Songfacts®:

• "Never Really Over" is about the struggle to move on from the end of a relationship.
  
  Two years, and just like that
  My head still takes me back
  Thought it was done, but I
  Guess it's never really over
  Oh, we were such a mess
  
  Speaking about the song, Perry explained it explores the nature of getting over breakups. "All of our relationships - from first love, through failed love, to great love - all become a part of you, so that none are ever really over, and once you accept both the dark and the light, you may find that the darkness brought you to the light."
• Perry co-wrote the rousing song with four other songwriters: Gino Barletta, Michelle Buzz, Jason Gill and Hayley Warner. Three producers were involved in the track: Zedd and the Dreamlab duo of Dan and Leah Haywood.
  
  "I worked on this song when I was on tour, and I don't really do that," Perry said. "It's produced by Zedd, and I brought him the song and he said, 'Wow it sounds amazing.'"
  
• The track was Perry's second collaboration with Garman-Russian producer Zedd in 2019, following the release of "365."
• The song samples "Love You Like That," a 2017 track by Norwegian pop star Dagny.
• The glowing video, directed by multimedia artist Philippa Price (Banks' "Gemini Feed"), was shot in Malibu. It drives home the song's message of self-love as we see Perry taking part in various heart-healing rituals at a retreat resort.
  
  "I go to a healing center to completely discard of any energy from past relationships," Perry explained in a behind the scenes clip. "Although that's hard to do because when you're in a relationship that's real, they end up taking a piece of you and you can never get that piece back."
• Katy Perry sang an acoustic version of "Never Really Over" on the January 29, 2022 episode of Saturday Night Live. It marked the pop star's fourth time performing on the late night sketch show, after appearances in 2010, 2013 and 2017.
• Katy Perry wrote "Never Really Over" after reuniting with her boyfriend Orlando Bloom following a split in early 2017. Their relationship eventually ended for good in the summer of 2025, with "Bandaids"- released later that year - serving as Perry's reflective, bittersweet response to the final chapter of their union.