Ruin My Life

"Ruin My Life" is a song by Swedish singer Zara Larsson. It was released on 18 October 2018 by TEN Music Group as the lead single from her third studio album Poster Girl (2021). The single peaked at number two in Sweden, number five in Ireland, and number nine in the United Kingdom and Israel. It is certified Gold or higher in ten countries.

Composition

"Ruin My Life" is a pop song, that has a drum track backed by an electric guitar and keyboard backed by synths. Paper described the song as "Larsson at her dreamiest with pensive piano breakdowns and cinematic sing-a-long choruses that roll into stadium-sized emotional crescendo after emotional crescendo. Larsson unearths a darker side of herself lyrically, diving into the dynamics of a toxic relationship. With a self-annihilating fatalism, Larsson's refrain of 'I want you to ruin my life/ruin my life/ruin my life' may seem naively reckless but, as the singer explains, taps into a more universal sentiment."

Promotion

Larsson announced the release of the song on Instagram in September 2018, also sharing the cover art. Larsson later appeared on BBC Radio 1 to talk about the song with Greg James.

Critical reception

Natasha Azarmi of Aftonbladet called the song a mix between the two moods of Larsson's previous album So Good, in that it is "quiet in the verses" and then picks up the pace for the chorus. Despite complimenting Larsson's "strong" voice and noting the song's "distinct beats" and "dreamy" sound, Azarmi said that the track "lacks enough sorrow and desperation" to be effective, and said that she hopes Larsson will show more "vulnerability" on her upcoming album.

Charts

Certifications

Release history

References