Kina started playing shows at the age of four in front of her stuffed animals. Now she plays in front of people, though it wasn’t the quickest transition for the admittedly shy songstress. While attending college at USC, Kina often retreated to the secluded stairwells around campus where she could write and sing without being heard. Protected by their quiet confines, she found a safe haven and a creative outlet for her music. Armed with a guitar and a cup of tea, Kina wrote in every stairwell she came across. And it was within these stairwells that she developed her confidence as a songwriter and her poise as a performer.
In 2007, Kina joined YouTube, made a music video and entered herself into a contest. A few months later, her video for “Message From Your Heart” aired during the Superbowl and its 97 million viewers (or 194 million eyeballs, depending on how you’re keeping track) and she walked away with a record deal. Since then, Kina has regularly posted her songs on YouTube, amassing many millions of views, and toured throughout North America. Her songs have been heard on television shows such as ABC’s General Hospital and MTV’s College Life.
my dear
Kina Grannis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I told you this is true
I'll take pieces of you with me
I'll take parts you never knew
And one day you will wake up
Without warning or a clue
And start to notice little things
Oh, I need you here
Oh, you will always be my dear
The freckle on your shoulder
And the creases on your cheeks
The scar upon your forehead
And your whisper when you speak
I took them cause I need you
I took them to be mine
I took them so you miss them
So you'd want them back in time
Oh, I need you here
Oh, you will always be my
Oh, I need you here
Oh, you will always be my dear
If I hold on to you
Don't let me go
Will you, feel me, need me
Don't let me go
If I hold on to you
Don't let me go
Will you, feel me, need me
Don't let me go
(If I hold on to you)
Oh, I need you here
(Don't let me go, will you, feel me, need me)
Oh, you will alway be my
(Don't let me go, if I hold on)
Oh, I need you here
(Don't let me go)
Oh, you will always be my dear
The lyrics of Kina Grannis’s ‘My Dear’ describe a deep emotional connection between two people, where the singer cannot live without the person they are addressing. The singer talks about taking parts of this person that they don’t even know themselves because they need them to feel complete. The verse, "I'll take pieces of you with me, I'll take parts you never knew" can be analyzed to mean that the singer has a deep understanding of the person they are addressing. This could be symbolic of the trust that has been established between them, where the singer understands their subject intimately.
The chorus, ‘Oh, I need you here, Oh, you will always be my dear,’ is a plea to the person being addressed. The singer is asking for their subject’s presence in their life and communicating that they will always hold a special place in their heart. The last verse is an interesting take on the pain that comes with separation, where the singer says, "If I hold on to you, don't let me go, Will you, feel me, need me, Don't let me go." This could be interpreted as a plea from the singer to their subject to not forget them and to miss them as much they miss them.
Overall, the song is a sincere portrayal of the depth of love between two people. Kina Grannis has successfully captured the emotions of someone who is deeply connected to another person and is scared of losing them.
Line by Line Meaning
I cannot live without you
I can't imagine living without you in my life.
I told you this is true
I want you to know that my feelings are genuine and sincere.
I'll take pieces of you with me
I'll hold onto the memories and unique qualities that make you who you are.
I'll take parts you never knew
I'll cherish even the small details of your character that you might not have noticed yourself.
And one day you will wake up
Without warning, you'll realize that something is missing from your life.
Without warning or a clue
It will come out of nowhere, and you won't be able to put your finger on it.
And start to notice little things
You'll begin to realize that even the smallest details of your being have significance.
That are missing parts of you
Those little details will be the reminder that something is missing from your life.
Oh, I need you here
I long for you to be present in my life.
Oh, you will always be my dear
You hold a special place in my heart that no one else can fill.
The freckle on your shoulder
Even the smallest details of your physical self are important to me.
And the creases on your cheeks
The lines on your face show the depth of your history and experiences, and I value that.
The scar upon your forehead
Even the imperfections and scars you bear make you unique and special to me.
And your whisper when you speak
Even the sound of your voice is a treasure to me.
I took them cause I need you
I want you to understand that I cherish these parts of you because I care so deeply for you.
I took them to be mine
I hold onto these qualities because they show what makes you you, and that is important to me.
I took them so you miss them
By holding onto these pieces of you, I hope you'll realize that you need me and miss me too.
So you'd want them back in time
In the future, I hope you'll realize how much you need and want me in your life.
If I hold on to you
If I hold onto the memories and qualities that make you unique.
Don't let me go
Please don't let me slip away or forget why we're important to each other.
Will you, feel me, need me
Can you feel the strength of my emotions and the depth of my love for you?
Oh, you will always be my
You are and always will be a significant and essential piece of my life.
You will always be my dear
The depth of my love and affection for you will never diminish.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: KINA KASUYA GRANNIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Honeysuckle
your wedding looks so intimate and so beautiful. did you make guest cards in a cookie form?! genius!! happy anniversary. xo
Studio Ann Le
You looked absolutely beautiful and stunning :)
Chelsea and Nick
Beautiful 😢
Kelly Vong
I love your videos!!! 😘😘❤😘
Madilyn Bailey
Ahhhhhhhh Yeahhhhhhh wedding footage!!! This is so pretty!!! I LOVe it!! <3
Viviann Gris
We are waiting yours :)
Baraa Lizard
What??
Mary Grace Viado
I finally got a glimpse of her wedding. She's such a darling. Love her voice and the way she delivers every song may it be her original or cover. Hope you could finally do a concert here in the Philippines, Kina Grannis. Please continue to make good music, you're such an inspiration.
Kina Grannis
happy 1(3) years, jesse! <3
ilE
Congrats Kina!