Numb Little Bug

Album: Egg in the Backseat (2022)
Charted: 25 18
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Em Beihold's breakthrough came in 2021 when her song "Groundhog Day" went viral, receiving over 20 million views between TikTok and Instagram Reels. She followed it up with "Numb Little Bug," where she reflects on her struggles with depression and anxiety.
  • On the surface, everything in Em Beihold's life seemed hunky dory. With the success of "Groundhog Day," all her dreams of becoming a popular musician were coming true. However, Beihold was on antidepressants to treat her heavy anxiety, which made her feel disconnected from the world around her and a little tired of life. She compares her feeling of being unhappy, but not wanting to die, to "a numb little bug that's gotta survive."

    "Everything I wanted was happening, but somehow I didn't feel anything," Beihold explained. "I felt numb. Songs weren't really coming to me the way they used to. The antidepressants sucked the soul and energy out of me a little bit. I wrote 'Numb Little Bug' about the feeling."
  • Em Beihold wrote the song with:

    LA-based singer-songwriter Nick Lopez, who has also written with Demi Lovato, Omer Fedi, Dixie D'Amelio, and Marc E. Bassy.

    Musician and producer Dru Decaro. The lead guitarist for R&B artist Miguel, his other songwriting credits include Pop Smoke's "Demeanor," and Khalid's "Retrograde."

    Dru DeCaro also co-produced the track with Elijah Hill and Dallas Caton.
  • Em Beihold and her producers went through about 14 versions of "Numb Little Bug" before hitting on the right formula. "We tried one version that was straight pop, and then we tried another that was more acoustic, but they didn't feel like my sound," she recalled to Billboard. "Then I brought 'Numb Little Bug' to Dallas Caton, and he nailed exactly what I wanted for it."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"

Dave Alvin - "4th Of July"They're Playing My Song

When Dave recorded the first version of the song with his group the Blasters, producer Nick Lowe gave him some life-changing advice.

Incongruent Opening Acts

Incongruent Opening ActsSong Writing

Here's what happens when an opening act is really out of place with the headliner, like when Beastie Boys opened for Madonna.

Tanita Tikaram

Tanita TikaramSongwriter Interviews

When she released her first album in 1988, Tanita became a UK singing sensation at age 19. She talks about her darkly sensual voice and quirky songwriting style.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Metallica

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in Songs

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in SongsSong Writing

Elvis, Little Richard and Cheryl Cole have all sung about Teddy Bears, but there is also a terrifying Teddy song from 1932 and a touching trucker Teddy tune from 1976.