Justin Bieber’s Songwriter Warned Selena About ‘Sorry,' Proves It Was About Her

Be boundlessly grateful your ex's YouTube account never earned him worldwide prominence, even if it means you had to pretend to support his dead-end passions.

You think that's harsh? Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez have spent years listening to each other rehash their relationship drama in hits so catchy, there's a chance someone out there Aronofsky'd a drill through his or her head the five hundredth time “Sorry” played at the local bar. (This is not a spoiler. You've had 19 years to see “Pi.")

That particular banger was written by Justin Tranter, who's also worked on songs for Selena, like “Hands to Myself” and “Good for You.” According to Tranter, he called Selena to warn her when “Sorry” was about to drop.

In a recent interview with CBS, he recalled,

When we knew 'Sorry' was happening and when it was official and Justin cut it, we called her and said, 'Just so you know, this song's coming out' because these are real people's lives. This is real life, and you have to be real with your friends.

Tranter wrote the song from Justin's perspective, taking into consideration the tumult of the pop star's public life at that moment.

He explained,

I never met Justin Bieber. Just knew that the session was for him specifically… Sometimes you can use what is happening in pop culture to affect a song. So obviously what we are talking about in 'Sorry,' everyone has experienced that moment like 'OK, wait, I actually need to apologize.' So that is a very universal feeling, but also being aware of how pop culture was viewing him as in that moment, I knew an apology would be good.

Selena Gomez just dropped a song with Kygo, effectively banishing the Biebs to the prison of her memories (big week for Selena!).

In it, she sings,

I had a dream We were back to seventeen Summer nights and the liberties Never growing up I'll take with me the polaroids and the memories But you know I'm gonna leave behind the worst of us

This is the most "over" these two have ever been, which is saying a lot, considering they've been on and off since they were basically children.

It's the end of an era. Again. For good. Once more. For real, this time. Eternally.

Citations: Justin Bieber's "Sorry" Collaborator Warned Selena Gomez About the Song Ahead of Time (Teen Vogue)