“This is just a capsule of the last year of my life,” Alessia Cara explained to Apple Music's Strombo about her third album. “Throughout the creation of this process, I hit a few different rock bottoms, and I think through those rock bottoms, I found some sort of catalyst for changing the way that I was living.” It's heavy context for a project that often lands on the ear gently, light-heartedly even, but the contrast is in part the point. On “Unboxing Intro”, she seems to come apart, growing steadily more frenzied as she sings: “Need some clarity, I miss therapy/Hyperbolic, melancholic/Do I call him? I feel nauseous/Have I lost it? Have I almost hit the bottom?” But the production on “Box in the Ocean”, which immediately follows, suggests the bottom is a tropical island away from it all rather than the claustrophobic places of her mind encapsulated in the lyrics.
According to Cara, this is by design. She points to the soothing lullaby swing of “Sweet Dream” as an example—a song that details the difficulty of trying to sleep when it feels impossible to quiet the voice in your head. “I try to juxtapose a lot of the heavier themes with some more humorous lyrics or some more fun-sounding things,” she says. “But ultimately the root of it was a lot of struggle and a lot of difficulty.”
Thematically, conflicts like heartbreak, anxiety, isolation and longing form the bedrock of the album, following up on 2018's The Pains of Growing. The singer typically opts to navigate her woes in words rather than with her voice, but the most arresting moments of In the Meantime come when she allows her vocal tone to do the heavy lifting. On “Best Days”, she leaves the poppier backdrops for plodding, minimalist drama, creating the space for genuine conviction when she questions, “What if my best days are the days I've left behind?” It's not all doom and gloom, though. “Clockwork” finds her firm in the lessons learned, and tears are transformed into glitter on the chipper closer “Apartment Song”, as if to correspond with the clarity Cara found through her own process. “I feel like on the other end, I found a lot of acceptance,” she says. “I hope I can provide some people some sort of comfort in the commonalities of our pain and the commonalities of the things that we've gone through.”
Unboxing Intro
Alessia Cara Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Echoes of old news (old news), lingering (lingering)
They're deafening, no point in anything
Nothing and everything matters (matters)
Am I in reality? (I hope) is it all a dream? (I don't know)
Such duality (oh), animosity (I don't know)
Need some clarity, I miss therapy
Yeah, damn (turned a stone this week)
Hyperbolic (hyperbolic), melancholic (melancholic)
Do I call him? (Would you like to?) I feel nauseous (gonna vomit)
Have I lost it? (Have I lost it?) Have I lost it? (Have I lost it?)
Have I almost hit the bottom?
The opening verse of "Unboxing" by Alessia Cara sets a contemplative and introspective mood as she grapples with conflicting emotions and perspectives. The cloudy blue skies and echoes of old news conjure a sense of nostalgia and regret, yet she acknowledges that they have become deafening in their persistence. In this state of confusion, she questions the nature of reality and dreams, suggesting a sense of disorientation and lack of grounding. The duality and animosity she experiences within herself may relate to conflicting desires, values, or beliefs, and the need for clarity and therapy underscores her struggles with mental health and self-understanding. The final line of the verse, "turned a stone this week," adds a sense of weight and exhaustion to the overall mood, hinting at the challenges and pressures she faces.
Overall, "Unboxing" seems to be a song about self-reflection, personal growth, and addressing mental health. Alessia Cara has been open about her experiences with anxiety and depression, and the lyrics suggest a similar vulnerability and honesty. The title itself suggests an opening up or unpacking of emotions and thoughts, and the tone throughout the song is somber, introspective, and searching. Despite the struggles and uncertainty Cara experiences, the chorus offers a sense of hope and determination, as she declares "I'm still standing / Yeah, I'm still here / I'm alive, I'm alive." The song may resonate with listeners who have experienced similar feelings of confusion, isolation, and searching for meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
Cloudy blue skies (blue skies), over me
The skies are blue, but there are clouds blocking out the sun, which reflects the singer's current state of mind.
Echoes of old news (old news), lingering (lingering)
The singer is haunted by past experiences that still affect her in the present.
They're deafening, no point in anything
The echoes of the past are so overwhelming that the singer feels hopeless and does not see the point in anything.
Nothing and everything matters (matters)
The artist is experiencing a paradox where everything and nothing matters at the same time.
Am I in reality? (I hope) is it all a dream? (I don't know)
The artist is questioning the nature of her reality and is unsure if it is all just a dream.
Such duality (oh), animosity (I don't know)
There is a sense of conflict and tension within the singer, as she is experiencing opposing emotions.
Need some clarity, I miss therapy
The singer feels the need to seek clarity and professional help, as she misses going to therapy.
Yeah, damn (turned a stone this week)
The artist has had a particularly rough week and feels emotionally drained and distant.
Hyperbolic (hyperbolic), melancholic (melancholic)
The artist is using exaggeration and drama to express her feelings of sadness and depression.
Do I call him? (Would you like to?) I feel nauseous (gonna vomit)
The artist is debating whether or not to contact someone, but the thought of doing so makes her physically sick.
Have I lost it? (Have I lost it?) Have I lost it? (Have I lost it?)
The singer is questioning her mental state and wonders if she is losing her grip on reality.
Have I almost hit the bottom?
The artist feels like she is on the brink of hitting rock bottom and is at her lowest point emotionally.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Alessia Caracciolo, Jon Levine
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind