Rather Be

Album

Before I Forget

Label

Columbia Records

Genre

Rhythm & Blues

Composer(s)

Charlton Howard;Michael VolpeIsaac De Boni;Austin Howard;Michael Mulé;Khaled Rohaim;Antonio Zito

Entered Chart

Jan 24, 2026

Peak Date

Jan 24, 2026

Released

9 January 2026

"Rather Be" is a track from The Kid Laroi's second album, Before I Forget, which documents the fallout from his July 2025 breakup with Tate McRae. While he aches for their physical closeness, his deeper longing is for the friendship they shared, the soul-deep connection that made her his "bestie." The hook - "Rather be with you" – captures the difficulty of moving on from their deep connection. This fixation places the song squarely in the lineage of Laroi's greatest emotional hits, sitting somewhere between the raw abandonment of "Without You," the push-pull desperation of "Love Again," and the reluctant letting-go heard later on "A Cold Play." The track includes a verse from Lithe (Josiah Ramel), an independent Melbourne-based artist whose contribution adds a second voice to the mourning process. His lines, centered on the idea that life will never feel the same, expand the song from a personal confession into a shared emotional disaster zone. Lithe's appearance also marks a step up into higher-profile territory following the success of his 2024 breakout "Fall Back," which won Most Performed Hip Hop/Rap Work at the 2025 APRA Music Awards. Laroi and Lithe wrote "Rather Be" alongside Khaled Rohaim, Antonio Zito, Finatik, Zac, AuzTheKid, and Omid Khasrawy, with production handled by Rohaim, Dopamine, FNZ, and AuzTheKid, the latter being Laroi's younger brother, Austin Howard. Austin's role focused on drum programming, though his influence runs deeper than just beats. Laroi told iHeartRadio how much he values having his brother in the studio, calling it "really awesome" to share the process. Laroi praised his brother's artistic judgment implicitly, stating: "I send him everything I make... He'll always tell me. He'll be completely honest. If he loves a song, I really really trust it." Laroi told iHeartRadio the breakup felt like a "death," going from best friends to strangers almost overnight, and that emotional chaos heavily influenced his songwriting on Before I Forget. Tracks like "A Cold Play" (released as the lead single in September 2025) act as a direct commentary on the split. "Rather Be" fits within this narrative arc, representing the phase where Laroi accepts the relationship is over but struggles with emotional residue and unresolved attachment.

Rather be with you
Rather be with you
Rather be with you
With you

This club don't close 'til 6 a.m.
She say that she'll be here 'til then
Ask what's up with me after
I'll probably be in bed
She only strips on the weekend
She told me that she's a fan
I'll just sit here and pretend
That I don't wanna be with you instead

Rather be with you (said I would)
Rather be with you (okay)
Rather be with you
With you, oh

I told you I'd focus on me, but I've been on bullshit since you left me
That wasn't my plan, but you out here again doin' shit, tryna test me
You movin' spiteful and doin' shit, hopin' that it gets back to me, babe
I would rather be back at your place, tell me, can I come back there again?

'Cause I'm over us bein' messy
I'm reminiscin' on that one time we were fuckin' crazy in the backseat
Yeah, the sex was cool and all, but, honestly, I miss my bestie
I got so much to update you on, I'm beggin' you, baby, to text me

Rather be with you (said I would)
Rather be with you (okay)
Rather be with you
With you, oh

It's 5 a.m. and my head is spinnin'
I got so drunk, now I can't feel shit now
At least it makes it easier to pretend
That I don't wanna be with you instead

Rather be with you
Rather be with you
Rather be with you
With you

Rather be with you
Rather be with you
Rather be with you

With you, ooh

It's plain to say life will never be the same
It's way too late, still fuckin' 'round, I'm out this bitch
I'm drunk, I'm gone, but you and me don't never bend
Take me out 'cause this shit gettin' lonely now
Love-drunk, love-drunk, you want me come home tonight
Fucked up, iced out, 1942 tonight
I'm too love-drunk, I miss me and my brothers
But I'm too drunk, love-drunk, only wantin' you tonight
It's plain to say life will never be the same (rather be with you)
It's way too late, still fuckin' 'round, I'm out this bitch (rather be with you)
I'm drunk, I'm gone, but you and me don't never bend (rather be with you)
Take me out 'cause this shit gettin' lonely now (with you, ooh)

Yeah, I can't hide this shit, I feel lost
I can't lie to you, girl, I feel crossed
Hit the strip, now I'm throwin' up, ayy
Now I'm throwin' up ones
Take the AMEX 'til I go dumb
I told Dev, "Go take out some funds"
I'm tryna pour up 'til I can't feel, uh, ayy
'Til I can't feel nothin'

No matter how much that shit cost
I still can't get you out of my thoughts
I still think about you when I'm sauced (facts)
No matter how much shit that I bought
No matter how many times we fought
It made me only wanna be with you more
It's safe to say, sometimes I still get lonely, girl
It's safe to say, I'd rather you be on me, girl
I ain't to blame, babe, I won't take the fall for you
I can't just fake, it ain't easy gettin' over you

Rather be with you
Rather be with you
Rather be with you
With you, ooh