Since 2011, the group consists of Diplo, Jillionaire and Walshy Fire. After… Read Full Bio ↴Since 2011, the group consists of Diplo, Jillionaire and Walshy Fire. After releasing their landmark LP Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do in 2009, the heroic production duo of Diplo and Switch found themselves boldly marching forwards toward the end of the aughts, conquering major milestones. From 2009 to 2011, the twosome toured extensively across the United States and the world, selling out shows and performing at some of music’s major festivals, including Coachella, Pitchfork, Sasquatch, Outside Lands, and Falls Music & Arts Festival.

In 2010, Major Lazer released Lazerproof, a free download mixtape with pop sensation La Roux, and Lazers Never Die, an EP featuring two new tracks and three remixes, including one by Thom Yorke. One of the foremost breakthroughs for Major Lazer during this time was the production collaboration with Beyoncé on her single “Run the World (Girls)”, which sampled their track “Pon de Floor." BeyoncÉ directly sought out Switch and Diplo, recognizing the fact that they were creating authentically innovative music and further cementing their status as a production team worthy of worldwide mainstream attention. As 2011 turned to 2012, Switch determined it best to pursue his own path, leaving Diplo in full control of Major Lazer.

As the sole executive producer of Major Lazer, Diplo continued to spearhead the current dancehall revival movement with the 2013 release Free The Universe. That album included collaborations with Bruno Mars, Tyga, Flux Pavilion, Wynter Gordon, Shaggy, Wyclef Jean, Ezra Koening from Vampire Weekend, Dev and more. Spin called the LP’s first single "Get Free" featuring Amber Coffman of Dirty Projectors, "a meeting point between Jamaica, West Africa, and Brooklyn."

Diplo (AKA Wesley Pentz) has risen through the ranks and has asserted himself as one of the most pioneering producers of the time. Through unending curiosity and exploration of the vast multitudes of the world’s musical heritages, Diplo has managed to seamlessly connect the global underground to the audio mainstream. He is the Grammy-nominated founder, owner and head honcho of Mad Decent records, which has not only garnered widespread critical and audience accolades since its inception, but has also deservedly earned a hefty reputation as a vanguard of groundbreaking releases. As Major Lazer, he retreated to Jamaica in 2012 to team up with producers Ariel Rechtshaid and Dre Skull on Snoop Lion's (Snoop Dogg) 2013 album "Reincarnated". Major Lazer was also featured on the title track from No Doubt's 2012 comeback album with famed dancehall artist Busy Signal and released an official remix for Hot Chip’s "Look At Where We Are".

Believer
Major Lazer Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When the valley couldn't hold me, they throw me in the river
Thinking I would drown, but man, ah, good swimmer, whoa
When the river didn't drown me, they throw me in the fire
But the fire just cool, I could never burn, oh

'Cause I'm a believer, I'm a believer
I'm a believer, I'm a believer

Hold up, pull up
'Cause I'm a

Freetown is my family (my family)
Whole Caribbean follow we (follow we)
Evergreen like the forest be
Terrible, they can't manage me
Africa, no apology

'Cause I'm a

When the valley couldn't hold me, they throw me in the river
Thinking I would drown, but man, ah, good swimmer, whoa
They say hotter the battle, yeah, we dance when we conquer
It's been forever, it won't be much longer
Stand firm, you will be much stronger, oh

I'm a believer, I'm a believer
I'm a believer, I'm a believer

Freetown is my family
Rough sea never bother me
Whole Caribbean follow we
Root deeper than a forestry
Evergreen like the forest be
Terrible, they can't manage me
Africa, no apology
Hold up, pull up

Never fall down yet, don't digress

Put us against any test
Yeah, no stress, aright

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Believer" by Major Lazer and Showtek are about resilience and strength in the face of adversity. The singer narrates how he has been thrown into challenging situations, such as a valley and a river, and yet he has always found a way to survive. Even when they threw him into the fire, he remained unscathed, showing that he's a believer who can't be defeated.

The chorus of the song puts emphasis on how the singer is a believer, which seems to signify that he has faith in something greater than himself. This belief is what gives him the strength and resilience to overcome life's challenges.

The lyrics also highlight the singer's pride in his African roots and Caribbean heritage. He mentions Freetown, which is the capital city of Sierra Leone and an important cultural center. The singer sees his family as his community and talks about how the entire Caribbean region follows them. He also mentions how his roots are deeper than a forestry, showing that he has a strong connection to the land and his cultural identity.

In summary, "Believer" is a song that celebrates resilience, strength and the importance of faith and cultural identity in overcoming life's challenges.

Line by Line Meaning

When the valley couldn't hold me, they throw me in the river
Despite being pushed into a difficult situation, I did not give up and was then thrown into a more difficult situation

Thinking I would drown, but man, ah, good swimmer, whoa
The people around me thought I would fail, but I proved them wrong and succeeded

When the river didn't drown me, they throw me in the fire
After overcoming the previous challenge, I was presented with an even bigger challenge

But the fire just cool, I could never burn, oh
Despite the challenge being difficult, I was able to overcome it without any damage

'Cause I'm a believer, I'm a believer
I am confident in my ability and believe in myself

Hold up, pull up
Wait a minute, pay attention

Freetown is my family (my family)
The people and culture of Freetown, Sierra Leone are close to my heart

Whole Caribbean follow we (follow we)
Our influence stretches beyond Freetown, impacting the entire Caribbean region

Evergreen like the forest be
Our legacy will last forever, like the trees in a forest

Terrible, they can't manage me
I am too strong-willed and independent to be controlled or managed by others

Africa, no apology
I am proud of my African heritage and do not apologize for it

When the valley couldn't hold me, they throw me in the river
The cycle of challenges and success continues

They say hotter the battle, yeah, we dance when we conquer
Challenges make us stronger and we can celebrate our success after overcoming them

It's been forever, it won't be much longer
The challenges have been going on for a while, but they will not last forever

Stand firm, you will be much stronger, oh
By persevering and staying strong, you will become even stronger

Never fall down yet, don't digress
I have not failed yet and will not divert from my path

Put us against any test
I am confident in my abilities and can handle any challenge thrown my way

Yeah, no stress, aright
I am calm and collected, nothing can bring me down

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Cloud9
Written by: Sjoerd Janssen, Wouter Janssen, Phillip Meckseper, Thomas Wesley Pentz, Alexa Marcono, Damien Marcano, James Quashie, Louis Lyons, Muhammad Muwakil

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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