The song itself is the inner monologue of a girl struggling to accept herself for who she is; it follows the girl as she changes herself to fit the societal ideal of beauty.
The message of this song is to remind the listener (who is most likely a young woman, seeing as Beach Bunny’s genre is self-proclaimed “sad-girl” music) to not change themselves to get people to like them and to learn to be happy with who they are on the inside, because the relationships they form from being beautifully, uniquely, and totally herself will be more rewarding and they will feel more “okay”.
Trifilio wrote the track for a friend that was struggling with body issues. The song has been called “a protest of Euro-centric beauty standards."Trifilio was nervous to release the song, with it lacking a romantic theme that was commonplace for many of her songs: "I was scared it would be listened to in the wrong way, like I was encouraging eating disorders. In general, I think there’s a void (in pop music) in discussing social issues, and I hope to write more songs like that." The song is the namesake of the band’s fourth extended play, first issued in August 2018.
Prom Queen
Beach Bunny Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never looked good in mom jeans
Wish I, was like you, blue-eyed blondie, perfect body
Maybe I should try harder
You should lower your expectations
I'm no quick-curl Barbie
I was never cut out for Prom Queen
If I get more pretty, do you think he will like me?
Dissect my insecurities
I'm the defect, surgical project
It's getting hard to breathe
This plastic wrap in my cheeks
Maybe I should try harder
You should lower your beauty standards
I'm no quick-curl Barbie
I was never cut out for Prom Queen
If I'm pretty, will you like me?
They say beauty, makes boys happy
I've been starving myself
Carving skin until my bones are showing
Teach me how to be okay
I don't want to downplay my emotions
They say beauty is pain
You'll only be happy
If you look a certain way
I wanna be okay
I wanna be okay
"Prom Queen," a Beach Bunny song that gained popularity after being featured in TikTok videos during 2020, articulates the struggles of a young girl dealing with insecurities about her body image. The lyrics suggest that she feels inadequate and compares herself to others who possess what she believes are the desired characteristics of beauty. She feels pressure to conform to the set standards of beauty to please both herself and her potential romantic interests. The repetitive lyrics point out how toxic cultural narratives shape young individuals' desires to be someone they are not to gain acceptance and love.
The chorus is a reminder that societal expectations for women's beauty ideals can be overwhelming and destructive, leading them to alter their appearance, often by unhealthy means. In the second verse, the singer's language reveals how she viewed herself as an object to be fixed and altered, as if she is incomplete and imperfect as she is. She longs to be "okay," implying that she wants to come to terms with herself and the world that repeatedly tells her she's inadequate. The vivid description of "carving skin until my bones are showing" is a heartbreaking line that depicts self-harm and the emotional distress that often goes unnoticed when dealing with body dysmorphia.
The song provides reasons why girls have to learn how to be okay with themselves instead of trying to fit in and conform. It speaks about the dangers of depression, anxiety, and the distorted self-image that girls face daily. Beach Bunny's Prom Queen is a heartfelt song that expresses the extensive anxieties young women face every day in today's beauty-obsessed culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Shut up, count your calories
Stop talking and focus on monitoring your food intake.
I never looked good in mom jeans
I have never felt confident wearing high-waisted jeans.
Wish I, was like you, blue-eyed blondie, perfect body
I desire to have traits like yours such as blue eyes, blonde hair, and a flawless body.
Maybe I should try harder
I may need to make an extra effort to look more beautiful.
You should lower your expectations
Do not expect me to dress or look like a supermodel.
I'm no quick-curl Barbie
I am not a perfect representation of a doll all done up with scrunched curls.
I was never cut out for Prom Queen
I was never meant to be a winner in high school events like prom.
If I get more pretty, do you think he will like me?
Will becoming more beautiful make him like me?
Dissect my insecurities
Analyze my personal issues and concerns.
I'm the defect, surgical project
I am a flawed human who needs fixing.
It's getting hard to breathe
I am struggling to cope with my problems.
This plastic wrap in my cheeks
The extra skin on my face is being covered up with makeup and other beauty products.
Maybe I should try harder
I should put in more effort to improve my appearance.
You should lower your beauty standards
Do not aim for unrealistic beauty standards that are hard to achieve.
I was never cut out for Prom Queen
I was never meant to be seen as the most beautiful or popular in high school or any other social events.
If I'm pretty, will you like me?
Are you going to like me more if I become prettier?
They say beauty, makes boys happy
It is believed that boys are attracted to beautiful girls.
I've been starving myself
I am deliberately not eating enough food or skipping meals to get thinner.
Carving skin until my bones are showing
I am becoming skinny to the extent that my bones are becoming visible on my body.
Teach me how to be okay
Help me learn how to cope with my insecurities.
I don't want to downplay my emotions
I do not want to belittle or hide my feelings and thoughts.
They say beauty is pain
It is a common saying that beauty requires a lot of sacrifices and hard work.
You'll only be happy
Your happiness is solely dependent on your beauty.
If you look a certain way
Only if you meet specific beauty expectations, you will be happy.
I wanna be okay
I want to learn and be comfortable with myself.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Lili Trifilio, Matthew Henkels, Joshua Cada Aidan, Jonathan Alvarado
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Happy_Catarina
LYRICS-
Shut up, count your calories
I never looked good in mom jeans
Wish I was like you
Blue-eyed blondie, perfect body
Maybe I should try harder
You should lower your expectations
I'm no quick-curl barbie
I was never cut out for prom queen
If I get more pretty
Do you think he will like me?
Dissect my insecurities
I'm a defect, surgical project
It's getting hard to breathe
There's plastic wrap in my cheeks
Maybe I should try harder
You should lower your beauty standards
I'm no quick-curl barbie
I was never cut out for prom queen
If I'm pretty, will you like me?
They say, "Beauty makes boys happy"
I've been starving myself
Carving skin until my bones are showing
Teach me how to be okay
I don't wanna downplay my emotions
They say, "Beauty is vain
You'll only be happy if you look a certain way"
I wanna be okay
I wanna be okay
@lilythearcticfox
5'1, 160 lbs.
I am overweight.
I am insecure about that.
Do I eat less? no.
Do I eat more than I should? Yes
I hate me face, my eyes, my eyebrows.
Do I wear makeup? No, I don't like it.
Why don't I do anything about my insecurities? Or even make it worse?
And why can't I accept that I'm beautiful. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?
I'm "cute"... But I'm not a kid anymore, what good is cute?
And it's not like my personality is all that great either.
I really like this song. Even if I can't relate to all of it, it's just really encouraging.
@beachbunnymusic
Since this video is blowing up I feel the need to address something. I wrote this song for every person out there that has felt insecure, unloved, or unhappy in their own skin - it is in no way meant to glamorize, encourage, or promote eating disorders, body hatred, or body shaming in any form. The lyrics are a criticism on modern beauty standards and the harmful effects beauty standards can have on people - I wrote this song from a female's perspective as I myself have dealt with insecurities and done unhealthy things in my past to live up to the American beauty standard - but this song is meant for everyone. You are worthy of love, you are beautiful just the way you are, and beauty is a social construct - please don't harm your health or well being to live up to these invented expectations, it is not worth risking your life over. You are already a Prom Queen, you are already enough. (also for people upset that this is blowing up on tic-tok I want as many people to hear this message as possible, this message is so important - especially for younger people growing up in the social media generation which has made this issue even more prominent)
@abbeyh
Beach Bunny thank you!! you are so amazing <3
@drdrub
Such a good message. Thumbs up!
@laura-jl1ek
Wow you are such a kindhearted person UwU
@iamthegreg5456
AHHHHHHHHHHHH
@g1a109
<3
@addyp.958
When the guy in the beginning started randomly doing pushups, my sims felt that
@adelynnbarney9885
Dj .mp3 I love your profile pic.
@hachikokisses
Adelynn Barney I love your profile pic
@chonkchonkdechonkchonk7922
# StillNotBitten I love your profile pic