As a child, Grey performed professionally with her mother in a folk duo called Generations. In 2003, Grey moved to Los Angeles and recorded a demo under the alias Holly Brook, which would be her stage name for several years. In 2004 she signed a publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group and a recording contract with American rock band Linkin Park’s Warner Bros. Records’ label imprint, Machine Shop Recordings. She would later release her debut album, Like Blood Like Honey, under the labels in 2006.
In 2010, after moving to Oregon, she co-wrote Eminem and Rihanna's No.1 hit single "Love the Way You Lie" alongside British record producer Alex da Kid, who subsequently signed her to his label imprint, KIDinaKORNER. Her work with Eminem on Love the Way You Lie was the first of many collaborations between the two.
Grey's second album and first under the pseudonym Skylar Grey, Don't Look Down, was released in July 2013. Her third album, Natural Causes, was released in September 2016. In 2019, Grey announced that she had left Interscope Records, and released an EP, Angel With Tattoos, in October of the same year. She released her fourth album, the eponymous Skylar Grey, in April of 2022. In 2023, she announced her intention to re-record her hit songs after selling her music catalogue two years prior to be able to afford to settle a divorce suit.
Grey is perhaps best known as a guest vocalist on several hit singles, including Fort Minor's "Where'd You Go", P. Diddy's "Coming Home", Dr. Dre's "I Need a Doctor", Macklemore's "Glorious", and more. She has also written for number of other prominent artists, including but not limited to Kehlani, Pink, Nicki Minaj, Céline Dion, and Beyoncé. Her music has featured in multiple films, including Suicide Squad, The Fate of the Furious, Aquaman, and Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Over her career Grey has accumulated five Grammy nominations, including nominations in the categories of Song of the Year and Album of the Year.
Invisible
Skylar Grey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I dye my hair, and cut my skin
I tried everything, to make them see me
But all they see, is someone that's not me
Even when I'm walking on a wire
Even when I set myself on fire
Why do I always feel invisible, invisible
Everyday I try to look my best
Even though inside I'm such a mess
Why do I always feel invisible, invisible
Here inside, my quiet heart
You cannot hear, my cries for help
I tried everything, to make them see me
But every one, see's what I can't be
Even when I'm walking on a wire
Even when I set myself on fire
Why do I always feel invisible, invisible
Everyday I try to look my best
Even though inside I'm such a mess
Why do I always feel invisible, invisible
Sometimes when I'm alone
I pretend that I'm a queen
It's almost believable
Even when I'm walking on a wire
Even when I set myself on fire
Why do I always feel invisible, invisible
Everyday I try to look my best
Even though inside I'm such a mess
Why do I always feel invisible, invisible
Skylar Grey’s song Invisible is a heartbreaking depiction of how the subject of the song struggles to be seen and heard by the people around her. The lyrics are filled with instances of the subject's efforts to be noticed - from taking pills to make herself thin, to dying her hair and cutting her skin. But despite her efforts, she is still invisible to those around her. The subject of the song feels like she's walking on a wire even when she's putting herself on fire, indicating the extreme measures she’s taken to be noticed, but to no avail. The chorus repeats the line “Why do I always feel invisible” to emphasize the subject's frustration and helplessness.
The song's bridge is particularly poignant. The subject's cries for help are ignored and unheard, despite her attempts to make herself seen and heard. She has tried so hard to make people see her true self, but all they see is someone she cannot be. The subject's conflicting emotions are further brought out in the line, “Every day I try to look my best, even though inside I’m such a mess.” This line speaks to the subject's anxiety and the pressure she feels to conform to societal standards that dictate how she should look and act. Despite her best efforts, the subject is still invisible.
In summary, Invisible by Skylar Grey is a song that speaks to feelings of invisibility, anxiety, and the struggle to be seen and heard. The subject's efforts to conform to societal standards and be accepted by those around her are met with frustration and a sense of hopelessness, a feeling that many people can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
I take these pills to make me thin
I use medication to change my appearance and make me thinner.
I dye my hair, and cut my skin
I modify my body and alter my physical appearance.
I tried everything, to make them see me
I have done everything I can to get others to notice me.
But all they see, is someone that's not me
Despite my attempts, I still feel unrecognized for who I truly am.
Here inside, my quiet heart
Within my innermost being, I have deep emotional struggles.
You cannot hear, my cries for help
Other people are not listening to my pleas for assistance.
Sometimes when I'm alone, I pretend that I'm a queen
In my solitude, I imagine that I am in power and control.
Even when I'm walking on a wire
Even in precarious or dangerous situations, I still feel unnoticed.
Everyday I try to look my best
I put significant effort into my appearance on a daily basis.
Even though inside I'm such a mess
Regardless of my external appearance, I am struggling internally.
Why do I always feel invisible, invisible
I cannot understand why I continually feel ignored and unseen by others.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALEXANDER GRANT, SKYLAR GREY, ROBERT THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind