Music lives and breathes by one word: YOU. It shows up in love songs, gets yelled in breakup anthems, and is chanted in catchy choruses, almost like it keeps everything in the universe from falling apart. But not every “you” is created equal.
Some “you’s” break hearts, while others help heal them. Some “you’s” are the reason someone dances down the street, feeling like they’re in a movie. This got me thinking: If I had to be a lyrical “you,” which one would I pick?
Definitely not the “you” who takes the blame for everything—the one in Adele’s sad songs. The “you” that makes people cry into their steering wheels during their commutes. Instead, I’d want to be the “you” that brings joy and makes people want to celebrate life.
I want to be the kind of “you” people write love songs about that don’t just ache — they soar like a Hozier yell. The “you” in a Lizzo song, the one who turns heads and radiates confidence. Or the “you” in a Coldplay chorus, glowing and untouchable, floating above it all.
But hey — that’s just me.
But what about you? There are so many different types to choose from. Here are some that stick with me and that I see as popular.
1. The Muse: You’re the reason someone picks up a guitar at 2:00 a.m. You inspire whole albums and mysterious tattoos. (Think: “You Belong With Me” by Taylor.)
2. The Villain: You broke their heart, and now there’s a diss track with your name all over it. But hey, at least you’re iconic. (Think: Olivia Rodrigo’s “Traitor.”)
3. The Glow-Up: You left, and suddenly *they* realize what they lost. Every lyric is a reminder you’re doing just fine. (Think: Beyoncé’s “Best Thing I Never Had.”)
4. The Ride-or-Die: You’re the constant, the calm, the home. The one they sing about when they realize love is real. (Think: John Legend’s “All of Me.”)
5. The Hype Machine: You’re the reason the party starts. The “you” that makes them feel ten feet tall. (Think: Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, or basically any song that makes someone strut.)
6. The Ghost: Mysterious. Gone but never forgotten. Your name is in every sad line — and no one ever really got over you. (Think: Lana Del Rey, Bon Iver, or Phoebe Bridgers.)
7. The Healing “You”: You saved them from the world or from themselves. You’re the light in their darkest verse. (Think: Florence + The Machine’s “You’ve Got the Love.”)
So… which one are you? Or write your own verse — because somewhere out there, someone’s writing a song about you right now.