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I Barely Know Her

I Barely Know Her
Studio album by
Sombr
ReleasedAugust 22, 2025
Genre
Length37:47
Label
Producer
Sombr chronology
In Another Life
(2023) 		I Barely Know Her
(2025)
Singles from I Barely Know Her
  1. "Back to Friends"
    Released: December 27, 2024
  2. "Undressed"
    Released: March 21, 2025
  3. "We Never Dated"
    Released: June 20, 2025
  4. "12 to 12"
    Released: July 24, 2025

I Barely Know Her is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Sombr, released on August 22, 2025, through Warner Records and Sombr's own imprint SMB. Written entirely by Sombr himself, the album was preceded by four singles: "Back to Friends", "Undressed", "We Never Dated", and "12 to 12".

Background and composition

[edit]

Sombr announced his debut studio album, I Barely Know Her, on August 11, 2025, accompanied by the release of its full track listing. Written entirely by Sombr, the album included four of his recent singles: "Back to Friends" and "Undressed", which gained widespread attention after going viral on social media, as well as "We Never Dated" and "12 to 12".[1][2]

The album incorporates elements of pop and indie rock, characterized by layered vocal harmonies and expanded instrumentation. Sombr co-produced the album with Tony Berg, performing guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums on most tracks. Lyrically, the album is structured as a breakup record, exploring themes of heartbreak, longing, and emotional self-reflection.[3] Several songs reference New York City, contrasting romanticized imagery with depictions of everyday reality.[4] Tracks such as "Undressed" and "Canal Street" address personal loss and nostalgia,[3] while "12 to 12" and "Under the Mat" pair more upbeat arrangements with lyrics centered on emotional turmoil.[4]

Release and promotion

[edit]

Singles

[edit]

I Barely Know Her was preceded by four singles: "Back to Friends", "Undressed", "We Never Dated", and "12 to 12".[1][2]

"Back to Friends" was released on December 27, 2024, and eventually went viral on social media, particularly TikTok, in March 2025.[5] The surge in popularity led to a significant increase in on-demand streams,[5] leading the track to the top of the Spotify Global Weekly Chart for the week ending July 10, 2025.[6] It became Sombr's first entry on both the Billboard Global 200 and the Hot 100,[5] peaking at numbers six and 30, respectively.[7][8] The song also entered the rock and alternative genre charts, reaching number one on the Alternative Airplay chart and number three on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart.[9][10] Internationally, it reached the top five in Australia,[11] Ireland,[12] New Zealand,[13] the Philippines,[14] and Singapore,[15] and the top ten in Lithuania,[16] Malaysia,[17] and the United Kingdom.[18] "Back to Friends" marked Sombr's first track to surpass 100 million streams on Spotify and has since accumulated over 600 million streams.[19] Its music video was released on April 3, 2025.[20] Sombr made his television debut performance with the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on May 20, 2025.[21]

The album's second single, "Undressed", was released on March 21, 2025. It experienced similar virality to its predecessor, resulting in increased on-demand streams.[5] The song peaked at number 25 on the Hot 100 and number 11 on the Global 200, as well as number one on the Hot Rock Songs and number two on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart.[22][23] Internationally, it reached number one in Ireland,[12] and entered the top five in Australia,[24] New Zealand,[13] and the United Kingdom,[12] among other countries. It has surpassed 300 million streams on Spotify.[25] The accompanying music video was released on May 8, 2025.[26] On July 23, Sombr performed "Undressed" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.[27]

The third and fourth singles, "We Never Dated" and "12 to 12", were released on June 20 and July 24, 2025, respectively. Both songs achieved moderate success, becoming Sombr’s third and fourth entries on the Global 200.[28][29] "12 to 12" reached number eight in Ireland, marking his third top-ten entry in the country.[12] The song's music video, featuring Addison Rae, was released concurrently with the single.[30]

Tour

[edit]

Following the success of the first two singles, Sombr has embarked on his first solo concert tour, announced in April 2025 and set to cover North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The North American and European legs began on May 25 and are scheduled to conclude on October 28. The tour will then continue with its Australia and New Zealand legs, starting on December 2 and ending on December 14.[31][32] Additional European dates were announced in July 2025, with performances planned from February to March 2026.[33]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Rolling Stone[4]

Steven J. Horowitz of Variety praised I Barely Know Her as a confident and fully realized debut, noting that Sombr "elevates the bedroom pop of his earlier work, giving it a more muscular, swaggering sound" while maintaining the emotional vulnerability that defined his earlier singles. He described the album as "a breakup album in the traditional sense", highlighting tracks like "Undressed" and "Canal Street" for their intimacy and wistful lyricism, while commending upbeat songs such as "12 to 12" and "Under the Mat" for blending themes of heartbreak with vibrant production. Drawing comparisons to The Beach Boys' harmonies and Brian Wilson's vocal style, Horowitz also credited co-producer Tony Berg with broadening Sombr's sound and concluded that the album "marks a triumphant arrival" and "the first real statement from an artist with a clear vision and a sound that grows more distinct with each release."[3]

In another positive review, Larisha Paul of Rolling Stone lauded the album for its "enamored, uninhibited" spirit and its ability to balance a romanticized vision of New York City with its harsher realities. She highlighted "12 to 12" for its "intoxicating scene" and "deep grooves", noting how Sombr "makes heartbreak sound alluring" through vivid storytelling and lush production alongside co-producer Tony Berg. Tracks like "Canal Street" were described as the album's emotional centerpiece, showcasing Sombr's "melancholy and melodies" and drawing comparisons to Olivia Rodrigo's "Traitor" while also commending tracks such as "Under the Mat" and "Come Closer" for their layered harmonies and confident performances. Paul concluded that Sombr's debut demonstrates "distinct internal confidence and external charm", positioning him as one of pop’s most compelling emerging voices.[4]

In a mixed review, Pavel Snapkou of Showbiz by PS noted the lack of effort put into the record, which affected its variety and led to monotony, comparing it to the works of viral TikTok artists whose full-length albums are often hastily built around a few hits. He remarked that "these songs could have stayed as standalone singles," but ultimately concluded that "what we got is a lazy, distortion-and-reverb-soaked project."[34]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Shane Boose. All tracks are co-produced by Sombr and Tony Berg, except "Back to Friends" and "We Never Dated" which are produced solely by Sombr.

I Barely Know Her track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Crushing"3:26
2."12 to 12"4:03
3."I Wish I Knew How to Quit You"3:52
4."Back to Friends"3:19
5."Canal Street"5:05
6."Dime"3:45
7."Undressed"3:02
8."Come Closer"3:15
9."We Never Dated"3:17
10."Under the Mat"4:43
Total length:37:47

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[35]

Release history

[edit]
Release dates and formats for I Barely Know Her
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various August 22, 2025
[36][37]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Mier, Tomás (August 11, 2025). "Sombr Announces Debut Album 'I Barely Know Her' Following Breakthrough Year". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  2. ^ a b Horowitz, Steven J. (August 11, 2025). "Sombr Announces Debut Album 'I Barely Know Her'". Variety. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Horowitz, Steven J. (August 22, 2025). "Sombr Steps From Bedroom Pop to the Big Stage on His Swaggering Debut 'I Barely Know Her': Album Review". Variety. Retrieved August 23, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d Paul, Larisha (August 22, 2025). "Sombr's Debut Album Has Everything Pop Has Been Missing". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 23, 2025. Retrieved August 23, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d Zellner, Xander (April 8, 2025). "Hot 100 First-Timers: Sombr Scores First Entry With 'Back to Friends'". Billboard. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  6. ^ "Weekly Top Songs Global". Spotify Charts. July 10, 2025. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
  7. ^ "Billboard Global 200: Week of June 21, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  8. ^ "Billboard Hot 100: Week of August 16, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  9. ^ Rutherford, Kevin (June 6, 2025). "Sombr Earns His First Radio Chart No. 1". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  10. ^ "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs: Week of August 16, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  11. ^ "Morgan Wallen has no problems at #1". Australian Recording Industry Association. May 23, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d "Sombr Songs and Albums". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  13. ^ a b "Official Top 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. May 30, 2025. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  14. ^ "The Official Southeast Asia Charts – This Week's Official Philippines Chart Top 20 from 06/27/2025 to 07/03/2025". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 8, 2025. [Select 2025 Week 27]
  15. ^ "The Official Singapore Charts Week 24 (6 - 12 Jun 2025)". RIAS. Archived from the original on June 17, 2025. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  16. ^ "2025 20-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. May 16, 2025. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
  17. ^ "The Official Southeast Asia Charts – This Week's Official Malaysia Chart Top 20 from 06/20/2025 to 06/26/2025". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 1, 2025. [Select 2025 Week 26]
  18. ^ "Sombr Songs and Albums". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  19. ^ "back to friends by sombr - Spotify stream count". My Stream Count. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  20. ^ "SOMBR SERVES UP 'BACK TO FRIENDS' VIDEO". Hits Daily Double. April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 8, 2025.
  21. ^ "Sombr Makes Late Night TV Debut On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon". antiMusic. May 21, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  22. ^ Rutherford, Kevin (August 14, 2025). "Sombr Hits No. 1 on Hot Rock Songs Chart With 'Undressed,' '12 to 12′ Debuts on Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  23. ^ "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs: Week of August 16, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  24. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. May 12, 2025. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  25. ^ "undressed by sombr - Spotify stream count". My Stream Count. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
  26. ^ "Sombr Is 'Undressed' for Success". Hits Daily Double. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
  27. ^ sombr - Undressed. YouTube. July 23, 2025.
  28. ^ "Billboard Global 200". Billboard. July 5, 2025. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  29. ^ "Billboard Global 200". Billboard. August 16, 2025. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  30. ^ Mier, Tomás (July 24, 2025). "Addison Rae Is Sombr's Sultry Obsession in "12 to 12" Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 3, 2025.
  31. ^ Denning, Reagan (April 23, 2025). "Sombr takes The Late Nights & Young Romance Tour on the road". Melodic Mag. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  32. ^ Lynch, Jessica (May 19, 2025). "Sombr Announces 2025 Australia and New Zealand Headline Tour". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  33. ^ Taylor, Sam (July 14, 2026). "Sombr has booked a 2026 UK and European tour". Dork. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  34. ^ Snapkou, Pavel (August 23, 2025). "Album Review: Sombr "I Barely Know Her"". Showbiz by PS. Archived from the original on August 24, 2025. Retrieved August 24, 2025.
  35. ^ I Barely Know Her / sombr / Credits, Tidal, August 22, 2025, retrieved August 23, 2025
  36. ^ I Barely Know Her by sombr on Apple Music, August 22, 2025, retrieved August 13, 2025{{citation}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  37. ^ "Sombr - Official Store". Archived from the original on August 22, 2025. Retrieved August 22, 2025.