Selfish

“Selfish was a really emotionally draining and also eye-opening track for me to make. I had never really been vulnerable or honest on a song before and I felt like it was time I was because my persona, I guess, was very much so like boss energy, you know, “Forget your ex, never reach out to them again, life moves on” kind of mantra was what I was preaching to my fans and then I kind of would feel a bit guilty at the end of the day when I would say all of that because I would go home and I would cry over my ex and I’d be like, “Wait, I can’t tell them to be one way and then me be a complete other way,” and so “Selfish” was the first thing I felt I was able to be honest and open about."

"Selfish" is the second single and tenth track of Madison Beer's debut studio album, Life Support. It was released on February 14, 2020 through Epic Records.

Theme

The song makes reference to Madison's ex-boyfriend of nearly two years, Zack Bia, with whom she had an intermittent romance marked by many immoral and self-centered behaviors.

Beer also revealed that the song was partially written about her Dad.^[1]

On Radio.com, Beer revealed her intention with the song:

"With a song like "Selfish", I want them to know that it's OK to reminisce and get sad about somebody who treated you poorly"

Background

On July 18, 2019 Beer tweeted lyrics of the song by saying "baby who you tryna run from? me, or all your problems?".^[2]

On August 2, 2019, Madison shared the song in response to a fan's question about the hardest song she had written, to which she replied, "Selfish".^[3]

It was revealed on February 2, 2020, that Beer's upcoming single will be a very sentimental one.^[4] Madison tweeted the lyrics "I always knew that you were too damn selfish..." along with a snippet of the song and a clip of the music video on February 8, 2020.^[5][6] The release date was disclosed in a snippet that she shared on Twitter and Instagram on February 10 with the caption "friday 🌧".^[7] Madison shared the Life Support cover and the release date for the music video and single "Selfish" on February 12.^[8] A second teaser for the music video was unveiled on February 13. On February 14, 2020, the release date, Madison revealed in an Interview her feelings about the song:

"It’s the single I’m actually most excited for [...] I’m so ready to have this vulnerable side of me out in the world. [...] It’s time to wipe that away a little bit and show the real me, [...] I think a lot of people misjudge me [...] I also think it’s important to show that I am still a human being [...] I’m only twenty years old, I’m a very emotional girl [...] I’m excited to get that vulnerability out there, and this is a very honest, very emotional song for me."

Then, at midnight on Valentine's Day, February 14, the music video was officially released.^[9][10]

Promotion

On May 28, 2020 Beer announced an upcoming remix of Selfish with Alan Walker.^[11] The remix was released on May 29, 2020 alongside a visualizer.

On June 26, 2020 Madison shared a behind the scenes clip of the music video of Selfish on her Instagram with the caption "cold rain took me by surprise (this was the first take) alsoooo shoutout to the canadian kidsss cuz i jus found out selfish went gold there today 🤍 thank you thank youuuuu".^[12]

Official Versions

• Official - 3:45
• Intro Strings - 3:42
• Demo 4 - 3:44
• Demo 5 - 3:42
• Demo 6 - 3:42

Live performances

On December 15, 2020 Madison performed the song and "Dreams Look Different In The Distance" in cooperation with Vevo LIFT.^[13] On June 25, 2020, Madison appeared on Genius to explain the lyrics and meaning. On March 8, 2021, Beer performed "Selfish" on MTV Push. Beer also sang the song live On WeHo OutLoud Pride Festival June 4th, 2022. On August 5, 2023, Madison sang the song live on Good Morning America. It was a part of the IHeartRadio Jingle Ball in December 2024.

It was performed at the Life Support in Concert, the Life Support Tour, the Spinnin Tour, the Encore Tour and the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball.

Music Video

Jason Lester and Madison Beer collaborated on the music video for the song "Selfish." Beer can be seen singing the song on the ground while raindrops fall. The video was uploaded, and it has since garnered over 2 million likes and over 52 million views.

• Written & Created by Madison Beer
• Directed by Madison Beer & Jason Lester
• Produced by Laura Burhenn
• Production Company: Our Secret Handshake Creative
• Director: Amber Park

Critical Reception

Selfish" gained universal acclaim. Billboard magazine praised Beer's vocal performance on the song, committed to the approach and confident in her skills as a vocalist. Brian Cantor, writing for Headline Planet, hailed the song as a "impressive vocal showing" and "perhaps the strongest 'mainstream pop' song to hit the market thus far in 2020". Mike Wass of Idolator called the song a "stirring breakup ballad". Women In Pop praised the song as "a semi-acoustic ballad that manages to make the age old story of loving someone you shouldn’t fresh and moving".^[14]

Trivia

• This is her favorite song of hers. ^[15]
• Madison explained in a Genius video that Selfish's lyrics were made of things she said while crying her eyes out over a breakup and that it helped her to cope with her sadness and turn it into art.^[1]
  • The line "All alone on New Year's" alludes to the New Year's Eve of 2020, when her ex-boyfriend Zack Bia abandoned her and went out to party with Kylie Jenner.
  • In an interview, Madison said that she was afraid to make the song personal. So, in an earlier version of the song, she didn't include the lines about him being a Gemini and New Year's. Then she decided that it was the best thing to do.^[16]
• This was the hardest song to write, partially because it's also the most personal.^[17][18]
• Beer described the music video as fulfilling and freeing.^[19]
  • Madison revealed in an interview that she had another music video concept prior in her mind, because she wanted to bring more attention to the message of the song.^[20]
• Madison said on Twitter that this was the song she was the most excited to perform.^[21]
• The song was released on Valentine's day.
• On August 18, 2020 Selfish was officialy certified US gold.^[22]
  • The song is certified GOLD by the RIAA.^[23]
  • "Selfish" became her first top forty hit in Ireland as a solo artist, peaking at number 25.
• Madison created a "Selfish-Riff" challenge, where people try to sing the riff like Madison.^[24]
  • Madison originally did a very different run at the end of the bridge that went viral on TikTok. She fell the first time because she was afraid and had never done anything high in a song before. The longer she thought about it, the more she felt that this had to be a record-breaking moment.^[25]
• This is the second longest song on the album (after "Blue").
• On October 14, 2020 another tracklist was teased through Leroy Clampitt's instagram stories, claiming it was the final tracklist. Selfish served as the tenth track.
• "Selfish" was written at a slow tempo of 75 beats per minute in the key of A major utilizing 4/4 common time. The low note of F#3 to the high note of E5 is Beer's alto vocal range.
  • The song's entirety was originally composed of strings, which are now present throughout. The chorus was five beats per minute faster, which felt strange, and empty. After giving it some thought, she said, "The guitars are really cool," but she felt that the record lacked an orchestral feel and needed to feel like a major event.^[25]
• When asked about her favorite album memory, Beer said: "I always think of 'Selfish.' It felt like a big step for me, like letting go of someone. Even though I got back with them a few more times, it helped me face emotions I hadn't yet. It was fun—but for me, fun is healing."^[26]
• On August 23, 2022, on an Instagram live, Beer stated that she took the lyric "But why you gotta be such a Gemini?" from "Ferrari Drive" and worked it into "Selfish" with: "Why you always such a Gemini?".^[27]

Lyrics

Videos

References

Navigation

EPIC RECORDS • FEBRUARY 26, 2021 • 46:30
SONGS
Released Tracks	The Beginning • Good In Goodbye • Default • Follow The White Rabbit • Effortlessly • Stay Numb and Carry On • Blue • Interlude • Homesick • Selfish • Sour Times • BOYSHIT • Baby • Stained Glass • Emotional Bruises • Everything Happens For A Reason • Channel Surfing / The End
Singles	Good In Goodbye • Selfish • Baby • BOYSHIT • Stained Glass
Scrapped Tracks	Barbie • Confession • Dear Society • Don't Have a Choice • Famous Friends • Ferrari Drive • Forgive • Ghost Boy • Hurts Like Hell • Hush Your Lips • Impossible • Just A Girl • Lovely • Nice • On Me, In Me • On My Bed • Photosynthetic Baby • Pour One Out • Proof • Play Dirty • Remember Me • Roller-Coaster Of Life • Ryder's Song • Shady • Things We Do For Love • What's A Girl To Do • Whenever It Goes / Like We Did In January
GENERAL INFORMATION
Producers	1993 • Bart Schoudel • Leroy Clampitt • Madison Beer • One Love • Pete Nappi • Smoke
Writers	1993 • E. Kidd Bogart • Isiah Sominique Libeau • Jake Banfield • JRM • Kinetics • Leroy Clampitt • Lowell • Madison Beer • One Love • Paul Shelton • Pete Nappi • RAYE • UPSAHL
Label(s)	Access Records • Sing It Loud Records, LCC • Epic Records
CHRONOLOGY
← Previous As She Pleases	Current Life Support	Next → Silence Between Songs