"Ever Again" is a song by Swedish singer-songwriter Robyn from her eighth studio album, Honey. The singer wrote it with its producer, Joseph Mount. It was one of the last songs written for the album. It was released as the fourth single from the album on 17 June 2019 along with an accompanying music video.[3] Three official remixes by Planningtorock, Soulwax, and Patrick Topping were released on 9 July, 23 August, and 4 October 2019 respectively.[4][5][6]
“Ever Again” is a dance-pop and synth-pop song featuring a pulsating bassline and crescendoing synths, drawing influence from disco, R&B, and 1980s music. Robyn has described the song as being about defiance. Critics have interpreted its lyrics as a declaration that she will no longer be defined by heartbreak, a theme frequently associated with her work, and have viewed its placement as the album’s closing track as offering a hopeful resolution to the album’s emotional narrative. The song received positive reviews from music critics, many of whom highlighted it as one of the strongest tracks on the album and praised its placement as the album's finale.
Background
Robyn wrote "Ever Again" with Joseph Mount, who also produced the track.[7] Most of the songs on Honey were written in chronological order, with “Ever Again” being one of the final songs composed and ultimately closing the album.[8][9][10] The pair wrote it near the end of the album’s completion, during a period when Robyn said she had grown exhausted from working on Honey and felt she needed a break.[8] Mount began playing what would become the song's chords on his synthesizer, which Robyn liked and worked with him to refine them.[8] Subsequently, the chorus came to them quickly.[8] Robyn and Mount completed the song in one night, and he considers it to be his favorite song on Honey.[11] Robyn contrasted the ease of writing “Ever Again” with the rest of the album’s process, saying, “It was so nice to write something at the end of making the record where you have the whole thing in your system and you can add to it in this very natural way".[8]
Release
In September 2018, Robyn revealed the track list of her then-upcoming album Honey on social media in an animated clip, with "Ever Again" being confirmed as its ninth and final track.[12] "Ever Again" was the album's fourth single,[13] on 17 June 2019.[14] The single was released by Konichiwa Records, on June 17, 2019.[15] On 20 June 2020, Robyn released "Ever Again" on limited edition 12" vinyl featuring remixes of the song. It was released as part of a Honey Remix vinyl series, alongside "Honey", "Baby Forgive Me" and "Between the Lines / Beach2k20", for the Love Record Stores Day 2020 event. Only 500 of each were manufactured.[16]
Music and lyrics
"Ever Again" has been described as an R&B-tinged dance-pop and synth-pop song,[17][18][19] with an "undulating groove ... atmospheric instrumentation and empowering lyrics", according to Paste's Harry Todd.[19] It is four minutes and twenty-four seconds (4:24) long.[18] A mid-tempo track with a prominent bassline,[20] the disco-esque[21][22][23] song incorporates retro synths, 1980s influences,[24][25][26] and layered harmonies.[27][28] Critics have cited synth-rock and new wave elements.[29][30] Building slowly,[10] its ending crescendos into an explosion of synths,[31][32] approximately three-minutes into the song.[33]Variety's Jem Aswad described it in detail as the album's "most direct pop song", featuring "a plush and sublime soundsplash that closes with many multitracked Robyns singing the song’s beautiful chorus over propulsive electric bass and sweeping washes of synthesizers".[34] Nolan Feeney of Billboard found the track reminiscent of songs from Robyn's 2005 self-titled album.[24] Several journalists likened "Ever Again" to the work of musician Prince.[10][35][36][27] Matthew Neale of Clash and Alexis Petridis of The Guardian agreed that it is heavily inspired by Mount's own band, Metronomy.[37][25]Ticketmaster Discover's Ben Jolley called it "a sonic embodiment of the lights coming back on after a very fun night out" and "funkier sister" to Robyn's "Betweenthe Lines" (2019).[13]
"Ever Again" uses optimistic lyrics to convey that the singer intends to "only ... sing about love ever again",[8][38] while her vocal delivery evokes sweetness, sincerity,[33] self-awareness, and naivety.[39] Courtney E. Smith of Refinery29 said the song's happy, dance-inducing beat betrays its lyrics.[26] According to Robyn, "Ever Again" is "a defiant song about standing up for yourself", although she welcomes other interpretations.[40][41] Petridis said it is "about surviving by shutting oneself down emotionally".[25] Several critics have interpreted the song's lyrics as Robyn declaring that she will no longer be defined by heartbreak,[42] a theme often associated with her career—particularly its chorus “never going to be brokenhearted ever again".[43][44][36][40][41] Referring to feeling brokenhearted, she announces "that shit’s out the door".[45] Writers for Entertainment Weekly, Billboard, and The Guardian lamented the implication that Robyn might never again release music about heartbreak,[40][24][28] with Laura Snapes of The Guardian comparing the idea to if singers Billy Bragg and Adele decided to stop singing about socialism and heartbreak, respectively.[46]Will Hermes of Rolling Stone called it "an absurd declaration", but agreed "sometimes these are the things we need to tell ourselves to keep going".[47] Douglas Greenwood of Highsnobiety acknowledged that while Robyn may already be aware of the unpredictability of making such a bold promise to herself, "for the first time ... she’s willing to put pain to the side for once".[45]
Caryn Ganz of The New York Times labeled it "the kind of song that can be read earnestly or with a wink" and, thematically, a "salve" to the album's earlier songs about trauma.[48] Several analysts observed that the track closes the album on a more hopeful tone,[45][49][50][51] sounding like Robyn has "come back a stronger, more positive person" after a difficult period, according to KRUI-FM's Luke Bonner.[10] Glenn Gamboa Newsday of The Columbus Dispatch said it represents the end of "moving through life’s rebuilding stages".[35] Josh Madrid of The California Aggie expanded on this theory, writing that between the opening track “Missing U” and “Ever Again”, Robyn undergoes a journey of self-reflection and personal agency that ultimately allows her to decide how she will approach future relationships, asserting her boundaries by the album’s final song.[52] The singer explained that while it's impossible to guarantee that one will never experience heartbreak again, its lyrics could be interpreted about deciding to not let heartbreak destroy you,[9] rather than avoiding it altogether.[41]
Reception
Niall O’Shaughnessy of the College Tribune called the bassline of "Ever Again" "so catchy that it would be a travesty if someone like DJ Koze didn’t morph it into a 12-minute disco journey".[53] Mel Fisher of Louisville Public Media called "Ever Again" "one of the reasons" the publication "loved" its parent album.[54]Paste's Ellen Johnson said "It’s frankly impossible not to feel inspired or hopeful when you hear Robyn sing" the chorus.[21] Claire Biddles of The Line of Best Fit complimented Robyn's songwriting, particularly her ability to translate "Ever Again"'s repetitive refrain "into something otherworldly" and "deep-set conviction".[55]
Several critics agreed that "Ever Again" is one of the best songs on Honey. Chris DeVille of Stereogum said "Ever Again" "may be the best song" on the album,[56] and David Edwards of Drowned in Sound highlighted it as one of its three best tracks.[57] Luke Bonner of KRUI-FM identified "Ever Again" as his favorite track, which he believes represents "a turning point for Robyn" as "She has purged the sadness throughout the album and decided to focus on love".[10] Some critics also identified the song as among the tracks on Honey that most strongly reflect Robyn’s signature sound. Stacey Anderson, writing for Pitchfork, described its narrative as "classic" Robyn.[58]The New Yorker' s Jia Tolentino highlighted it as one of only three "big wallops of the Robyn feeling" on Honey.[59] Similarly, a writer for Sputnikmusic remarked that "Ever Again" is "The closest thing you'll find on Honey to the music on Body Talk".[20] A writer for Beat said "In true Robyn fashion, it is an anthem, a stand out track if ever there was one, with a perfect bassline to see Honey out (before hitting repeat)".[60]
Many reviewers complimented the song's placement as the album's final track,[34][57] such as Annabel Ross of Resident Advisor who dubbed it "a sublime finale".[23] Matthew Neale of Clash praised the line "That shit’s out the door" as a "wonderful" closing lyric,[37] while Adam Weddle of Paste deemed it a "standout closer".[61]USA Today's Maeve McDermott called it a "brilliant closing track",[31] and Katie Hawthorne of The Skinny described its synth-heavy crescendo "The breakdown we’ve been waiting for", writing that the album's last 90 seconds "are a euphoric celebration of pain, optimism, strobes, sweat, stilettos and broken bottles. As ever, Robyn lifts you up despite everything, because of everything".[33] Jagoda Waszkowiak of The Courier wrote that, in addition to standing out from the other songs lyrically, "Ever Again" "makes the record a closed narrative, both lyrically and musically".[62]Stereoboard's Jacob Brookman said Honey subverts expectations by ending with a "potential hit", calling this "something that not enough albums do".[27] Brookman described "Ever Again" as a "bold and excellent" song "that could easily be released as a primary single".[27]
Billboard's Andrew Unterberger and Joe Lynch disagreed on the track. While Unterberger declared it "the pure pop injection we’ve been waiting for", Lynch called it "an outlier" on the album.[24] Mathew Rodriguez of Into said that by sounding more similar to the album's earlier songs, "Ever Again" risks making Honey's ending sound "a little disjointed".[63] The song was included on Rolling Stone's list of the 50 Best Songs of 2018, placing at number 33.[64]Ticketmaster Discover ranked in the eight-best song in Roby's discography.[13]Spotify named it one of the 100 Greatest Pop Songs of the Streaming Era, at number 70.[7]
Music video
Robyn released a music video for the single, on June 17, 2019.[65] The music video for "Ever Again" is directed by Colin Solal Cardo.[66] It features Robyn surrounded by various statues of Greek mythology in a landscape described by the singer as "a dreamy place, somewhere undefined, somewhere in my unconsciousness."[3] It was choreographed by Maria “Decida” Wahlberg.[67] Some critics found found her choreography to be reminiscent of Prince.[54][68] She wears a custom-made Louis Vuitton bodysuit, which allows her to blend in among the statues.[19] The silk blouse and latex jumpsuit that Robyn wears in the music video were custom made by French designer Nicolas Ghesquière, Louis Vuitton’s artistic director of women’s collections.[69] She dances with her microphone stand,[19] which she approaches as both a dance partner and lover.[70] Among their choreography, she wraps herself around it, wraps it around her, drops and catches it, dips and dives with it.[70] Jael Goldfine of Paper likened her dancing to "secret footage of a kid singing into a hairbrush (transplanted into the surreal space), finding power in the world they create for themselves".[51] She slowly strips out of the silk blouse to reveal a semi-sheer embossed latex jumpsuit worn underneath,[71][69] which becomes stand with sand as she dances in it.[51]
Reception towards the video was positive. Robin Murray of Clash said the video "seems to encapsulate what makes 'Honey' era Robyn so riveting".[72] Ben Kaye of Consequence praised Robyn's dance moves and said the video underscores that the singer "is one of pop’s finest, rarest treasures".[70]
Live performances
Robyn first performed "Ever Again" on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on 22 February 2019.[1] The performance had an icy wintery theme, with the stage decorated in a frosty, foggy backdrop and the singer's band outfitted in white/silver shirts and jumpsuits.[1] On 12 March 2019 Robyn performed the song on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,[73] wearing a maroon leather pant suit on the red-hued stage.[17] The song was also included in the set list for her Honey Tour.[74]
12Ross, Annabel (November 1, 2018). "Robyn - Honey". Resident Advisor. Archived from the original on April 14, 2025. Retrieved March 10, 2026. she vows over a warm disco bass groove
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