The song was scheduled to be the lead single off of Cyrus' debut album, entitled NC-17.
In an interview with V, Cyrus said about the song: "It was really conversational. Labrinth had a chorus, and then we started just going back and forth writing lyrics together. It turned into being about a toxic love and that's when I was like, 'Lab, there's no way I'm doing this without you.' It was so organic, and I think that shows in the video because it's very real. I think it's cool because they're asleep the whole time and you're trying to get into this person and they're just not listening to you. The video really explains the song."
Deepa Lakshmin of MTV claimed Noah's vocals "sound awfully similar to Miley's circa 2008."
Teen Vogue's De Elizabeth dubbed it a "gut-wrenching power-ballad that will resonate with anyone who has suffered a broken heart" and went on to say that "the song seems to reinforce the idea that sometimes you can be lonely even when you're in a relationship, and that being with someone can sometimes create more pain than being alone."
As of August 2018, the music video on YouTube has amassed over 120 million views since its release on November 22, 2016.