We’ve all heard the internet sensation song that broke TikTok with its catchy lyrics and hypnotic beat, “Bad Habit”, but who’s the star behind the spotlight? Let’s dive deep into who exactly is Steve Lacy, and how he skyrocketed to fame.
Steve Lacy, the 24-year-old singer and guitarist from Compton, California, has been into music and the industry for almost half his life. He joined Grammy-nominated musical group, “The Internet” at just 16, and dropped hits like “Dark Red” at just 17. Its no surprise that he took the world by storm, but what makes his music so enjoyable and addictive?
The opposite of a summer pop song, we have a dim ballad titled “Bad Habit” off of Steve Lacy’s “Gemini Rights” but lets talk about his other tracks, such as “Mercury“. While other artists have explored the break up POV from a singular perspective, Steve Lacy tells his story from two sides, just like a Gemini. Steve Lacy depicts his duality as a Gemini, exploring and questioning his sexuality.
Searching for love yet looking for a way out at the same time, “Mercury” highlights how his two perspectives destroy him. Steve begins the song by reflecting on how his zodiac sign and poor choices impact his chaotic love life singing, “Gemini I’m a myth and I’m a legend whoever wins might not ever make it”. Self-aware but not ready to change his ways, Steve says it’s completely out of his control. “Oh, I know myself my sins, Dug my pit then I fell in” These conflicting feelings take center stage in the chorus. To Steve, they feel like heaven and hell. Still remorseful to his partner, he accepts responsibility for the damage he’s caused to the relationship.
“I look up at the ceiling as I draft my ‘I’m so sorry’ text don’t regret the choice I chose but do regret the mess I made” By the third verse, Steve ventures more into the zodiac theme, mentioning the Mercury and Venus retrograde which are both dreaded astrological events that are thought to impact relationships and senses of self worth. “Mercury running amok in my mind can’t tell if I’m running or falling behind”. The term “Mercury” here could also refer to the chemical element often found in thermometers, doubling as a metaphor for a sort of seething poison affecting his mind and thoughts.
“Venus in retrograde got me in bed and thinkin’ bout all the sh** that I said” On the bridge, he asks his partner if she’s willing to take this roller coaster of emotions with him, but warms her that it’s not going to be smooth at all. “My layers all these sides, could you stick by for the ride?” She replies to him in the outro and taking on the challenge, she says yes, but with one condition. “I don’t think I’m the one But I could be your girlfriend ’til retrograde is done”. Mercury is an intoxicating journey, and like many songs on Gemini rights, Steve wears his heart on his sleeve, and even though his entanglement of emotions is relatable, the level of attention and story telling on this project is even more impressive.
