Sting (Fletcher song)

{{Short description|2022 single by Fletcher}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox song | name = Sting | cover = | alt = | type = single | artist = Fletcher | album = Girl of My Dreams | released = {{Start date|2022|09|02}} | recorded = | studio = | genre = | length = {{duration|m=3|s=7}} | label = Capitol | writer = * Cari Fletcher * Ali Payami * Jennifer Decilveo * Wens | producer = * Ali Payami * Jennifer Decilveo * Malay | prev_title = Becky's So Hot | prev_year = 2022 | next_title = Better Version | next_year = 2022 | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|237G91PczSE|"Sting"}}}} }}

'''"Sting"''' is a song by American pop singer Fletcher, released on September 2, 2022.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/news/fletcher-returns-with-explicit-new-bop-sting |title=Fletcher Returns With Explicit New Bop 'Sting' |magazine=Clash |last=Murray |first=Robin |date=September 2, 2022 |access-date=September 26, 2022}}</ref> It is the opening track and eighth track on the deluxe edition from her debut studio album ''Girl of My Dreams'' and was issued as the album's third single. An official lyric video for the song was released on September 1, 2022; one day before the single's official release.<ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=237G91PczSE |title=FLETCHER - Sting (Lyric Video) |via=YouTube |author=Fletcher |author-link=Fletcher (singer)|date=September 2, 2022 |access-date=September 26, 2022}}</ref>

==Background== Following the drama-filled buzz of her breakout single "Becky's So Hot", Fletcher continued to explore the emotional aftermath of a high-profile breakup. As part of the lead-up to her debut studio album ''Girl of My Dreams'', she released "Sting" as a reflection of unresolved pain. The track centers on the lingering hurt of heartbreak, with Fletcher posing introspective questions about what it will take for her to finally move on.<ref name="Billboard">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/new-pride-music-betty-who-pabllo-vittar-fletcher-1235134376/ |title=First Out: New Music From Betty Who, Pabllo Vittar, Fletcher & More |magazine=Clash |last=Daw |first=Stephen |date=September 2, 2022 |access-date=July 24, 2025}}</ref>

==Composition== "Sting" builds on the sonic motifs Fletcher has explored throughout her career, combining emotive production with confessional lyricism. The track features a steady beat and melancholic tone that underscore her vulnerability. Lyrically, the song introduces a sense of emotional clarity as Fletcher embraces the complexity of pain, singing, "Maybe I like the way it sting".<ref name="Billboard" />

==Critical reception== ''Pitchfork'' highlighted the song's energetic rhythm, calling it the strongest track on the album, but critiqued its emotional delivery. The review argued that Fletcher's intensity occasionally tips into melodrama and that the song's imagery, while evocative, lacks depth—citing a crumpled Taylor Swift shirt as one of the few concrete details.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/fletcher-girl-of-my-dreams/ |title=FLETCHER: ''Girl of My Dreams'' Album Review |website=Pitchfork |last=Blum |first=Dani |date=September 23, 2022 |access-date=July 24, 2025}}</ref>

==Chart performance== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ "Sting" chart performance ! scope="col"| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| NZ Hot 40 Singles<ref name="nz">{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/hot-singles/2020-09-18|title=NZ Top 40|work=Official New Zealand Music Chart|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|date=12 September 2022|access-date=26 September 2022}}</ref> | 21 |}

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:2022 songs Category:2022 singles Category:Capitol Records singles Category:Fletcher (singer) songs Category:Songs written by Jennifer Decilveo Category:Songs written by Fletcher (singer) Category:Songs written by Malay (record producer) Category:Songs written by Ali Payami