Life's A Mess
by Juice WRLD (featuring Halsey)

Album: Legends Never Die (2020)
Charted: 11 9
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Over somber synths, Juice WRLD raps about life's trials and tribulations, and about finding true love.

    Uh, sometimes life's a mess
    Uh, I get high when I'm upset
    I remember when me and love didn't click
    Searchin' for somethin' real, then I found it


    When Juice hooked up with his lover, it changed everything for the better.
  • Halsey joins Juice on the love-laden song. She harmonizes throughout before closing the track with a verse where she thanks God for finding her romantic interest.
  • This marks the second time the two emo artists have collaborated, following Juice jumping on the remix of Halsey's 2018 single "Without Me." The pop singer first showed her love for Juice's material when in November 2018 she delivered a minimal cover of his breakout hit "Lucid Dreams (Forget Me)" on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge.
  • Halsey tattooed "life's a mess 999" on her hand in honor of the duet. Juice WRLD had "999" tattooed on his own wrist, and also incorporated the number in his social media handles (his website is juicewrld999.com) and merchandise items.
  • Juice WRLD and Halsey wrote the song with the track's producers Charlie Handsome (Khalid's "Better," Travis Scott's "5% Tint," Trevor Daniel's "Falling") and Rex Kudo (Nicki Minaj's "Run & Hide," Post Malone's "Go Flex," Lil Wayne's "I Do It"). Handsome and Kudo previously paired up to produce AJ Tracey's UK hit "Psych Out!"
  • Alabama rapper Clever recorded the original version of the song, featuring Juice WRLD. He released the track on March 5, 2021 and it peaked at #97.
  • Clever told Genius that Juice's original lyrics were about his girlfriend, Ally Lotti. When Halsey joined him, the other writers changed things to incorporate her contribution. "I just wanted to bring it back to its original roots, make it more about him, Clever explained, "and try to do what it was that I thought would make him happy if he were still here."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

80s Video Director Jay Dubin

80s Video Director Jay DubinSong Writing

Billy Joel and Hall & Oates hated making videos, so they chose a director with similar contempt for the medium. That was Jay Dubin, and he has a lot to say on the subject.

Gilby Clarke

Gilby ClarkeSongwriter Interviews

The Guns N' Roses rhythm guitarist in the early '90s, Gilby talks about the band's implosion and the side projects it spawned.

Little Big Town

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."

Dino Cazares of Fear Factory

Dino Cazares of Fear FactorySongwriter Interviews

The guitarist/songwriter explains how he came up with his signature sound, and deconstructs some classic Fear Factory songs.

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."