In 2012, Charli XCX rose to prominence with the Icona Pop collaboration "I Love It", which became an international success, reaching top 10 in North America and Europe. Her debut studio album, True Romance (2013), was released that year to critical acclaim, despite not meeting commercial expectations. In 2014, she contributed the chorus and hook to "Fancy" by rapper Iggy Azalea, which finished the year as one of the best-selling singles worldwide and was nominated for two Grammy Awards. The same year, Charli XCX released "Boom Clap", which became her first solo top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100. Her second studio album, the pop/rock-influenced Sucker, was released at the end of the year, and spawned the successful singles "Break the Rules" and "Doing It".
In 2015, Charli XCX began working with producers and artists in A. G. Cook's British collective PC Music, as well as producer Sophie. While working on her third album, she released the Vroom Vroom EP in 2016 and the mixtapes Number 1 Angel and Pop 2 in 2017, as well as a series of singles including the BPI-certified "After the Afterparty", "Boys", and "1999". In 2019, Charli XCX released her third studio album, Charli, which was followed by her fourth studio album, How I'm Feeling Now, which she recorded and released during the UK's first national lockdown in 2020. Charli's latest addition to her discography is CRASH, released on 18 March 2022, including the singles Good Ones and New Shapes.
In addition to her solo work, Charli XCX has co-written songs for other artists including Camila Cabello, Rita Ora, Selena Gomez, and many more.
You're the One
Charli XCX Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pink and lilac
Keep the silence
Crystals on the skyline
Cut to midnight
Ultraviolet
You're the one who can make me stay
You're the one who's been stealing stars
Your golden arrow went through my heart
You're the one that can turn the page
You're the one that came along and unlocked the cage
Now I'm dancing in the dark
Flying through the black night
You're the angel
In the moonlight
Running through the thunder
Undercover
Silver lover
You're the one who can make me stay
You're the only one who makes me feel this way
You're the one who's been stealing stars
Your golden arrow went through my heart
You're the one that can turn the page
You're the one that came along and unlocked the cage
Now I'm dancing in the dark
You're the one who can make me stay
You're the only one who makes me feel this way
You're the one who's been stealing stars
Your golden arrow went through my heart
You're the one that can turn the page
You're the one that came along and unlocked the cage
Now I'm dancing in the dark
You're the one who can make me stay
You're the only one who makes me feel this way
You're the one who's been stealing stars
Your golden arrow went through my heart
You're the one that can turn the page
You're the one that came along and unlocked the cage
Now I'm dancing in the dark
Yeah, I'm dancing in the darkness
Three years before I was feeling so heartless
But your burn shined through
Now I'm drinking love potion when I lay next to you
It's a criminal feeling
Happiness cries when the tears are dreaming
My body is screaming
I'm staying right here, no I'll never be leaving
The lyrics of "You're the One" by Charli XCX describe being in love with someone who has brought joy and light to the singer's previously dark life. The song creates vivid imagery of dancing in the darkness, surrounded by shades of pink and lilac while the skyline is decorated with crystals. The lyrics romanticize the idea of being out under the night sky and being in love with someone who makes life feel full of magic.
The song describes the subject of the singer's affections as the only one who can make them feel a certain way, and they are left feeling awestruck by this person's ability to make them feel so much joy. This person has also unlocked a cage in the singer’s life and given them the freedom to dance in the darkness. In the final verse, the singer reflects on their love for this person, describing it as a criminal feeling and their body screaming in delight.
Line by Line Meaning
Dancing in the darkness
Charli XCX is dancing in the dark, in a setting where only pink and lilac colors are visible.
Pink and lilac
The lighting is composed of pink and lilac colors.
Keep the silence
There is a silence that Charli XCX wants to maintain.
Crystals on the skyline
The skyline is adorned with crystals.
Cut to midnight
The scene changes to midnight.
Ultraviolet
The lighting changes to ultraviolet.
You're the one who can make me stay
Charli XCX believes that her love interest is the only person who can make her stay with them.
You're the only one who makes me feel this way
Charli XCX is saying her love interest is the one and only person who evokes the particular feelings she is experiencing.
You're the one who's been stealing stars
Charli XCX thinks that her love interest is someone who can ‘steal stars’.
Your golden arrow went through my heart
Charli XCX is saying that Cupid’s arrow went straight through her heart with regards to loving her interest.
You're the one that can turn the page
Charli XCX is implying that her love interest is someone who can help her turn a page in life.
You're the one that came along and unlocked the cage
Charli XCX uses a metaphor to say that her love interest will be able to set her freedom in life.
Now I'm dancing in the dark
Charli XCX is saying that she is now dancing in the dark.
Flying through the black night
Charli XCX is likening her movement to flying through the night.
You're the angel
Charli XCX thinks of her love interest as an angel while she is flying.
In the moonlight
The scene changes to being in the light of the moon.
Running through the thunder
Charli XCX is running through thunder.
Undercover
Charli XCX is doing this in a secret way.
Silver lover
Her love interest is a silver lover.
Yeah, I'm dancing in the darkness
Charli XCX reiterates that she is dancing in the dark.
Three years before I was feeling so heartless
Charli XCX is explaining that just three years before she was feeling heartless.
But your burn shined through
However her love interest shone through her darkness.
Now I'm drinking love potion when I lay next to you
Charli XCX describes the feeling of drinking a love potion while lying next to her lover.
It's a criminal feeling
The feeling of love she is experiencing feels criminal somehow.
Happiness cries when the tears are dreaming
Charli XCX's happiness is making her cry as if she is in a dream.
My body is screaming
Her body is eager for this feeling and is striving for more.
I'm staying right here, no I'll never be leaving
Charli XCX is staying with her love interest and will never leave.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Patrik Jens Berger, Charlotte Emma Aitchison
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MonsterMarionMomsen1
Dancing, in the darkness
Pink and lilac
Keep the silence
Crystals on the skyline
Cut the midnight
Ultraviolet
You're the one who can make me stay
You're the only one who makes me feel this way
You're the one that's been stealing stars
Your golden arrow went through my heart
You're the one that can turn the page
You're the one who came along and unlocked the cage
Now I'm dancing in the dark
Flying through the black night
You're the angel in the moon light
Running through the thunder
Undercover, silver lover
You're the one who can make me stay
You're the only one who makes me feel this way
You're the one that's been stealing stars
Your golden arrow went through my heart
You're the one that can turn the page
You're the one who came along and unlocked the cage
Now I'm dancing in the dark
[x3]
Yeah I'm dancing in the darkness
Three years before I was feeling so heartless
But your burn shined through
And I'm drinking love potion
When I lay next to you
It's a criminal feeling
Happiness cries and the tears are dreaming
My body is screaming
I'm staying right here
No I'll never be leaving
frank a
2020 and I still think True Romance is her best album. It’s so flawless. A true gem <3
Yenia Neyia
X1000
frank a
@Yenia Neyia 2023 and I still think True Romance is her best album 🤭
_mango-orange_
this song is so magnificent, it has this feeling that comes with it.. can't quite explain it, but this might be my favorite song from her
Kevin Fitzpatrick
It’s very the cure meets modern electro pop IMO
Sum Foo
True Romance is a comfort album for me. ❤ ill love it forever
stayxweirdo
2016 and I'm still obsessed by True Romance
sil
+✨dwncstr same
Fernando Marinho
stayxweirdo 2018
Srinjit Datta
@Fernando Marinho Same!!! 2k18!!