Leith Ross is a singer-songwriter and performing artist born and raised in … Read Full Bio ↴Leith Ross is a singer-songwriter and performing artist born and raised in the outskirts of Ottawa, Ontario. Struck by a culmination of inspiration sourced from their celtic roots, and potentially the Highschool Musical series, Leith Ross became a vessel for their very own distinctive musical style. As a young person, songwriting quickly became Leith’s most dependable method of processing their identity and lived experiences. Like a metaphorical beating heart on a sleeve, Ross’ music is raw, vulnerable and often received with a deep sense of catharsis.

Leith Ross’s debut EP Motherwell is an incredibly honest and intimate collection of songs. The music was inspired by their own coming of age story, and written in hopes of providing the soundtrack to a shaping moment for someone else. Motherwell was humbly recorded live off the floor in one afternoon with college mates, and released in October 2020 on Birthday Cake.

Songs from Ross’s debut EP have been played on CBC Radio 2 as well as editorial playlists on Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music. The EP received critical acclaim from Exclaim!, Stylus Magazine, Red Guitar Music, and indie blog If It’s Too Loud.

“The phrase "wise beyond their years" implies that young people don't experience the world as deeply or intellectually as older people, but the wisdom that Ross applies to their music pierces on each song.” - Exclaim!

As they transition into the next phase of life, Leith Ross is using their new music to dive deeper into themes of identity, finding a sense of self, and growing into understanding one’s relationship with the world around them. With plans to share more with the world in the second half of 2021. Leith Ross will embark on their debut international tour in spring of 2022, supporting management and label mates The Bros. Landreth across the UK and Europe.

Grown Up
Leith Ross Lyrics

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I can remember the feeling
Of being small
Praying to a god I don't believe in To grow tall
Can you remember the evenings Of your youth?
Losing track of time,
Losing count of hours,
Losing your balance, And then losing a tooth
Where does it go?

So fast and so slow?
And so, you notice you got old Where does it go?
Like how spring melts the snow? One day, you're living on your own
I can remember believing
That my parents were gods
And yes, there's comfort in people But fear in a faith that's lost
Oh, what a wonderful feeling! To own and operate your life Oh, what a terrible burden, All my decisions are mine
Where does it go?
So fast and so slow?

And so, you notice you got old Where does it go?
Like how spring melts the snow? One day, you're living on your own

Overall Meaning

In "Grown Up," Leith Ross reflects on the passage of time and the experiences that shape us into the adults we become. The chorus poses the question, "Where does it go?" referring to the seemingly fleeting nature of time that leaves us feeling like we've suddenly become old. Ross describes the nostalgia felt for childhood, when we believed in things like the Tooth Fairy and our parents seemed larger than life. However, as we grow older, we begin to realize that life isn't always predictable or easy, and that we must make our own decisions and take responsibility for them.

The verses of the song describe the small moments of childhood that seem insignificant at the time but remain vivid memories as we grow older. Ross remembers praying to grow taller, losing track of time while playing, and losing a tooth. Through these experiences, we can see how the passage of time can be both slow and fast, as we move through life often without even noticing.

Overall, "Grown Up" is a relatable meditation on the transition from childhood to adulthood and the bittersweet nature of time. It reminds us to cherish the memories we make along the way, as they are the building blocks of our lives and the people we become.

Line by Line Meaning

I can remember the feeling
The artist can reminisce the emotions they felt in the past

Of being small
The artist recalls their younger, smaller self

Praying to a god I don't believe in To grow tall
The artist used to pray to a higher power despite current disbelief for help in growing taller

Can you remember the evenings Of your youth?
The artist is asking the listener about their own memories of youthful evenings

Losing track of time,
The artist loses sense of time in the past

Losing count of hours,
The artist doesn't know how many hours have passed in reminiscence

Losing your balance,
The artist has trouble with physical balance in memory

And then losing a tooth
The artist vividly remembers losing a tooth in the past

Where does it go?
The artist wonders where those past moments go

So fast and so slow?
The artist wonders if time passed quickly or slowly in reminiscence

And so, you notice you got old
The artist realizes they've aged over time

Like how spring melts the snow?
The artist compares the way time passes to how snow melts in the spring

One day, you're living on your own
The artist acknowledges personal growth and independence

I can remember believing
The artist recollects a past belief

That my parents were gods
The artist believed that their parents had superhuman powers (as a child)

And yes, there's comfort in people
The artist acknowledges the comfort in human relationships

But fear in a faith that's lost
The artist fears the loss of faith, be it in a higher power or a person

Oh, what a wonderful feeling!
The artist comments on the wonderful feeling of independence

To own and operate your life
The artist is proud to be in control of their life

Oh, what a terrible burden,
The artist speaks of the negative aspects of independence

All my decisions are mine
The artist has complete responsibility over their decisions

Lyrics © DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Elvie Shane, Jonathan Ross, Lee Star

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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