A Cold Play

"A Cold Play"
Single by the Kid Laroi
from the album Before I Forget
Released5 September 2025 (2025-09-05)
Length2:59
LabelColumbia
SongwriterCharlton Howard
ProducerKBeazy
The Kid Laroi singles chronology
"She Don't Need to Know"
(2025) 		"A Cold Play"
(2025) 		"A Perfect World"
(2025)
Music video
"A Cold Play" on YouTube

"A Cold Play" (stylised in all-caps) is a song by Australian rapper and singer the Kid Laroi, released on 5 September 2025 through Columbia Records.[1] His fifth single of 2025, it serves as the lead single from his second studio album, Before I Forget (2026), after an initial version of the record was scrapped.[2][3] The lyric reveal his "wishing he could fix someone" with fans speculating the song is about Tate McRae, with whom the artist split in July 2025.[4] Three weeks later, McRae issued her response track titled "Tit for Tat".[5]

"A Cold Play" was voted in at number 72 on the 2025 Triple J Hottest 100.[6]

Music video

The music video was directed by Alex Lill and premiered on 27 September 2025. It is a one-take video, slowly zooming out on a crying Kid Laroi. At the 2026 AACTA Awards, it was nominated for Audience Choice Award for Favourite Australian Music Video.[7]

Reception

Lauren McNamara from Rolling Stone Australia said the "single finds him at his most emotionally vulnerable yet, delivering heartfelt lyrics over another earworm hook".[2]

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "A Cold Play"
Chart (2025–2026) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[8] 53
Canada Hot 100 (Billboard)[9] 81
Czech Republic Airplay (ČNS IFPI)[10] 8
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[11] 5
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 (Billboard)[12] 2
Year-end chart performance for "A Cold Play"
Chart (2025) Position
Australian Artist (ARIA)[13] 39

References

  1. ^ "The Kid Laroi Drops Surprise Single "A Cold Play"". Sony Music Canada. 8 September 2025. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Song You Need to Know: The Kid LAROI "A Cold Play""". Rolling Stone Australia. 8 September 2025. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  3. ^ Lochrie, Conor. "The Kid LAROI Announces New Album 'Before I Forget'". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  4. ^ Rubenstein, Megan (27 September 2025). "Tate McRae's "Tit for Tat": The Kid Laroi Breakup Fan Theories". E!. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  5. ^ Zemler, Emily (26 September 2025). "Hear Tate McRae Take Control on Single 'Tit for Tat'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  6. ^ Tregoning, Jack (24 January 2026). "Olivia Dean's Man I Need wins Triple J's Hottest 100". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 January 2026.
  7. ^ "MEDIA ROOM AACTA REVEALS 2026 AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD NOMINEES". AACTA Awards. January 2026. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
  8. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 6 October 2025". The ARIA Report. No. 1857. Australian Recording Industry Association. 6 October 2025. p. 4.
  9. ^ "The Kid Laroi Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  10. ^ "ČNS IFPI – CZ Radio – Top 100 – 8. týden 2026" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  11. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 12 September 2025. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  12. ^ "The Kid Laroi Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  13. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Australian Artist Singles Chart for 2025". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
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