Songfacts®:

• This is the second single by British singer Leona Lewis, from her third studio album Glassheart. The song was co-written by Scottish R&B and soul singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé, who is best known for her hit single "Heaven". The other co-writer was Sandé's frequent collaborator, British grime producer Naughty Boy.
• The song has been compared to some to '90s output by Trip-Hop acts like Massive Attack. Lewis told Digital Spy: "It's got an element of that in it. A bit of trip-hop, a bit of flavour - I've just never heard anything like it, which is why I was like, 'This is very cool.'"
• Lewis told The Daily Star that it was great working with Emeli Sandé as she really got where she came from. "'Trouble' tells the story of love going bad and becoming destructive, aspects of which we can all relate to," she explained. "It's a deeply emotional song that I have a real connection to."
• US rapper Childish Gambino comes in with a rap at the end of the track. "I wanted someone who was creative and poetic and witty," said Lewis to The Daily Star, "and Childish ticks all those boxes and complements the record perfectly."
• The lyrics were inspired by Lewis' break-up with her childhood sweetheart Lou Al-Chamaa. The pair had been together for over ten years before acrimoniously splitting in the summer of 2010.
• The Raul B. Fernandez directed music video was filmed in Los Angeles. Lewis' love interest is played by Teen Wolf actor Colton Haynes, whom according to MSN's Felicity Thistlewaithe, was cast due to his physical resemblance to the singer's ex, Lou Al-Chamaa.
• Lewis told The Sun how she ended up collaborating with Emeli Sandé: "I met her through Tinie Tempah," she explained, "and heard her music. I went to her and then we collaborated on the song. She's a great lyricist and I like that it sounds like Massive Attack."