Risk (song)
"Risk" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams from her second studio album, The Secret of Us. It was released by Interscope Records on May 1, 2024, as the album's lead single. Abrams wrote the song with her friend, Audrey Hobert, in August 2023, and produced it with her frequent collaborator Aaron Dessner. It was recorded at Dessner's Long Pond Studio in the Hudson Valley and at a studio in Los Angeles.
"Risk" is a pop song driven by strings, guitar strumming, and jittery vocals. It is an energetic ballad about Abrams's infatuation with a man she has never met; it is sung like a breakup song. Music critics said the track drew comparisons to Taylor Swift, among other musicians. The track was positively received by music critics, who generally praised the song's chorus and melody. It reached the national charts of various countries and received certifications in Australia, Canada, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.
A music video directed by Hobert for "Risk" premiered alongside the song's release and depicts Abrams on a dark suburban street; she is shown drinking wine, crashing parties, and contemplating love. The song was released on vinyl on May 30, 2024, with "Close to You" serving as its B-side. Abrams performed "Risk" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and The Today Show, and included it in the set list of the Secret of Us Tour and in Swift's Eras Tour.
Background and release
Gracie Abrams announced her second studio album, The Secret of Us, on April 29, 2024, subsequently revealing its cover artwork and release date. She also announced "Risk" as its lead single, which was released on May 1, through Interscope Records. Abrams said "Risk" was co-written with her friend, singer-songwriter Audrey Hobert, and co-produced by her frequent collaborator Aaron Dessner, who produced her previous album, Good Riddance. A 7-inch vinyl format of the single, which included Abrams's song "Close to You" as its B-side, was released on May 31. The Secret of Us was released through Interscope on June 21; "Risk" appears as its second track.Writing and production
"Risk" marked a new approach to Abrams's songwriting, as she would generally write her songs alone. When Abrams started working on The Secret of Us, she moved in with Hobert; when Abrams would come home, they would have lots of things to share with each other, which inspired the two to write songs together. "Risk" was the first track they wrote for the album; Abrams stated it "immediately felt right" to release it as the lead single. She also called it "the first chapter" and viewed it as an introduction to her mindset during the album's early writing process. Abrams and Hobert wrote the track in August 2023."Risk" was recorded by Bella Blasko with additional engineering from Maryam Qudus at Dessner's Long Pond Studio in the Hudson Valley and by James McAlister in Los Angeles. It was mixed by Serban Ghenea with assistance from Bryce Bordone at MixStar Studios in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Randy Merrill handled its mastering at Sterling Sound in Edgewater, New Jersey.
Music and lyrics
"Risk" is 3 minutes and 11 seconds long. It is a pop song driven by strings, guitar strumming on the backing track, and shaky vocals. An energetic ballad, the song is about Abrams's infatuation with a man she barely knows and getting excited over the thought of him. As the song progresses, Abrams's desire, anxiety, and confusion escalate. The lyrics transform from uncertainty—"God, I'm actually invested / Haven't even met him / Watch this be the wrong thing, classic"—to determination: "Heard the risk is drowning, but I'm gonna take it." She repeats the line "Too soon to tell you I love you" with near-exaggerated enthusiasm, which highlights both the emotion and absurdity of the song's premise.In an interview with V, Abrams stated that "Risk" is about "falling for someone you don't actually even know yet". Speaking with Apple Music's Zane Lowe, Abrams stated that "you can't find love without taking a chance" and that it is common nature to fall in love with "someone you don't know at all". The Face's Jade Wickes thought the song's lyrics depicted Abrams "playfully nosedive into a potentially damaging fling"; Poppie Platt for The Telegraph saw it as a "tale of young love and taking chances". Chris DeVille of Stereogum thought Abrams sang the song like a "distraught breakup song to an ex", which contrasted with its lyrical content. Writing for Uproxx, Megan Armstrong called the song "pure catharsis" and thought it expressed the impulsive rush of having a love interest in a musical form. Clash's Igor Bannikov felt the song merged the moods of Elliott Smith, Joni Mitchell, and Patti Smith with its pop chorus, as well as its "modest impudence". Irene Kim of Vogue observed the track as having similarities to Taylor Swift's 2011 song "Mean"; similarly, Samuel Maude from Elle said the song has a "Taylor Swift flair".