Selena Gomez is getting her “Love On” with her new single. On Feb. 22, Gomez released a new song that’s equal parts raunchy and bubbly, along with a music video that’s giving me all the Monte Carlo vibes. It makes sense that she’s in her French era; “Love On” is a masterclass in the double entendre. Let’s dive into what the lyrics mean, shall oui?
I hope you’re up to date on your Duolingo sessions, because “Love On” starts with a French voiceover from someone other than Gomez. The intro translates to, “What am I going to name you? / I will name you love / Tender love.” It’s the kind of pillow talk that would make someone’s oxytocin levels skyrocket, which is exactly the kind of loved-up vibe Gomez is going for on this track.
The chorus starts with a hook radio stations worldwide are going to love. Gomez sings, “Wait ’til I turn my love on / Wait ’til, wait ’til / Wait ’til I turn my love on.” In a move all English majors will appreciate, Gomez makes us literally wait to hear the rest of the chorus by repeating the phrase “wait ‘til.” This also doubles down on the point she wants to make — she’s worth the wait!
The chorus continues, “I’m no cheap thrill, I’m a rollercoaster ride / Baby, jump on / Come on, come on / ‘Cause baby if you can’t tell / You’re what I wanna love on.” It’s no accident that Gomez put the words “ride,” “jump,” and “come” right next to each other. She’s been proudly telling the whole world about how in love she is with her new BF Benny Blanco. Now she’s giving us a more… err, intimate look at what’s making her scream her feelings to the internet.
Just in case anyone didn’t catch her drift in the chorus, Gomez spells out what the song’s about in the first verse. She sings, “This doesn’t have to be some sort of mathematical equation / Slip off your jeans, slide in the sheets / Screaming “yes” in quotations.” Get it, Sel!
The second half of the first verse and the pre-chorus form a lyrical sandwich. The first bite gives us work-related imagery that still manages to be sexy (if Fifth Harmony can do it, so can she) with the lyrics, “Clock in, baby, get to work / Night shift, but with all the perks.” Then, Gomez subtly switches to a fluffy declaration of love that’s all sugar and just a little spice. “Timestamping when you fell in love / Time can’t mеss with us / Ooh, if you think about falling / Got you covered like garmеnts.”
She ends the pre-chorus with the same spicy vibes we got from the end of the first verse. She sings, “Ooh, I deserve an applause for / Keeping you up late ’til you can’t see straight / Just wait, ooh.” Gomez is unapologetically taking control of her love life. She’s been telling us since 2016 — she can’t keep her hands to herself.
In the second verse, Gomez gives us a taste of what a dinner date night with her might look like. Hint: food isn’t the only thing on the menu. She asks, “Why are we conversing over this steak tartare / When we could be somewhere other than here / Making out in the back of a car?” Steak tartare is a French dish served raw. Read into it a little more if you want to gasp at what Gomez is implying.
But why stop at the back of a car? According to Gomez, a late night rendezvous could also take place “in the back of a bar / Or we could make a memoir, yeah / On the back wall of the back stall at The Bazaar.” The Bazaar is an upscale steakhouse with locations in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Washington D.C. Its website describes it as “a vibrant mix of sophisticated cuisine, artful service, and playful theatrics,” which is exactly how I’d describe the lyrics in this song.
Bathroom hookups are usually reserved for college-town dive bars. Gomez’s suggestion to have one at The Bazaar is a subtle flex to her luxe lifestyle and a loud IDGAF all in one genius reference.
“Love On” is the flirty anthem we needed to wrap up the month of love. It feels like a natural continuation of “Single Soon,” the first single of Gomez’s new era. Her message to the world couldn’t be clearer: let her be young and have fun, s’il vous plaît!