She rose to prominence when she performed her single 'Quiet' in January 2017 at the Women’s March in Washington, D.C. MILCK teamed up with 25 female singers and delivered seven acapella flashmob performances of “Quiet” on the streets. A fan video went viral, racking up over 14 million plays in two days. By the end of the week, she took the stage on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee for another riveting rendition as VICE, NPR, Refinery29, BuzzFeed, Associated Press, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and more extolled her. It ignited the #ICantKeepQuiet social media project as everyone from Emma Watson, Debra Messing, and Tegan & Sara to Tom Morello and Denis Leary shared the video. The initiative’s merchandise benefits the Step Up chapter in L.A., which provides after school and mentorship programs for underprivileged girls 13-18.
She also made waves with “Devil Devil,” which went on to receive high-profile syncs in popular television shows like Lucifer, Pretty Little Liars, and The Royals. It racked up 925k Spotify streams and over 1 million YouTube views.
Black Sheep
MILCK Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a battle to survive these lonely years
Black sheep, you live up to your name
You've been told for way too long that you're the one to blame
You never mean to hurt yourself or anyone around you
But trouble's like a curse, a curse you didn't choose
The house you're in is like a cage
It's hard to breathe
But hard to leave
Look up you're not alone
You'll make a home of your own
Don't let anyone turn your unique into flaws
Yeah, you know that I love you the way that you are
Take those sticks and stones
And make a home of your own
Every warrior grows from her battles and scars
Yeah, you know that I love you the way that you are
Black sheep (Ooh)
Dear black sheep (Ooh)
It runs deep, it's insatiable
That hunger to be seen and to be understood
Black sheep, they call me that too
I've wrestled with the dark
But I made it through
And so will you
Look up you're not alone
You'll make a home of your own
Don't let anyone turn your unique into flaws
Yeah, you know that I love you the way that you are
Take those sticks and stones
And make a home of your own
Every warrior grows from her battles and scars
Yeah, you know that I love you the way that you are
Black sheep (Ooh)
Dear black sheep (Ooh)
The house you build that will be safe and be full of light and space
You'll finally breathe my dear black sheep
Look up you're not alone
You'll make a home of your own
Don't let anyone turn your unique into flaws
Yeah, you know that I love you the way that you are
Take those sticks and stones
And make a home of your own
Every warrior grows from her battles and scars
Yeah, you know that I love you the way that you are
And, you know that I love you the way that you are
Black sheep
Yeah, you know that I love you the way that you are
Ooh, black sheep
The song begins by addressing the black sheep, or the outcasts who have been constantly told they are the ones to blame for everything wrong in their lives. The lyrics are relatable to anyone who has ever been labeled, misunderstood and ostracized by others. The black sheep are crying rebel tears, a sign of their defiance and determination to make it through the tough times. They are battling to survive their lonely years, and despite the hurt they might have experienced, they never meant to hurt themselves or anyone else. However, trouble has become like a curse, one they never chose. The house they live in is like a cage, the walls and floors rage, and it's hard to breathe, but also hard to leave.
Despite this, the song asserts that the black sheep should look up and realize they are not alone. They will make a home of their own, and no one should turn their uniqueness into flaws. The song encourages the black sheep to take those sticks and stones and use them to build a home, a safe space full of light and space where they can finally breathe. Every warrior grows from their battles and scars. The song reassures the black sheep that it runs deep and is insatiable, the hunger to be seen and understood. However, it also reminds them that they are loved just the way they are.
The song is an anthem for anyone who feels like the outsider, the flawed and the different. It reminds us that we are all unique, and that we should celebrate and embrace our differences. The song also highlights the importance of having a home, a place where we feel safe and comfortable in our skin. It is a song about resilience, hope, and self-love, encouraging us to keep pushing forward and to never give up on ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Black sheep, crying those rebel tears
You're feeling rebellious and emotional, standing out from the crowd.
It's a battle to survive these lonely years
You're fighting to survive in a world where you feel out of place.
Black sheep, you live up to your name
You've always known that you're different from others around you.
You've been told for way too long that you're the one to blame
You've been blamed for things that aren't really your fault for a long time.
You never mean to hurt yourself or anyone around you
Despite your differences, you never intend to hurt yourself or anyone else.
But trouble's like a curse, a curse you didn't choose
You feel like you've been cursed with problems and difficulties beyond your control.
The house you're in is like a cage
Your current situation feels like a trap, like you're being held captive.
The walls 'n floors rage
The place you're stuck in feels hostile and full of anger.
It's hard to breathe
You feel suffocated and trapped.
But hard to leave
Despite feeling trapped, it's difficult for you to leave your current situation.
Look up you're not alone
Even though you feel different and isolated, there are others like you out there.
You'll make a home of your own
You'll find a place where you belong and feel safe and happy.
Don't let anyone turn your unique into flaws
Stay true to yourself and your differences, don't let others convince you that you're flawed because of them.
Yeah, you know that I love you the way that you are
Someone out there appreciates and loves you for who you are, differences and all.
Take those sticks and stones
Use the negative words and actions of others as motivation to build something positive.
And make a home of your own
Create a place where you feel like you belong and can be yourself, despite the negativity around you.
Every warrior grows from her battles and scars
Through adversity and struggle, you'll become stronger and grow as a person.
Black sheep (Ooh)
Acknowledging that you are the black sheep.
Dear black sheep (Ooh)
Affectionate acknowledgment of being a fellow black sheep, a shared experience.
It runs deep, it's insatiable
The desire to be seen and understood runs deep and is never satisfied.
Black sheep, they call me that too
The singer also identifies as a black sheep.
I've wrestled with the dark
The singer has also struggled with the darkness of feeling different and isolated.
But I made it through
Despite the struggle, the singer has come out on the other side stronger.
The house you build that will be safe and be full of light and space
With effort and persistence, you can build a happy, safe, and spacious home for yourself and others like you.
You'll finally breathe my dear black sheep
Once you find your place and feel at home, you'll be able to breathe and relax.
And, you know that I love you the way that you are
Reiteration that someone out there loves and appreciates you for who you are, differences and all.
Writer(s): Connie Lim, Adrianne Gonzalez
Contributed by Violet D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@obliviontunes9930
Lyrics *
Black sheep, crying those rebel tears
It's a battle to survive these lonely years
Black sheep, you live up to your name
You've been told for way too long that you're the one to blame
You never mean to hurt yourself or anyone around you
But trouble's like a curse, a curse you didn't choose
The house you're in is like a cage
The walls 'n floors rage
It's hard to breathe
But hard to leave
Look up you're not alone
You'll make a home of your own
Don't let anyone turn your unique into flaws
Yeah, you know that I love you the way that you are
Take those sticks and stones
And make a home of your own
Every warrior grows from her battles and scars
Yeah, you know that I love you the way that you are
Black sheep (Ooh)
Dear black sheep (Ooh)
It runs deep, it's insatiable
That hunger to be seen and to be understood
Black sheep, they call me that too
I've wrestled with the dark
But I made it through
And so will you
Look up you're not alone
You'll make a home of your own
Don't let anyone turn your unique into flaws
Yeah, you know that I love you the way that you are
Take those sticks and stones
And make a home of your own
Every warrior grows from her battles and scars
Yeah, you know that I love you the way that you are
Black sheep (Ooh)
Dear black sheep (Ooh)
The house you build that will be safe and be full of light and space
You'll finally breathe my dear black sheep
Look up you're not alone
You'll make a home of your own
Don't let anyone turn your unique into flaws
Yeah, you know that I love you the way that you are
Take those sticks and stones
And make a home of your own
Every warrior grows from her battles and scars
Yeah, you know that I love you the way that you are
And, you know that I love you the way that you are
Black sheep
Yeah, you know that I love you the way that you are
Ooh, black sheep
@shawnmariewalker7291
Your voice, your songs, your performance are all powerful! No words adequately express how your music reaches deep into my soul. Anyone hearing you knows that you just get it. You are a treasure!
@MarcoGionta
Beautiful song, beautiful voice, beautiful lyrics, a gospel version of this song would be heart-pounding.
@heyitsme_lorna
I love thiis song "Black Sheep".When i hear you sing your songs like Quiet and Black Sheep,I swear your voice is able to reach the brain's pain centre that releases those wonderful endorphins.These lyrics are beautiful and relevant to any of us at one point or another in our lives,Well done MILCK!Thank you for another beautiful song,
@fudgeymoss
this song has helped me so much so many times.
@TheSoundgod59
What an amazing woman and artist! I mixed her show last night and got to hang for a bit with her. She's such a warm, gracious, charming and wonderful person, so glad she was on the show! This is the second song of hers I've listened to, I will be checking out many more!
@raybae1990
This song is me thank you. I dedicate this to myself. Thank you so much for this.
@Aziara86
Right in the soul. I'm crying.
@lw498
This song has beautifully spoken into my life. Thank you so much!
@4000bee
I grew up as a black sheep in my family. I am glad.
@seanpaulcurran4927
I am SO happy that I followed the "check out this upcoming artist" link on facebook. Hello new music friend ! I will be word of mouth promoting the hell out of you now.