Growing Pains (Alessia Cara song) explained

Growing Pains
Type:	single
Cover:	Growing Pains - Alessia Cara.jpg
Artist:	Alessia Cara
Album:	The Pains of Growing
Recorded:	2017^[1]
Genre:	Pop
Label:	Def Jam
Producer:	Pop & Oak
Prev Title:	1-800-273-8255
Prev Year:	2017
Next Title:	Trust My Lonely
Next Year:	2018

"Growing Pains" is a song written and recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Alessia Cara, released as the lead single for her second studio album, The Pains of Growing. Written by Cara and producers Pop & Oak, the track explores the challenges of entering adulthood.^[2] It was released to digital retailers on June 15, 2018 through Def Jam Recordings and serviced to American hot adult contemporary radio on June 25, 2018. Its official music video received a nomination for Best Cinematography at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards.

Composition

"Growing Pains" is a pop song with influences of R&B.^{[3] [4]} Lyrically, the song discusses a loss of innocence and the "inevitable struggle of growing up."^[3]

Music video

An accompanying music video directed by Alan Masferrer premiered June 20, 2018.^[5] It is set in a dystopian environment meant to represent the oppression of others' influences.^[6] Cara begins the video in an oversized shirt before being pushed around by suit- and mask-wearing adult figures and being forced into an oversized grey suit herself.^[5] Lilly Milman of Billboard wrote that the video finds Cara "navigating an obstacle course of adulthood."^[6]

Live performances

Cara debuted the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on June 18, 2018.^[7]

Track listing

• Digital download

1. "Growing Pains" – 3:13

• Digital download – Acoustic^[8]

1. "Growing Pains" (Acoustic) – 3:13

• Digital download – Remixes^[9]

1. "Growing Pains" (Eden Prince Remix) – 3:33
2. "Growing Pains" (Toby Green Remix) – 2:55
3. "Growing Pains" (Alphalove Remix) – 3:32
4. "Growing Pains" (Dombresky Remix) – 3:27
5. "Growing Pains" (Justin Caruso Remix) – 3:01
6. "Growing Pains" (Ford Miskin Remix) – 2:36

• Digital download – Remixes, Pt. 2^[10]

1. "Growing Pains" (Bravvo Remix) – 3:42
2. "Growing Pains" (The Kemist Remix) – 3:36
3. "Growing Pains" (Locals Only Sound Remix) (featuring Curtis Smith) – 3:15

Charts

Chart (2018)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[11]	87
Mexico Ingles Airplay (Billboard)^[12]	50
New Zealand Heatseekers (RMNZ)^[13]	5

Release history

List of release dates, showing region, format(s), label(s) and reference(s)! Country! Date! Format!Version! Label!

Various	June 15, 2018	Digital download	Original	Def Jam	^[14]
Italy	June 22, 2018	Radio airplay		UMG	^[15]
United States	June 25, 2018	Hot adult contemporary			^[16]
United Kingdom	August 3, 2018	Digital download	Remixes EP
	August 24, 2018		Remixes, Pt. 2 EP
	August 31, 2018		Acoustic

Notes and References

1. Web site: The making of: Growing pains. YouTube. 21 December 2018 .
2. Spanos . Brittany . Alessia Cara Talks 'Growing Pains,' Self-Care and New Music . June 20, 2018 . . June 15, 2018.
3. Gonzales . Erica . Alessia Cara Turns Her "Growing Pains" Into Pop Perfection . June 20, 2018 . . June 18, 2018.
4. Reed . Ryan . See Alessia Cara Debut New Song 'Growing Pains' on 'Fallon' . June 20, 2018 . . June 19, 2018.
5. Spanos . Brittany . Alessia Cara Fumbles Into Adulthood in New 'Growing Pains' Video . June 20, 2018 . . June 20, 2018 . June 21, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180621015649/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/alessia-cara-fumbles-into-adulthood-in-growing-pains-video-w521770 . dead .
6. Milman . Lilly . Alessia Cara Drops Dystopian 'Growing Pains' Music Video: Watch . June 20, 2018 . . June 20, 2018.
7. Alessia Cara Performs 'Growing Pains,' Talks Pranking Her Crew on 'Tonight Show': Watch . June 20, 2018 . . June 19, 2018.
8. Web site: iTunes - Music - Growing Pains (Acoustic) - Single by Alessia Cara. 31 August 2018. iTunes Store.
9. Web site: iTunes - Music - Growing Pains (Remixes) - EP by Alessia Cara. 3 August 2018. iTunes Store.
10. Web site: iTunes - Music - Growing Pains (Remixes, Pt. 2) - Single by Alessia Cara. 24 August 2018. iTunes Store.
11. Web site: ARIA Chart Watch #478. auspOp. June 23, 2018. June 23, 2018. June 23, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180623112939/https://www.auspop.com.au/2018/6/aria-chart-watch-478/. dead.
12. Alessia Cara Chart History (Mexico Ingles Airplay). Billboard. August 11, 2019.
13. Web site: NZ Heatseeker Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. June 25, 2018. June 22, 2018.
14. News: Murphy . Sarah . Alessia Cara Releases New Single "Growing Pains" . June 20, 2018 . . June 14, 2018.
15. Web site: June 22, 2018 . ALESSIA CARA "Growing Pains" (Radio Date: 22/06/2018) . https://web.archive.org/web/20231001212518/https://radiodate.it/radio-date/alessia-cara-growing-pains-178043-22-06-2018-radiodate/ . October 1, 2023 . October 1, 2023 . Radio Airplay SRL . en.
16. Web site: Hot/Modern/AC Future Releases . All Access Media Group . June 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180617161022/https://www.allaccess.com/hot-modern-ac/future-releases . June 17, 2018.