How to Be Human

How To Be Human
Studio album by
Cat Burns
Released31 October 2025 (2025-10-31)
Genres
Length48:22
LanguageEnglish
Labels
Producers
  • William James Watson
  • Jordan Riley
  • Rob Milton
  • Ed Thomas
  • bren.
  • Kurisu
  • Will Hargreaves
  • Jonah Summerfield
Cat Burns chronology
Early Twenties
(2024)		 How To Be Human
(2025)
Singles from How to Be Human
  1. "GIRLS!"
    Released: January 29th 2025
  2. "All This Love"
    Released: August 15th 2025
  3. "Lavender"
    Released: September 12th 2025
  4. "There's Just Something About Her"
    Released: September 26th 2025
  5. "Please Don't Hate Me"
    Released: October 17th 2025

How To Be Human is the second studio album by British singer-songwriter Cat Burns, released on 31 October 2025 through Since '93 and RCA Records. The album was preceded by the singles "Please Don't Hate Me", "All This Love", ''There's Just Something About Her'', ''Lavender'' and "GIRLS!", and received generally positive reviews from critics. Several of the tracks on the album relate to grief and loss after Burns' "first heartbreak" and the death of her father and grandfather.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Album of the Year65/100
Review scores
SourceRating
StereoboardStarStarStarStar
Beats Per Minute78/100
DIYStarStarStarHalf star
MusicOMHStarStarStarHalf star
The Arts DeskStarStar

The album was generally well-received by critics. Mary Chiney, writing for Beats Per Minute, praised the album's "honesty", saying Burns "tells her truth, and trusts that's enough." Rolling Stone UK wrote that the album was "rich with humanity" and a "perfect portrait of processing grief". Otis Robinson, writing for DIY, rated the album 3½ stars and said that while the album "colours grief in no new strokes, its profundity and earnestness is no less admirable".

Joe Muggs, writing for The Arts Desk, said the album was "heavily over-engineered" and that "it feels like there's something that's far more her waiting to get out."

Track listing

How To Be Human track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Come Home"
  • William James Watson
  • Riley
3:01
2."Can Time Move Faster"
  • Burns
  • O'Connell
  • Riley
  • Rob Milton
  • Riley
3:09
3."I Hope It's Me"
  • Burns
  • Britten Newbill
  • Ed Thomas
  • Watson
  • Thomas
3:50
4."Small Talk"
 3:26
5."Sad Forever"
Milton3:07
6."All This Love"
  • Burns
  • O'Connell
  • Riley
  • Milton
  • Riley
  • Jonah Summerfield[a]
3:26
7."I Love You, But"
  • Burns
  • Skies
  • Stok
Watson3:06
8."Today"
  • Burns
  • Skies
  • Stok
Watson2:33
9."Gemini"
  • Burns
  • Steph Jones
  • O'Connell
  • Riley
  • Milton
  • Riley
2:35
10."GIRLS!"
  • Burns
  • Chris Thomas
  • Newbill
  • bren.
  • Kurisu
  • Brendan Grieve[a]
2:22
11."There's Just Something About Her"
  • Burns
  • O'Connell
  • Riley
  • Milton
  • Riley
3:12
12."Lavender"
  • Burns
  • O'Connell
  • Riley
  • Milton
  • Riley
  • Summerfield[a]
3:06
13."Please Don't Hate Me"
  • Burns
  • Will Hargreaves
  • Watson
  • Watson
  • Hargreaves
3:34
14."I Wish You Well"
  • Burns
  • Skies
  • Stok
Milton2:30
15."When I'm With You"
  • Burns
  • Hargreaves
  • Watson
Watson2:45
16."How To Be Human"
  • Burns
  • Skies
  • Stok
  • Milton
  • Summerfield
2:40
Total length:48:22

Charts

Chart performance for How To Be Human
Chart (2024) Peak
position
UK Albums (Official Charts)5
Scottish Albums (Official Charts)9

References

  1. ↑ Damian Jones (17 October 2025). "Cat Burns shares mellow new single 'Please Don't Hate Me' amid stint on 'The Celebrity Traitors'". NME. Archived from the original on 10 February 2026. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 "How To Be Human". Album of the Year. Archived from the original on 28 December 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  3. ↑ Robin Murray (21 August 2025). "Cat Burns Announces New Album 'How To Be Human'". Clash. Archived from the original on 9 December 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  4. ↑ Mark Savage (31 October 2025). "Cat Burns' new album shows a softer side to the Traitors star". BBC News. Archived from the original on 17 February 2026. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  5. ↑ Jack Press (5 November 2025). "Cat Burns - How To Be Human (Album Review)". Stereoboard. Archived from the original on 12 December 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  6. 1 2 Mary Chiney (5 November 2025). "Album Review: Cat Burns – How To Be Human". Beats Per Minute. Archived from the original on 10 March 2026. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  7. 1 2 Otis Robinson (31 October 2025). "Cat Burns - How To Be Human". DIY. Archived from the original on 7 January 2026. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  8. ↑ John Murphy (4 November 2025). "Cat Burns - How To Be Human". MusicOMH. Archived from the original on 5 January 2026. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  9. 1 2 Joe Muggs (31 October 2025). "Cat Burns finds 'How to Be Human' but maybe not her own sound". The Arts Desk. Archived from the original on 16 December 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  10. ↑ "9 albums you need to hear this week". Rolling Stone UK. 31 October 2025. Archived from the original on 12 February 2026. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  11. ↑ "How to Be Human". MusicBrainz. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  12. ↑ "Official Albums Chart on 13/11/2025 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  13. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 13/11/2025 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 February 2026.