Her self-titled debut album was released on Friday, November 30, 2018, shortly following lead single "Romance," released the previous Tuesday.
Speaking about the new record, Elena said: “Although the record is written for someone, a lot of the time it’s about the space without that person in it. In every scenario, there’s either the person in memory or the noticeable absence of that person in the present moment. I suppose it is a break-up record, however I do not talk about the relationship at all, and he hardly features in the scenes. He is only felt as a ghostly presence.”
The Dazzler
Ex:Re Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I spiked my own drink, took myself to bed
Alone I pondered the cheap thrills of hotels
The miniatures, the endless throwaway towels
One for my hair, one for my foot
Another for my other foot
My face, my neck, my spilt beverages
I look like I'm 24 before I caught your coldness
God, I'm gorgeous
I keep begging for late checkouts
Let me stay here, let me live here
In room 232 till I expire, I can shower for hours
Leave the lights on, I'm not paying those bills
The neighbours are quiet, no one is back yet
I think about the falsity of hotel sex
Expensive bed sheets and the orange glowing filaments
The way you used to say you love me
In the heat of it, holiday feeling
When it wasn't over too quick
Yeah, I'll throw the TV out the window
And I'll paint the whole room gold
I'll make potions with the minibar here
Yeah, I feel unbalanced, put my feet on the walls
Trying to meet you all night, I'm not paying for calls
Oh, this is heaven
Alone
Yeah, this is living
Alone
In Ex:Re's song "The Dazzler," the lyrics delve into a reflective and somewhat melancholic exploration of the experience of staying in a hotel room alone. The singer sets the scene at the Dazzler, where they find themselves in a state of intoxicated introspection. They mention spiking their own drink, suggesting a desire to escape reality and indulge in a self-imposed detachment. As they lay in bed alone, they contemplate the transient nature of hotel stays, with their disposable amenities and the fleeting moments of pleasure they offer.
The lyrics convey a sense of yearning for youth and freedom from emotional coldness. The singer looks at themselves in the drunken haze and sees a version of themselves from a time before they were affected by someone's emotional distance. They find comfort and confidence in this glimpse of their own attractiveness, begging for late checkouts and desiring to extend their stay indefinitely in room 232. The imagery of taking long showers without regard for the bills and leaving the lights on further speaks to a desire for luxurious indulgence without consequences.
As they revel in their solitude, they contemplate the falsity of hotel sex. Expensive bed sheets and the orange glow of dimmed lights contrast with the memory of their partner's insincere declarations of love. The singer seems to long for a time when love was not cut short and their physical connection had a sense of genuineness and holiday-like excitement. They express a rebellious, almost destructive impulse by wanting to throw the TV out the window and paint the room gold, symbolizing a desire to create something vibrant and extravagant in the midst of their emotional turmoil.
Ultimately, the singer finds solace in their aloneness. They describe the experience as a form of heaven, embracing the freedom and independence it brings. Despite the underlying longing for genuine connection and emotional warmth, there is an acceptance of the temporary respite and liberation that can be found within the confines of a hotel room.
Line by Line Meaning
The night is young at the Dazzler
The evening has just begun at the Dazzler hotel
I spiked my own drink, took myself to bed
I added something to my drink and went to bed alone
Alone I pondered the cheap thrills of hotels
By myself, I contemplated the simple pleasures of staying in hotels
The miniatures, the endless throwaway towels
The small complimentary items and the abundant disposable towels
One for my hair, one for my foot
Using one towel for my hair and another for my foot
Another for my other foot
And one more for my other foot
My face, my neck, my spilt beverages
Using towels on my face, neck, and to clean up my spilled drinks
Drunk in my hotel room, I look perfect
Intoxicated in my rented room, I appear flawless
I look like I'm 24 before I caught your coldness
I resemble my younger self, devoid of the emotional distancing caused by you
God, I'm gorgeous
Wow, I am stunning
I keep begging for late checkouts
Continuously asking for extended departure times
Let me stay here, let me live here
Allow me to remain in this place, let me make it my home
In room 232 till I expire, I can shower for hours
I want to occupy room 232 until my end, indulging in lengthy showers
Leave the lights on, I'm not paying those bills
Keep the lights on, I won't be responsible for paying the expenses
The neighbours are quiet, no one is back yet
The neighboring guests are silent, still absent
I think about the falsity of hotel sex
I reflect on the artificiality of intimate encounters in hotels
Expensive bed sheets and the orange glowing filaments
Luxurious bedding and the warm orange glow of lightbulbs
The way you used to say you love me
How you used to express your affection towards me
In the heat of it, holiday feeling
When the passion was overwhelming, a sense of vacation
When it wasn't over too quick
When it didn't end too soon
Yeah, I'll throw the TV out the window
Yes, I'll forcefully hurl the television out of the window
And I'll paint the whole room gold
Furthermore, I'll cover the entire room with golden paint
I'll make potions with the minibar here
I'll concoct concoctions using the minibar items
Yeah, I feel unbalanced, put my feet on the walls
Yes, I feel disoriented, so I place my feet against the walls
Trying to meet you all night, I'm not paying for calls
Attempting to contact you throughout the night without incurring any call charges
Oh, this is heaven
Oh, this is pure bliss
Alone
By myself
Yeah, this is living
Yes, this is what it means to truly live
Alone
By myself
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Elena Tonra
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rey
Elena has a way of expressing this magnificent pain and sorrow through every single lyric.
This piece and Liar are my personal favorites. So easily they resonate with everything that so many people are or have gone through.
I would like to add, that personally,
The Dazzler shines brightest in these lines:
" Drunk in my hotel room
I look perfect
I look like I'm 24 before I caught your coldness
God I'm gorgeous
I keep begging for late checkouts
Let me stay here
Let me live here
In room 232 till I expire
I can shower for hours
Leave the lights on
I'm not paying those bills "
To be able to express the metaphor I think she is portraying here in this way is really artistic.
This song will definitely stay in my memory till I expire.
The music video adds a completely new layer to the meaning of the song, but I have made a way too long comment already.
DreamyOtter
Elena,
I've been listening to your beautiful songs for years and it took me courage to write this as I'm used to be unseen. I hope you will read it!
I want to thank you for what you are doing. You're gifted and talented! You've been helping me getting through my life for years.
Years of struggling, and I've finally become strong enough. I'm a warrior and I believe I will survive.
There are no words that could describe the way your voice aches in my heart. The tone and the sounds just perfectly encapsulate what I feel! I really appreciate what you are doing. Thank you!
You're a true version of humanity! And my favourite singer ;)
Best wishes,
Najihah Jais
The night is young
At the Dazzler
I spiked my own drink
Took myself to bed
Alone I pondered the cheap thrills of hotels
The miniatures
The endless throw away towels
One from my hair
One from my foot
Another for my other foot
My face, my neck, my spilt beverages
Drunk in my hotel room
I look perfect
I look like I'm 24 before I caught your coldness
God I'm gorgeous
I keep begging for late checkouts
Let me stay here
Let me live here
In room 232 till I expire
I can shower for hours
Leave the lights on
I'm not paying those bills
The neighbours are quiet
No one is back yet
I think about the falsities of hotel sex
Expensive bed sheets
And the orange glowing filaments
The way you used to say you love me
In the heat of it
Holiday feeling
When it wasn't over too quick
Yeah I throw the TV out the window
And I'll paint the whole room of gold
I'm make potions with the minibar
Yeah I feel unbalanced
Put my feet on the walls
Trying to meet you all night
I'm not paying for calls
Oh
This is heaven
Alone
Yeah
This is living
Alone
bells
Lyrics:
The night is young
At the Dazzler
I spiked my own drink
Took myself to bed
Alone I pondered the cheap thrills of hotels
The miniatures
The endless throw away towels
One from my hair
One from my foot
Another for my other foot
My face, my neck, my spilt beverages
Drunk in my hotel room
I look perfect
I look like I'm 24 before I caught your coldness
God I'm gorgeous
I keep begging for late checkouts
Let me stay here
Let me live here
In room 232 till I expire
I can shower for hours
Leave the lights on
I'm not paying those bills
The neighbours are quiet
No one is back yet
I think about the falsities of hotel sex
Expensive bed sheets
And the orange glowing filaments
The way you used to say you love me
In the heat of it
Holiday feeling
When it wasn't over too quick
Yeah I throw the TV out the window
And I'll paint the whole room of gold
I'm make potions with the minibar
Yeah I feel unbalanced
Put my feet on the walls
Trying to meet you all night
I'm not paying for calls
Oh
This is heaven
Alone
Yeah
This is living
Alone
Luna Booh
Verse 1
The night is young at the Dazzler
I spiked my own drink, took myself to bed
Alone I pondered the cheap thrills of hotels
The miniatures, the endless throwaway towels
One for my hair, one for my foot
Another for my other foot
My face, my neck, my spilt beverages
[Verse 2]
Drunk in my hotel room, I look perfect
I look like I'm 24 before I caught your coldness
God, I'm gorgeous
I keep begging for late checkouts
Let me stay here, let me live here
In room 232 till I expire, I can shower for hours
Leave the lights on, I'm not paying those bills
[Verse 3]
The neighbours are quiet, no one is back yet
I think about the falsity of hotel sex
Expensive bed sheets and the orange glowing filaments
The way you used to say you love me
In the heat of it, holiday feeling
When it wasn't over too quick
Yeah, I'll throw the TV out the window
And I'll paint the whole room gold
I'll make potions with the minibar here
Yeah, I feel unbalanced, put my feet on the walls
Trying to reach you all night, I'm not paying for calls
[Chorus]
Oh, this is heaven
Alone
Yeah, this is living
Alone
Hayden Dutton
This song hit me hard in many ways, I relate to it, it brings me back to the nights in the city where I would wander around and see all the happy couples walking around, laughing, kissing, cuddling, having dinner, living. The loneliness I felt was suffocating, I would call up guys for a cheap thrill, some sex in a decent hotel with some drinks just to feel something other than the emptiness inside me, growing. I would feel sick after like I was degrading myself for sinking this low just to escape my problems.
I felt like nobody would love me in those times, I was kind of hoping that one day a guy wouldn’t just get up and leave once the sex ended. I was hoping they would stay and hold me and let me cry out all this sadness enveloping me, engulfing my being deep inside. There were many nights in that city, in those hotel rooms, of just loneliness, pleasure, relief, hopelessness and confusion, I could see the imprints of myself in the walls.
My life is better now, I’m lucky for what I have and the guy I have in my life. I’ll never forget though those feelings and how close I was to ending it all in one of those rooms, each night was like a dance with death. Those memories feel like a blur, they’re strangely nostalgic. This song brings it all right out of me. I’m grateful for escaping that cycle, I know some that never escape.
Екатерина Киселева
thank you for the comment. I'm really happy you're better now. wish you all the best in your life
Анна Прокопьева
I'm relay glad to see your happiness! Your story is very sad and dramatic, I hope u will never feel it again🙏🏻 I felt your every word, even though they were not written in my language. I just wanted to say that u not alone and I'm feel it all with u❤️ you have to be the happiest girl in the world！ I really hope for it！
Hayden Dutton
Анна Прокопьева Actually I’m a guy, I’m Gay :)
Unearthed Dancing
This was beautifully written & expressed. Tears in my eyes. I'm glad you were able to get out of that loop.
Jack R
'Here in my hotel room, I look gorgeous, I look like I'm 24, before, I caught your coldness, god I'm gorgeous.'
God that line is powerful.
Illia Dozorenko
actually it would be so much better without this line...
Jack R
@Illia Dozorenko naaaaaaaaa
Melissa Myers
Agreed! That's the line that got me
Har
Also the line of "the falsety of hotel sex"