15, 2016. The song was written by Cyrus and Labrinth, with the production handled by the latter.

Background

In an interview with ''V'', Cyrus said about the song: "It was really conversational. Lab inthhad a chorus, and then we started just going back and forth writing lyrics together. It turned into being about a toxic love and that's when I was like, 'Lab, there's no way I'm doing this without you.' It was so organic, and I think that shows in the video because it's very real. I think it's cool because they're asleep the whole time and you're trying to get into this person and they're just not listening to you. The video really explains the song."

Critical reception

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''s De Elizabeth dubbed it a "gut-wrenching power-ballad that will resonate with anyone who has suffered a broken heart" and went on to say that "the song seems to reinforce the idea that sometimes you can be lonely even when you're in a relationship, and that being with someone can sometimes create more pain than being alone." Deepa Lakshmin of ''

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

'' claimed Noah's vocals "sound awfully similar to Miley's circa 2008. ake Me (Cry)is a song about love that's anything but easy," as well as calling it an "emotional duet" and "the perfect breakup song." ''E!'' Online's Kendall Fisher said the song is "way more different than most artist's first, pop inspired hit—including Miley's—as it follows a slower beat with a theme relating to toxic love and heartbreak." Ian David Monroe of ''V'' stated "while Cyrus may be young, the track itself feels anything but, with emotionally mature lyrics and an entirely adult sound. It is an impressive start for an artist with plenty of potentials, and lays the groundwork for a career to launch in any direction she chooses. With powerhouse vocals and a strong vision (attributes that seem to run in the family), Noah Cyrus may just have the music world at her fingertips."

Music video

A music video for the song, directed by

Sophie Muller Sophie Luise Elisabeth Muller (born 31 January 1962) is a British music video director who has directed more than 300 music videos. She won a Grammy Award for Annie Lennox's 1992 '' Diva'' video album, and an MTV Video Music Award for Lennox's so ...

was released on November 22, 2016. De Elizabeth of ''

'' described the music video: "The video depicts the two singers waking up in their respective beds with their partners who are seemingly disinterested in their affection. In alternating shots, we see Noah's sadness, and then Labrinth's, and back again, as they sing about their significant others. As the song reaches its climax, the video goes into a split-screen so we can see Noah and Labrinth at the same time - and their raging around the apartment will give you major '

Wrecking Ball A wrecking ball is a heavy steel ball, usually hung from a crane, that is used for demolishing large buildings. It was most commonly in use during the 1950s and 1960s. Several wrecking companies claim to have invented the wrecking ball. An e ...

' vibes. The video ends in silence as Noah and Labrinth walk across their apartments, sitting down wordlessly." As of January 2018, the music video on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

has amassed over 106 million views since its release on November 22, 2016.

Track listing

Charts

Certifications

Release history

References

{{authority control 2016 songs Noah Cyrus songs Labrinth songs Music videos directed by Sophie Muller Songs written by Labrinth Song recordings produced by Labrinth 2016 debut singles Songs written by Noah Cyrus Male–female vocal duets Torch songs 2010s ballads Electropop ballads