Alessia Cara went into detail with Rolling Stone about how she wrote “A Little More.” The track is one of two songs from her sophomore album The Pains of Growing that was both written and produced by Cara only.
With guitar in hand, Cara explains that she wrote the song for someone she was dating to help assuage insecurities she was feeling in the relationship. “I wanted to make a song for this person to show them in hopes that it would allow me to express myself in a clearer way,” she says.
The “ballroom dance-y” guitar part had been on loop in her head, but the way she wanted to play it for the song was a bit messier and reckless. From there, she reveals that the lyrics were inspired by old photos this person had shown her.
“I remember thinking ‘I wish I had been a part of that,’” she continues. “I think when you’re in love with somebody you want to hold on to ever single part of them and almost wish you knew them before you knew them because that would allow you to know them a little bit more.”
As for the elements of the insecurity that both inspired and are represented in the song, Cara says that the title has a dual meaning: she not only wants to be a part of more moments in her partner’s life but also wishes they were giving her more as well. “This person pulled away a little bit and subconsciously I started feeling insecure and wondering ‘Is this person getting bored of me?’” That thought inspired the line “Please say you’ll never get bored.”
The song makes Cara feel “very naked” since the subject matter is so personal. To end the episode, she performed the song live, overcoming the vulnerable transparency of her intimate revelations.