"Are You Even Real" is a song by American singer-songwriter Teddy Swims featuring the American R&B singer Giveon. The song was released on January 10, 2025, as the second and final single to be released ahead of his second studio album I've Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 2) (2025).
Background and composition
"Are You Even Real" was written by Swims and Giveon, together with Abby Keen, Lawson, Sarah "Solly" Solovay, Sean Kennedy, TaeJaun Ellis, Julian Bunetta, and Peter Thomas, with the latter two also producing the song. The song is described as "about being so taken aback by the intensity of the love they feel that they question whether it’s genuine or merely a product of their imagination".[3][4]
About the making of the song, Swims said, "I'm in love with a perfect woman and I am so lucky that sometimes it feels too good to be true!" Talking about his collaboration with Giveon, he said, "I’m so grateful to have my dear friend Givēon on 'Are You Even Real' with me! He is a once in a generation talent, I’m trying to get this man to do a whole record with me!"[5] Giveon added that the "song came together in such a natural way".[6]
Music video
The music video for "Are You Even Real" was directed by Cameron Dean.[7] The video employed a laid-back approach, with Swims and Giveon mostly singing their verses from a seat that backs the other person.[8]
Reception
Alex Thomas from Neon Music praised the song for its vulnerability. He described "Are You Even Real" as a song that "builds its emotional core through carefully crafted vocal performances." He further added that Swims' vocal delivery "shifts between whisper-soft confessions and more powerful moments of realization, each word carefully shaped to maximize emotional impact." He also described the song's lyrics as traversing "a dreamscape where love feels both tangible and imaginary." Finally, he praised the minimalist production of the track, saying that it "underscores the vocals, with gentle instrumentation that enhances the song’s ethereal quality."[9]
Writing for Billboard magazine, Mitchell Peters described "Are You Even Real" as a song which "blends Swims' heartfelt vocals with Giveon's signature deep tones, creating a rich contrast accentuated by tight harmonies in the track's latter half."[10] Nmesoma Okechukwu from the online magazine Euphoria. praises the song's lyrics, saying that they heard something truly magical. Moreover, they said: "I bet you that if you've listened to it, you're going to find something to love about the song from the get-go."[8]
