Raw Takes on Love: 8 Songs You Didn't Know You'd Connect With

Hailey Pinto
Feb 21, 2021
4 min read

Updated: Jun 15, 2023

Female vs. male artist's perspectives on dating.

There’s no separation between the emotions that music provokes. Both male and female artists write music with one thing in mind: vulnerability.

From rap to R&B, vulnerability is the key to curating the most relatable and heart wrenching lyrics.

I wish I could say that music is my temporary escape from reality but most of the time, the songs I gravitate towards continue to remind me of the same painful relationship shit I deal with in my life.

At the root of all my relationship problems, artists like SZA and Rex have taken my exact feelings and formulated them into the words I don’t know how to say, or the words I’m too afraid to speak out loud.

From the verses to the chorus, the lyrical genius that exists in the music industry is unstoppable. Male and female artists use the real, raw moments in their love life and put them into songs that we can listen to and feel somewhat understood.

Bruised hearts and heavy souls are embodied in the music they produce and we can take so much from them if we just listen.

"Good Days" by SZA

I try to keep from losing the rest of me

I worry that I wasted the best of me on you, babe

You don’t care

What an iconic song. In her sultry lyrics, SZA expresses how you can give so much of yourself to someone and then feel like you have nothing left when it’s over. In the end, you’re the one fighting for the right to your own persona while they live carefree without you.

“Stuck On You” by Giveon

Waiting for you, even how you treat me

You’re my baby even when you leave me

Maybe I’m the problem and the one who’s causing all of this

Giveon touches on mistreatment and overthinking. He sings about how you can hold out for someone even after getting hurt because you’re so indebted to them. Putting the blame on yourself to cover their actions is an easy way to overthink the ending of a relationship, and a destructive decision for your mental health.

“Warm” by Dre’es

Little afraid it’ll be a disaster

But I know that I don’t wanna crash without you

You’re the one that makes me come alive

Fear is a factor that can stop you from committing to love. But embracing it instead of pushing it away may lead to a whole chapter of your life that you would've missed out on. Would you rather crash alone or with someone that makes you “come alive”?

“Single” by The Neighbourhood

Everywhere I go you show, whenever

I don’t ever mind sharing oxygen

I just wanna get lost in your lungs

Love is consuming, overwhelming, and breathtaking when you’re sharing it with the right person. You’ll remember them and the time you’ve shared when you find symbols of memories in the world around you. There’s no way you could feel as close to them as you’re dying to feel.

“Back to the Start” by KALI

You led me on

To think things were real

Then I moved on

And now I’m back here

KALI sings about falling back into the memories and the feelings you had with someone, even when they took advantage of your trust. The hold that someone can have on your heart can be frustratingly strong when all you want to do is move on.

It’s easy to fall back into the past.

“Sycamore Girl” by Rex Orange County

By the way, I don’t know how to be in love

I’m not afraid, I’m a slave right away

And I’m here for good

This verse hits home. Rex perfectly sums up love in 3 lines. He touches upon the fact that most of the time, we have no clue what we’re doing. That doesn’t mean we’re afraid though. You could want to love someone completely but not know how to, and that’s okay.

“Outside” by Zayn

I know I’m not so innocent

But the love I had for you was real

Hope it hurts you when you think about it

Our mind has to put the blame on someone, anyone. At the same time, we can feel that we played a part in the reason why we’re hurting. Diverting the pain by saying that you hope they feel the same vocalizes the frustration you feel about the situation. It’s a temporary pain reliever.

“that way” by Tate McRae

It makes no sense ‘cause we’re fighting over what we do

And there’s no way that I’ll end up being with you

But friends don’t look at friends that way

Tate is spot on when she curated these lyrics around the concept of ignoring an obvious connection. Denying feelings and masking them with things like argument leads to unnecessary hurt and heartbreak. Even if you don’t think you’ll work out, it doesn’t hurt to be honest about it. Or maybe, give it a shot and see what happens.

Artists write from personal experiences, stories, feelings, and whatever avenue they want to travel down to create the best interpretations for us to hear.

We find a certain level of comfort in other people’s pain because it reminds us that we’re not alone.