Coming from a family of dancers, Ida Just had been drawn to expression and performance. Though singing in choirs as a child allowed her to hone her crystalline vocals, it was only in her early teens, after years of confiding in her journals and channelling her emotions through poetry, that she discovered the euphoria of singing her own words.
Her debut single, “I Don’t Wanna Be Your Friend” is an exercise in catharsis, seeing Just confront her feelings about a fragmented relationship in the wake of a break-up. ““I Don’t Wanna Be Your Friend” is a song about being stuck in limbo. It was the first time I was honest with myself and how I was truly feeling. It was the beginning of accepting the situation and made me realise that I had to be completely transparent with my emotions if I were to ever feel better again.”
Ida Just materialised her vision for her debut release with Danish director, Dolcerocca. She intended for the visuals to reflect her homeland and its identity, filming on the outskirts of Copenhagen. Just wanted to capture a dichotomy of perfection and destruction; fragility and aggression. The dream-like universe built of dramatic, natural landscapes accentuates Just’s intention of showing just how unnatural the relationship was when stood in contrast.
I Don't Wanna Be Your Friend
Ida Just Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Filling up my lungs
Falling further now
Drowning and I can’t stop
Said I could count on you
So tell me
When was it that you gave up?
Was all I had not enough
Uh
Can only breathe when you’re around
I don’t wanna be your friend
So tell me that you love me
Tell me that you love me
I don’t wanna be your friend
So tell me that you love me again
You made a mistake
When you let me go
Lying to yourself
Thinking you’re better off alone
Now you’re writing songs about
How you broke my heart
My heart
Uh
Cus all I am is not enough
Uh
Boy do you breath when I’m not around?
I don’t wanna be your friend
So tell me that you love me
Tell me that you love me
I don’t wanna be your friend
So tell me that you love me again
I don’t wanna be your
I don’t wanna be your
I don’t wanna be your
I don’t wanna be your
I don’t wanna be your friend
So tell me that you love me
Tell me that you love me
I don’t wanna be your friend
So tell me that you love me again
I don’t wanna be your friend
So tell me that you love me
Tell me that you love me
I don’t wanna be your friend
So tell me that you love me again
Tell me that you love me again
The lyrics to Ida Just's song "I Don't Wanna Be Your Friend" convey a sense of deep longing and heartbreak. The opening lines, "Waters running in, Filling up my lungs, Falling further now, Drowning and I can’t stop," suggest a feeling of being overwhelmed and suffocated by emotions. The singer feels like they are drowning in their pain and cannot find a way to stop it.
The following lines, "Said I could count on you, So tell me, When was it that you gave up?" hint at a sense of betrayal. The singer trusted the person they are addressing in the song, but they are left wondering when exactly that trust was broken and the other person gave up on them. This reflects a desire for honesty and understanding in their relationship.
The chorus, "I don’t wanna be your friend, So tell me that you love me, Tell me that you love me," reveals the singer's true desire. They don't want a friendship; they want love. The repetition of the plea to be told that they are loved again emphasizes the desperation and need for reassurance from the other person.
The verse, "You made a mistake, When you let me go, Lying to yourself, Thinking you’re better off alone, Now you’re writing songs about, How you broke my heart," further underscores the pain inflicted upon the singer. They believe that the other person made a mistake by leaving them and is now trying to convince themselves that being alone is for the best. They feel hurt by this and are aware that the other person is expressing their emotions through music.
The concluding lines, "Boy do you breathe when I’m not around?" demonstrate an insecurity and need for validation. The singer questions whether the other person even feels alive or complete without their presence, as if their existence is vital in the other person's life.
Overall, the lyrics of "I Don't Wanna Be Your Friend" express a raw and vulnerable emotional state, longing for love and struggling with heartbreak and insecurity. The song touches upon themes of trust, betrayal, longing, and the complexities of relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Waters running in
Feelings and emotions overwhelming me
Filling up my lungs
Taking in these intense emotions
Falling further now
Sinking deeper into this emotional turmoil
Drowning and I can’t stop
Feeling overwhelmed and unable to control these emotions
Said I could count on you
Believed that I could rely on you
So tell me
Now I need you to clarify
When was it that you gave up?
When did you decide to give up on us?
Was all I had not enough
Did everything I offered not satisfy you?
Can only breathe when you’re around
My happiness and well-being solely depend on your presence
You made a mistake
It was a wrong choice you made
When you let me go
When you decided to leave me behind
Lying to yourself
Deceiving yourself
Thinking you’re better off alone
Believing that being alone is more beneficial for you
Now you’re writing songs about
Now you're expressing your regret and emotions through music
How you broke my heart
How you shattered my feelings and caused me pain
Cus all I am is not enough
Because my entirety and all that I offer are insufficient
Boy do you breath when I’m not around?
Do you even feel alive when I'm not there?
I don’t wanna be your friend
I don't desire a platonic relationship with you
So tell me that you love me
Express your genuine love for me
I don’t wanna be your friend
I don't desire a platonic relationship with you
So tell me that you love me again
Assure me of your love once more
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Ida Just, Wil Bradbury
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Malene Rostgaard Rasmussen
Visuals, storyline, song, voice, lyrics - everything just amazing !! On repeat <3
Obliwobbi
Loveley! Amazing song!🙏🏼 Great work!😍
Ollie Wade
Loveeee this! Amazing visuals and an absolute BOP 🕺🏼
daniel egholm
This song give me so much L I F E 💘 yes yes yes 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Ida Just
u giving meee life xxx thaaaank you 💘💘💘
Blanka Búza
❤️ On repeat since released
Alberthe Gleje
Amazing song !! Love it !!
Sandra Wolner
Will never get tired of this ❤️❤️
juice46593
I've heard this on repeat since it came out, can't wait to hear more from Ida Just ❤
Yiotis
Great work! I like this 👏