| Artist | the Kid Laroi |
|---|---|
| Cover | A Cold Play by the Kid Laroi.png |
| Album | Before I Forget |
| Released | 5 September 2025 |
| Length | 2:59 |
| Label | Columbia |
| Writer | Charlton Howard |
| Producer | KBeazy |
| Prev year | 2025 |
| Next year | 2025 |
"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
| Chart (2025–2026) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[8] | 53 |
| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[9] | 5 |
| Chart (2025) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Artist (ARIA)[10] | 39 |
References
- ^ "The Kid Laroi Drops Surprise Single "A Cold Play"". Sony Music Canada. 8 September 2025. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ^ "Song You Need to Know: The Kid LAROI "A Cold Play""". Rolling Stone Australia. 8 September 2025. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ^ Lochrie, Conor. "The Kid LAROI Announces New Album 'Before I Forget'". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
- ^ Rubenstein, Megan (September 27, 2025). "Tate McRae's "Tit for Tat": The Kid Laroi Breakup Fan Theories". E!. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
- ^ Zemler, Emily (26 September 2025). "Hear Tate McRae Take Control on Single 'Tit for Tat'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ^ Tregoning, Jack (2026-01-24). "Olivia Dean's Man I Need wins Triple J's Hottest 100". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
- ^ "MEDIA ROOM AACTA REVEALS 2026 AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD NOMINEES". AACTA Awards. January 2026. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
- ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 6 October 2025". The ARIA Report. No. 1857. Australian Recording Industry Association. 6 October 2025. p. 4.
- ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 12 September 2025. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
- ^ "ARIA Top 50 Australian Artist Singles Chart for 2025". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 12 January 2026.