Following a minor stroke at age 18, she gained a Sony publishing contract and penned hits for the likes of Chris Brown, Dutch X Factor winner Lisa Lois, and Miley Cyrus (the American number two hit "Party in the USA"). After building up an established online presence, she signed to Universal Records and began working with the likes of hitmaker Dr. Luke (Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson), Atlanta rapper B.o.B, and R&B producer Labrinth on her debut album, Who You Are. In 2010, her first single, "Do It Like a Dude," originally written for Rihanna, reached number 25 in the U.K. charts and, following in the footsteps of Adele, Florence + the Machine, and Ellie Goulding, she was announced as the winner of the Critics Choice Award at the 2011 Brits. That same year, an appearance on Saturday Night Live coincided with her album being reissued in the U.S.
Following a tour that took in the U.K., Ireland, Australia, Malaysia, and her first show in North America, Jessie J became the first U.K. female solo artist to achieve six Top Ten singles from a single studio album. The success of the sixth single, "LaserLight," featuring David Guetta, was aided in no small part by her appearance as judge on the U.K. edition of The Voice. The hit show gave the singer a chance to display her talent for musical coaching, while building a rapport with fans both old and new on prime-time television. Also involved were Tom Jones and will.i.am, with whom Jessie J performed at Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Concert in June 2012, before heading back to the studio to work on the follow-up to Who You Are.
After finishing her second and final season of coaching on The Voice in 2013, J returned with the singles "Wild" and "It's My Party," which preceded her second album, Alive, that September. With a planned U.S.-only version of Alive featuring collaborations with Pharrell Williams eventually put aside, J instead focused on recording new material for what would become her third studio album, Sweet Talker. Including the likes of Diplo, the-Dream, and the aforementioned Pharrell, the album also saw her join forces with De La Soul and 2 Chainz, while Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj both featured on the lead single, "Bang Bang," which debuted at number one in the U.K. and became a Top Ten hit in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Bulgaria. Sweet Talker arrived in October 2014, reaching the Top Ten in the U.S. and U.K. Taking a break from music, she joined the cast of judges on television singing competition The Voice Australia. She returned in 2017 with the singles "Real Deal" and "Queen," which later appeared on her fourth LP, R.O.S.E.
My Shadow
Jessie J Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'll never leave me
You'll never leave me
You'll never leave me
I wish I could have another minute, to finish this fairytale.
Hear your voice and get lost in it, cause all I got is broken details.
You were my world and everything in it, so how did you disappear.
You're my shadow, my shadow, I know you're close
My shadow, my shadow, you're everywhere I go
So I don't see the need to cry cause, you'll never leave my life
My shadow, my shadow, oh
You'll never leave me
You'll never leave me
You'll never leave me
You'll never leave me
I won't forget I will sit and reminisce, tell each other all our secrets.
To have you back would be my only wish (cause nobody knew me like you did).
The things you knew were all written in my diary, hide and seek open up and come and spy me.
Count to ten and I don't know what to feel
I can't feel, don't feel I can't feel.
My shadow, my shadow, I know you're close
My shadow, my shadow, you're everywhere I go
So I don't see the need to cry cause, you'll never leave my life.
My shadow, my shadow, you'll never leave me.
After all I swear you won't feel alone, my heartbeat's ticking like it's made from stone.
I won't let you down, get pushed down, fill me up again, yeah
I'm breaking, see I'm shaking, but I know your waiting, yeah yeah
You'll never leave me
You'll never leave me
You'll never leave me
You'll never leave me
My shadow, my shadow, I know you're close,
My shadow, my shadow, you're everywhere I go,
So I don't see the need to cry cause, you'll never leave my life.
My shadow, my shadow
My shadow, my shadow
You'll never leave me
You'll never leave me
You'll never leave me
You'll never leave me
The song "My Shadow" by Jessie J is a beautiful and emotional tribute to a lost loved one. It speaks of the pain and longing that come with memory, and how though the person is no longer physically present, they remain a constant and comforting presence in the singer's life. The repetition of "You'll never leave me" in the chorus drives home the central theme of the song: that even though the loved one may be gone, their spirit lives on and continues to guide and support the singer.
The first verse sets the scene for the rest of the song. The singer wishes they had more time to spend with their loved one and feels incomplete without them. The line "You were my world and everything in it, so how did you disappear" perfectly captures the bewilderment and shock that often accompany grief. The second verse continues this theme, with the singer reminiscing about the things they used to do together and wishing for them to return. They reference their diary as a symbol of the intimacy and closeness they shared with this person.
The bridge is a message of hope and reassurance. The singer promises that though they may be struggling and feeling overwhelmed, they will not let their loved one down. They acknowledge that they are imperfect ("I'm breaking, see I'm shaking") but still believe that the person they have lost is waiting for them and will continue to be with them always.
Overall, "My Shadow" is a touching and powerful song that speaks to the universal experience of loss and the enduring nature of love.
Line by Line Meaning
You'll never leave me
Repeated for emphasis, the singer is asserting that the subject of the song will always be a part of her life.
I wish I could have another minute, to finish this fairytale.
The singer laments that their love story ended before it was supposed to be over, and wishes for closure.
Hear your voice and get lost in it, cause all I got is broken details.
The singer only has fragments and memories of the relationship left, but hearing the subject's voice still affects her deeply.
You were my world and everything in it, so how did you disappear.
The singer questions how the subject could have left her, when they were such an integral part of her life.
I won't say it is over, cause you're still here.
The singer believes that the subject's spirit or presence is still with her, and therefore the relationship isn't truly over.
I won't forget I will sit and reminisce, tell each other all our secrets.
The singer remembers the intimacy and connection she shared with the subject, and wishes to relive those moments one last time.
To have you back would be my only wish (cause nobody knew me like you did).
The singer sees the subject as a kindred spirit who understood her on a deep level, and wishes to have that connection back.
The things you knew were all written in my diary, hide and seek open up and come and spy me.
The singer reminisces about the times they shared secrets and played games, and wishes to feel that again.
Count to ten and I don't know what to feel, I can't feel, don't feel I can't feel.
The singer is numb to her emotions and doesn't know how to process her feelings about the subject's absence.
After all I swear you won't feel alone, my heartbeat's ticking like it's made from stone.
The singer promises to always be there for the subject, as her love for them will never go away.
I won't let you down, get pushed down, fill me up again, yeah
The singer promises to be a support system for the subject, and lift them up when they are feeling low.
I'm breaking, see I'm shaking, but I know your waiting, yeah yeah
The singer is struggling with the pain of the subject's absence, but believes that they are still waiting for her and that keeps her going.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GEORGE ASTASIO, JASON ANDREW PEBWORTH, JESSICA CORNISH, JONATHAN CHRISTOPHER SHAVE, CARL HALEY, GREG HALEY, CHARLES PLATT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind