Kaytranada has worked with a wide array of artists including Anderson .Paak, Kendrick Lamar, Chance the Rapper, Robert Glasper, Lauren Faith, Mick Jenkins, GoldLink, Snoop Dogg, Freddie Gibbs, and Alicia Keys. His 2016 debut album, 99.9% features guest appearances from Phonte, Craig David, Vic Mensa, Little Dragon, and more. Bubba, his second album, was released the following December with Pharrell, Kali Uchis, and Masego among the contributors—and has won the young producer 2 Grammys at the 2021 Grammy Awards.
What You Need
KAYTRANADA Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh-oh-oh
I never wanted you to see this part of me
I wish you would've told the truth
Oh, than make us settle
Doin' something wrong
Oh and I cannot argue too, all of a sudden
Be in my arms
Slowin' my beatin' heart
'Cause even when it's wrong, you'll see
That it's what you need
What you need
I don't know where I went wrong, no, baby
(So wrong, so wrong)
I know that you'll be the one that got away
If you don't stay, no, mm
I never wanted you
To see this part of me
Now all I can hope to do
Is tell you still
That it's what you need
What you need
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Kaytranada's "What You Need" is a song about vulnerability, pain, and a desire for honesty in a relationship. The lyrics convey the turmoil of the singer who never intended for their partner to witness this broken part of them. They express regret that their significant other did not reveal the truth rather than settling for something less than genuine. The distance between them is palpable as the singer continually feels like they have done something wrong. Yet, they are still willing to hold on to this relationship even when it is hurting them. They recognize that it may be wrong, but they believe that their partner needs to be with them, regardless of the pain.
The lyrics are melancholic, but the accompanying beat is upbeat, drawing listeners in and creating a stark contrast between the emotions evoked by the lyrics and the music. This contrast highlights the complexity of relationships and how one can be torn between staying in a difficult relationship and leaving. Ultimately, the song speaks to the struggle to hold on to someone you love, even when it is not healthy, and the importance of communication in relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
I never wanted you to see this part of me
The singer regrets revealing a part of themselves they wanted to keep hidden from the person they are talking to.
I wish you would've told the truth
The singer wishes the person they are talking to had been honest with them.
Oh, than make us settle
The singer would rather have been forced to settle than have their trust broken by their dishonest lover.
Doin' something wrong
The artist is acknowledging that something is wrong in their relationship.
Always a mile apart
The artist and the person they are talking to seem emotionally distant from each other.
Oh and I cannot argue too, all of a sudden
The singer feels like they can't argue with their lover, even though something seems to have changed suddenly.
Be in my arms
The singer longs for physical intimacy with their lover.
Slowin' my beatin' heart
The artist's heart feels like it slows down when they are with their lover.
'Cause even when it's wrong, you'll see
The artist believes that their lover will still see the value in their relationship even when things are difficult.
That it's what you need
The artist believes that the relationship is what their lover needs, despite its challenges.
What you need
The singer repeats that the relationship is what their lover needs, emphasizing this point.
I don't know where I went wrong, no, baby
The artist is unsure of what they did to contribute to the difficulties in their relationship.
(So wrong, so wrong)
The singer emphasizes how much they feel like they messed up in their relationship.
I know that you'll be the one that got away
The singer fears that their lover will leave and they will never have another chance to be together.
If you don't stay, no, mm
The singer is pleading with their lover to stay in the relationship.
Now all I can hope to do
The artist feels like they have limited options in terms of saving their relationship.
Is tell you still
The artist is going to try to convince their lover that their relationship is worth fighting for.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
The singer repeats this refrain as a way of emphasizing the emotional intensity of the situation.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
The singer repeats this refrain as a way of emphasizing the emotional intensity of the situation.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
The artist repeats this refrain as a way of emphasizing the emotional intensity of the situation.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Charlotte Wilson, Louis Celestin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rHaYoutube
Hoo, hoo
Oh, oh
I never wanted you to see this part of me
I wish you woulda told the truth
Oh, than make us settle
Doin' something wrong
Always a mile apart
Oh and I cannot argue too, all of a sudden
Be in my arms
Slowin' my beatin' heart
'Cause even when it's wrong you'll see
That it's what you need
What you need
I don't know where I went wrong, no, baby
(So wrong, so wrong)
I know that you'll be the one that got away
If you don't stay, no, mm
I never wanted you
To see this part of me
Now all I can hope to do
Is tell you still
That it's what you need
What you need
Hoo, hoo
Hoo, hoo
Hoo, hoo
Hoo
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh
@ioannaatsikatsou6610
Let's face it, Kaytranada simply cannot make one bad tune
@TheBurnonme
I got to get his album soon
@TheBurnonme
I got to get his album soon
@RossD189
Facts
@_i.boop.ur.nose_6982
Fr
@mattferguson9532
He definitely has but that don’t discredit his skill
@bunderify
HOW IS THIS REAL?? This album is FIIIIIIRRRRE
@tahmeedful
Asholei bhai
@TheBurnonme
He just won 2 Grammys this year Congrats to him
@juliamassey7643
Too right!!!🙌🏾🙌🏾