Alone (Kim Petras and Nicki Minaj song)

"Alone" is a song by German singer Kim Petras and Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on 21 April 2023 through Amigo Records and Republic Records as the lead and only single from Petras' debut studio album, Feed the Beast (2023). The song was produced by Dr Luke and Rocco Did It Again!. The song became a top 40 hit in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Slovakia.

Background
Petras' admiration for the rapper dates back as far as 2011. First speculations about a collaboration arose in early March 2023, after Petras started commenting on Minaj's Instagram. In an interview with Billboard, the singer also mentioned Minaj as part of her dream girl group. On 9 March and 15 March, Petras posted snippets of the song to her TikTok account. The singer announced the collaboration with Minaj on 6 April. She is seen answering a phone and lip-synching over Minaj's part of the song. The song samples "Better Off Alone" (1999) by Alice Deejay. Musically, it has been described as a dance track.

Music video
The music video for the song was directed by Arrad. They stated: "Inspiration was drawn from the quintessential early 2000s Europop music videos by artists such as Fedde Le Grand and Alex Gaudino."

Petras stated: "I wanted a really German techy vibe, and was so happy Nicki was down. The harness was custom made by Zana Bayne."

Critical reception
"Alone" received generally positive reviews from critics. Tyler Damara Kelly of Line of Best Fit described the song as a "club-ready dance-pop track" that "elevates Petras’ penchant for glossy hooks with Minaj’s effortless rap verses." Jeff Nelson from People praised the track for sampling the iconic 1999 hit "Better Off Alone" by Alice Deejay and called it "an infectious bop that blends nostalgic dance with a modern twist." Charlotte Manning of Attitude wrote that Petras and Minaj "absolutely deliver" on the "ultimate dance banger" and highlighted the song’s catchy beat and Minaj’s "spicy verse." In a review for Euphoria, Nmesoma Okechukwu commended the collaboration for delivering "undeniable chemistry between Petras and Minaj," noting that "Alone" is a "catchy dance-pop anthem" destined for club and radio success.

On the other hand, some critics were more critical of the song. Mosi Reeves of Rolling Stone pointed out that while Minaj's performance was strong, the track’s "repetitive hooks" and "overly polished production" lacked the originality found in both artists' previous works. Mano Sundaresan of NPR criticized the track for being "void of personality" and called Minaj's verse "a well-worn rhyme scheme with platitudes about money and private jets." Sundaresan concluded that the collaboration between Petras and Minaj ultimately didn't live up to its promise.

Track listing
Streaming/digital download – single
 * 1) "Alone" – 3:05
 * 2) "Alone" (a cappella) – 3:04
 * 3) "Alone" (extended) – 4:01

Streaming/digital download – sped up and slowed version
 * 1) "Alone" (sped up) – 2:35
 * 2) "Alone" (slowed) – 3:23

Streaming/digital download – remixes
 * 1) "Alone" – 3:05
 * 2) "Alone" (2.0) – 3:05
 * 3) "Alone" (DallasK remix) – 3:41
 * 4) "Alone" (Alex Chapman remix) – 3:22
 * 5) "Alone" (Tommie Sunshine & On Deck remix) – 5:10
 * 6) "Alone" (extended) – 4:01
 * 7) "Alone" (sped up) – 2:35
 * 8) "Alone" (slowed) – 3:23
 * 9) "Alone" (a cappella) – 3:04
 * 10) "Alone" (instrumental) – 3:04

Streaming/digital download – James Hype remix
 * 1) "Alone" (James Hype remix) – 3:00

Streaming/digital download – Major Lazer remix
 * 1) "Alone" (Major Lazer remix) – 2:48