Look at me
I will never pass for a perfect bride
Or a perfect daughter
Can it be
I'm not meant to play this part
Now I see, that if I were truly to be myself
I would break my family's heart

Who is that girl I see
Staring straight back at me
Why is my reflection someone I don't know
Somehow I cannot hide
Who I am, though I've tried
When will my reflection show, who I am inside

How I pray, that a time will come
I can free myself and meet their expectations
On that day, I'll discover someway to be myself
And to make my family proud

They want a docile lamb
No one knows who I am
Must there be a secret me
I'm forced to hide
Must I pretend that I am someone else for all time
When will my reflection show, who I am inside
When will my reflection show, who I am inside

Overall Meaning

In Lea Salonga's "Reflection," the lyrics describe the struggle of the singer Mulan to fit into the traditional gender roles and expectations of her family and society. The song starts with her acknowledging that she will never be the "perfect bride" or "perfect daughter" as she questions if she is even meant to play that part. She then muses about being herself, but also acknowledges that doing so would "break" her family's heart. This central conflict is the heart of the song - the need to conform to traditional gender and familial duties versus the desire to be true to oneself.

This internal struggle is mirrored in the chorus when she asks, "Who is that girl I see / Staring straight back at me / Why is my reflection someone I don't know?" The reflection symbolizes the internal conflict that Mulan is grappling with - the person she sees in the mirror doesn't match who she feels inside. She tries to hide her true self and conform to societal expectations, but ultimately fails as "Somehow I cannot hide / Who I am, though I've tried." The song ends with her yearning for the day when she can be free to be herself and make her family proud, hoping that one day her reflection will show who she is inside.

Overall, the song reflects the themes of gender roles, societal expectations, and the struggle to be true to oneself. The emotions of the singer are emphasized through the music, with the soaring notes emphasizing the hope and yearning in the lyrics.

Line by Line Meaning

Look at me
Pay attention to who I am as a person

I will never pass for a perfect bride
I do not conform to society's idea of a perfect bride

Or a perfect daughter
I also do not conform to society's idea of a perfect daughter

Can it be, I'm not meant to play this part
Perhaps my life is meant to be different from what others expect

Now I see, that if I were truly to be myself, I would break my family's heart
But if I were to be true to myself, it would go against my family's wishes and disappoint them

Who is that girl I see, staring straight back at me
I do not recognize the person I see in the mirror because she is not who others want me to be

Why is my reflection someone I don't know
I am not familiar with this version of myself that conforms to societal expectations

Somehow I cannot hide who I am, though I've tried
I have tried to conform, but it is difficult to suppress who I truly am

When will my reflection show, who I am inside
I want to be able to express my true self to others, rather than continuing to hide it

How I pray, that a time will come, I can free myself and meet their expectations
I hope that one day I can find a way to balance being true to myself while also meeting my family's expectations

On that day, I'll discover someway to be myself, and to make my family proud
If I can achieve this balance, I will not only be able to be true to myself, but also make my family proud

They want a docile lamb
They want someone who is obedient and submissive

No one knows who I am
No one truly knows or understands the real me

Must there be a secret me, I'm forced to hide
I am forced to keep a part of who I am hidden in secrecy

Must I pretend that I am someone else for all time
Am I destined to always pretend to be someone I am not?

When will my reflection show, who I am inside
Again, I long for the time when I can express my true self to others and not have to keep it hidden

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