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Across three solo albums, DAWN has honed a style of music that she describes as βgenderless and genrelessβ.
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DAWNβs 2019 album New Breed was her most successful to date. Showcasing her home city New Orleans and the Carnival Indian culture makes her latest album a one of a kind masterpiece. Her vocal and dance ability are matched with her production and songwriting skills making her one of most extraordinary talents of our time. New Breed was named as one of the yearβs best albums by Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Vogue, FACT, LA Times, Spin, Rap Up and many more. DAWN continues to push the boundaries of music and visual technology with her videos and live show, becoming the first artist to perform live in 360 on YouTube. She has also released a VR album debuted by WIRED as well as collaborated with her long time partners Adult Swim making her the first black female singer to do so. What makes DAWN a unique pop sensation and a phenomenon is that she does this all DIY. Being completely Independent with no label or team she has broken ceilings for women, POC, LGBTQ, and so many others. DAWN is more than just her music, she is a movement.
Castles
Dawn Richard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Clouds under our feet nah
Built towers of dreams
Just to live carefree (Nah Baby)
We knew it wouldn't last
But we kept hope as our lead
We stood right through breeze
Cause we built castles
(Oh) Castles made of sand
Please don't let it fall
Fall
Fall
Fall
Too Close to the sea
The waves almost took me (Nah)
I held each grain to me
So the tide wouldn't take my peace
Please don't let it fall
Fall
Fall (Counter Melody)
Its not much but its ours
Standing on our love
Oh
The lyrics to Dawn Richard's "Castles" refer to a couple who built castles made of sand, or towers of dreams, in order to live carefree. The singer cleverly notes that they could see clouds beneath their feet β a clear indication that they were high up and hovering over the world. Yet, despite knowing that their time building castles was limited, they persevered and held onto hope as their guide. Through the battles with the wind, they screamed out c'est la vie, a French phrase which means "that's life." The chorus highlights the fragility of their sandcastles, pleaing with the universe to not let them fall.
As the second verse comes along and the melody changes, we hear the singer saying that they were too close to the sea, and the waves almost took them. But they held onto each grain of sand, as if to not only have the power to keep their castles intact but also to keep their peace. And then it repeats the chorus, desperately begging for their castles not to fall β featuring a counter melody this time.
Taking a closer look at the lyrics, it's clear that the castles represent the couple's dreams and ambitions. As they weave their fantasies, they knew that it wouldn't last forever, but they kept on building anyway. The song's melancholic tone hints that these castles could not last forever, and like everything fleeting, they could disappear at any moment. So, the song encourages the listeners never to take their time for granted and to keep holding onto their dreams, no matter how futile they seem.
Line by Line Meaning
So high we could see
We were at a high point of our relationship, experiencing the best moments together
Clouds under our feet nah
We felt invincible and on top of the world, with even the clouds beneath our feet
Built towers of dreams
We made grand plans for our future, building castles in the sky
Just to live carefree (Nah Baby)
We did it all to achieve a life of ease and comfort, without any worries or stress
We knew it wouldn't last
Despite our hopes and dreams, we had a sense of impending doom looming over our relationship
But we kept hope as our lead
We held onto hope as our guiding light, even during the darkest of times
We stood right through breeze
We endured the ups and downs, and the challenges presented by life
And screamed out ce la vie
We shouted out 'such is life', accepting that things may not always go our way
Cause we built castles
We created something beautiful and strong together, like a castle made of sand
(Oh) Castles made of sand
Like the ephemeral nature of a sandcastle, we knew that our relationship was also fragile and temporary
Please don't let it fall
We begged for our love to survive, and not crumble like a castle made of sand
Fall
We were afraid of losing everything we had built together
Too Close to the sea
We were in a precarious situation, with danger lurking close by
The waves almost took me (Nah)
We almost lost everything we had, with only a small barrier between us and destruction
I held each grain to me
We tried to hold onto what we had, with every fiber of our being
So the tide wouldn't take my peace
We were fighting to maintain our inner peace, amidst the chaos surrounding us
Fall (Counter Melody)
We were haunted by the fear of losing everything we had created
Its not much but its ours
We may not have had a lot, but what we had was precious and cherished by us
Standing on our love
Our love was the foundation on which everything was built, even amidst the strongest of winds and waves
Oh
A word of exclamation, perhaps expressing both joy and sadness at the same time
Contributed by Claire T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.