▁R & B ▁vocal ▁du et ▁about ▁retain ing ▁youth ▁in ▁the ▁w ake ▁of ▁advers ity . ▁It ▁opens ▁with ▁a ▁slow ▁beat , ▁before ▁a ▁bass line ▁k icks ▁in ▁and ▁it ▁es cal ates ▁into ▁a ▁sing al ong ▁ch orus , ▁which ▁features ▁" a ▁steady ▁beat ▁and ▁Latin - ting ed ▁ac oust ic ▁guitar ▁r iffs ". ▁The ▁song ▁contains ▁references ▁to ▁the ▁current ▁social ▁and ▁political ▁climate . ▁ ▁Crit ical ▁reception ▁Sam ▁P rance ▁of ▁MTV ▁News ▁regarded ▁the ▁song ▁as ▁" one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁u pl ifting ▁and ▁life - aff irm ing ▁songs ▁of ▁the ▁year ▁so ▁far ", ▁writing ▁that ▁" S ha wn ▁and ▁K hal id ▁ ▁each ▁other ▁on ▁it ▁perfectly ". ▁Patrick ▁H os ken ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁publication ▁op ined ▁that ▁K hal id ' s ▁" gra vel ly ▁voice ▁pairs ▁nicely ▁with ▁M endes ' s ▁own ▁pat ented ▁r asp ", ▁stating ▁that ▁" the ▁message ▁of ▁the ▁song ▁is ▁simple ▁but ▁effective ". ▁Mike ▁Nied ▁of ▁Id ol ator ▁de emed ▁it ▁" one ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 - year - old ' s ▁most ▁am bit ious ▁tracks ▁yet ". ▁ ▁Music ▁video ▁The ▁song ' s ▁official ▁music ▁video ▁premier ed ▁on ▁Apple ▁Music ▁and ▁V EV O ▁on ▁ 5 ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁directed ▁by ▁Anthony ▁Mand ler . ▁ ▁Live ▁performances ▁M endes ▁and ▁K hal id ▁performed ▁" Y