Sparks' second album Battlefield was released in July 2009 worldwide and debuted at #7 in the U.S., three spots higher than her first album. The album's lead single, also titled Battlefield, peaked in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it her third top 10 single and fifth consecutive top 20 single. Sparks is the only Idol contestant to have their first five singles reach the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Battlefield" has sold almost 2 million copies worldwide. Sparks has sold over 9 million singles worldwide to date, making her one of the most successful idol winners. Battlefield's second single, S.O.S. (Let the Music Play), was her first song to top the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play making it her first U.S. number one single.
Sparks followed her success in 2010 by making her debut on Broadway. Sparks starred as Nina Rosario in the Tony Award winning broadway musical, In The Heights. In October 2010, Sparks confirmed that she has begun work on her anticipated third studio album. It's expected to be released in 2011. No title has been confirmed yet.
Reflection
Jordin Sparks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Look at me
You may think you see
Who I really am
But you'll never know me
Every day
It's as if I play a part
If I wear a mask
I can fool the world
But I cannot fool my heart
Who is that girl I see
Staring straight back at me?
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
I am now
In a world where I
Have to hide my heart
And what I believe in
But somehow
I will show the world
What's inside my heart
And be loved for who I am
Who is that girl I see
Staring straight back at me?
Why is my reflection
Someone I don't know?
Must I pretend that I'm
Someone else for all time?
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
There's a heart that must be
Free to fly
That burns with a need to know
The reason why
Why must we all conceal
What we think, how we feel?
Must there be a secret me
I'm forced to hide?
I won't pretend that I'm
Someone else for all time
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
The song "Reflection" by Jordin Sparks is a powerful anthem about self-discovery and authenticity. The opening lines of the song, "Look at me, you may think you see who I really am, but you'll never know me" highlight how we often portray a version of ourselves to the world that isn't necessarily true to who we are. Sparks then goes on to speak about wearing a mask to fool the world, but how ultimately, we cannot fool our own hearts. This contrasts with the chorus, in which she questions her own reflection and when it will show who she is inside.
Throughout the song, Sparks speaks about the struggle of hiding her true self in a world that demands conformity. She talks about the desire to be loved for who she is and to have the freedom to express herself fully. The lyrics "There's a heart that must be free to fly, that burns with a need to know the reason why," illustrate this longing for freedom and authenticity.
The refrain of "When will my reflection show who I am inside?" is a poignant reflection on the journey we all go through to truly understand ourselves and live authentically. Overall, the song is a powerful reminder to be true to ourselves and to never stop searching for our own reflection.
Line by Line Meaning
Look at me
Pay attention to me
You may think you see
You might have an opinion about me
Who I really am
My true self
But you'll never know me
You can never fully understand me
Every day
Each day
It's as if I play a part
It seems like I am acting
Now I see
Currently, I understand
If I wear a mask
When I hide my true self
I can fool the world
I can deceive everyone around me
But I cannot fool my heart
But I cannot deceive myself
Who is that girl I see
Who do I see in the mirror
Staring straight back at me?
Looking back at me directly
When will my reflection show
When will I see myself
Who I am inside?
For who I truly am?
I am now
Currently, I exist
In a world where I
In a society where I
Have to hide my heart
Must hide my true feelings and beliefs
And what I believe in
And my true beliefs
But somehow
In some way
I will show the world
I will reveal to everyone
What's inside my heart
What I truly feel inside
And be loved for who I am
And be accepted and loved for my true self
Why is my reflection
Why do I see myself
Someone I don't know?
As someone I am not familiar with
Must I pretend that I'm
Do I have to act like
Someone else for all time?
Another person forever?
There's a heart that must be
There is a feeling that must be
Free to fly
Allowed to soar
That burns with a need to know
That has a strong urge to understand
Why must we all conceal
Why do we need to hide
What we think, how we feel?
Our thoughts and emotions?
Must there be a secret me
Do I have to keep a hidden part of me
I'm forced to hide?
That I am obligated to conceal?
When will my reflection show
When will I see myself
Who I am inside?
For who I truly am?
I won't pretend that I'm
I refuse to act like
Someone else for all time
Another person forever
When will my reflection show
When will I understand myself
Who I am inside?
For who I truly am?
Contributed by Julia V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Adrijono Ruddie
I remember this performance on TV.. the judges sounded unhappy she chose that song because it didn't give her a better performance than before...
ClappingForChlamydia
This wasn't good.