FU & UF

Album: SE9 Part 1 (2025)
Charted: 16
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "FU & UF" is an emotionally messy breakup anthem that turns bitterness into catharsis. Skye Newman chronicles a relationship full of emotional manipulation, shifting expectations, and the sort of apologies no one should have to keep making.
  • The title, "FU & UF," stands for exactly what you think it does: "F--k you and your friends." It's aimed squarely at an ex who morphs into someone else when his mates show up.
  • Newman co-wrote the track with producers Boo and Luis Navidad, the same duo behind her earlier singles "Hairdresser," "Family Matters" and "Out Out."

    "I'd had an argument with my partner, and it really bothered me," she said. "For a lot of our relationship, I'd been brushed off by him and his friends. I went into the studio and I was gossiping about it, like, 'F--k you and your friends,' and they went, 'Stop!' and that was the song. We got straight into it, with me explaining how I was sick of what was going on."
  • Though she hasn't named the ex-boyfriend who inspired the track, Newman's lyrics make him feel uncomfortably specific. She later played the song to its real-life subject. The reaction? Let's just say it "didn't go well" the first time around, though the ex has since made peace with his public immortalization.
  • She skewers gender expectations with the cutting line:

    You wanted a woman but I wasn't feminine enough
    Am I too tough?


    It's a callback of sorts to a long lineage of songs where female artists pull rank and reclaim power. Think Beyoncé's "Irreplaceable," Adele's "Rolling In The Deep," or Lizzo's "Truth Hurts." Like those anthems, "FU & UF" isn't just about heartbreak, it's about boundaries, dignity, and the rediscovery of self.
  • The music video, directed by Rohan Dil, drives the message home. Newman and her friends take over traditionally male-dominated spaces such as football pitches and boxing rings, reinforcing the song's themes of defiance, identity, and self-advocacy.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Rupert Hine

Rupert HineSongwriter Interviews

Producer Rupert Hine talks about crafting hits for Tina Turner, Howard Jones and The Fixx.

Edwin McCain

Edwin McCainSongwriter Interviews

"I'll Be" was what Edwin called his "Hail Mary" song. He says it proves "intention of the songwriter is 180 degrees from potential interpretation by an audience."

Andy McClusky of OMD

Andy McClusky of OMDSongwriter Interviews

Known in America for the hit "If You Leave," OMD is a huge influence on modern electronic music.

Jon Foreman of Switchfoot

Jon Foreman of SwitchfootSongwriter Interviews

Switchfoot's frontman and main songwriter on what inspires the songs and how he got the freedom to say exactly what he means.

Wang Chung Pick The Top Songs Of The '80s

Wang Chung Pick The Top Songs Of The '80sSongwriter Interviews

'80s music ambassadors Wang Chung pick their top tracks of the decade, explaining what makes each one so special.

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."