The Story of... 'Lost Without You' by Freya Ridings

20 June 2019, 10:52 | Updated: 20 June 2019, 12:04

By Tom Eames

Freya Ridings reveals the inspiration behind her huge song 'Lost Without You', and how it has totally changed her life.

'Lost Without You' took the charts by storm in 2018, following its use in a poignant scene on Love Island.

Soon after, it became a massive hit, and has propelled Freya to fame and won her legions of fans. She will also release her debut self-titled album on July 19.

Read more: Meet Freya Ridings

Watch the video above to hear how Freya wrote the song, what inspired it, and how she had a party with her Uber driver when she first heard it on Smooth Radio!

'Lost Without You' meaning: What inspired the song?

Freya Ridings - Lost Without You (Official Video)

Freya told us that a former relationship partly inspired the song.
"The main inspiration of my song 'Lost Without You' was… I think people can guess that it’s that kind of heartbreak, when you’ve kind of come back home, and you realise a moment has kind of hit you a lot harder than you even though," she said.
"I always write based off personal experience, but this song specifically was almost like it came from my deepest subconscious. It just kind of came out fully formed.
"And I opened my eyes with a piano, and I was like crying, and I was like, 'Well, I’m never going to show that to anyone.' I was like, 'That’s what too personal.'
"And then, you know, it changed my life. It’s crazy."
When did she write it?

Freya Ridings - Lost Without You (Live At Hackney Round Chapel)

Freya said: "The specific month I wrote it – I really can’t remember. It’s kind of a blur. But I think it’s coming up, like, four years ago now that I wrote the song? It was at a time of sort of… you know, isolation, and being at home, and just writing a lot, and not really going out.
"When I first wrote 'Lost Without You', I remember very clearly thinking, 'I definitely can’t show anyone that!'
"I think it was a few months before I even played it to my family. Because normally I’ll show them… like, you know, pretty much after I’ve written something, I’ll be like, 'Come listen.'
"But with this one, I was like, 'This is too emotional. It made me cry too much.' But then it’s turned into almost an empowering thing now – you know, to take a moment of such isolation and heartbreak, and to turn it into something I’m so, so proud of. It’s just the most beautiful feeling."
When was it played on Love Island?

Jack Serves Laura Her Just Desserts | Love Island 2018

'Lost Without You' was played in series four of Love Island in 2018, during a scene in which Laura Anderson and Jack Fowler broke up.
Speaking about hearing of its use, Freya said: "When my song got played on Love Island – no one tells you that they’re going to put your song on Love Island. They played three of my songs. They don’t tell you about any of it.
"So I just got messages from a few of my friends and my brother being like, 'You’re on Love Island.' I was like, 'I’m not. I’m in the back of a cab. I’m not.' I was very confused. I was like, 'I’m not on Love Island.'
"But then I worked it out, and I was like, 'Oh my God, the song!' But I really didn’t think it was going to blow up the way it did, and I’m just so, so overwhelmed that people Shazam’d it as many times as they did, and put it in the charts for so long. Because, you know, it’s totally changed my life."
Freya also revealed that the first time she heard the song being played was on Smooth Radio, explaining: "I remember, the first time I heard it on the radio, I was coming back from the airport very late at night, and it came on Smooth.
"I remember freaking out, and being very confused. I thought my phone had, like, synced with the car. I was like, 'Oh, this is like my phone playing.' And then I was like, 'What?' And it kind of hit me.
"It was very surreal. You’re like, 'This is a song I wrote heartbroken in my front room, and I just don’t understand how it’s coming on a radio.'
"But me and my Uber driver had a little dance party. And then it was just the beginning."
Who has covered it?

Kai The Singer Sings "Lost Without You" by Freya Ridings at Hollywood Week - American Idol 2019

Along with many YouTubers, 'Lost Without You' has been performed by Kai the Singer on American Idol and Brian Gilligan on Britain's Got Talent in recent months.
Speaking about hearing covers, Freya said: "Some of the messages that I get sent, they’re sort of overwhelmingly, you know, heartfelt.
"The way people have taken this song into their lives, and into huge moments of their lives, like weddings and funerals, it’s an honour to be included in the biggest moments of someone’s life – people that you don’t even know, you have this huge thing in common. I’m just really humbled.
"I get tagged in so many covers of 'Lost Without You' every day, and I watch them all. I watch them all. If you tag me on Instagram, I will watch it.
"I just love seeing people’s interpretations. There are some really, really beautiful voices and really talented people, and I just love the different interpretations, and I always love waiting until the end to see if they really go for it."
How did it perform in the charts?

Although it first charted in the UK in July 2018, it wasn't until October that it finally peaked at number nine.
In February 2019, the song was certified Platinum after achieving 600,000 chart sales in the UK.