Mena was thirteen years old she moved to live with her musician father. She sang and wrote lyrics as a form of therapy for her feelings and frustrations. Not all the stories in her diary became songs, but "My Lullaby" was one of them, expressing her pain from her parents' divorce. After pleading with her father to make a demo, he contacted some industry experts to record Maria's songs in the studio. Then he presented his daughter's demo to the music industry. Sony Music signed Maria Mena to their label.
In March 2002, Mena's single "My Lullaby" reached number five in the Norwegian charts. The young singer quickly gained fans and soon earned her first platinum record. 2005 saw the release of Apparently Unaffected, including singles "Miss You Love" and "Just Hold Me". A significant success in Norway, the album gained three Spellemann nominations: best female artist, best hit, and best music video.
In September 2008 Mena's fifth studio album was released, Cause and Effect.
Shadow
Maria Mena Lyrics
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But I'm caught up in those long lost days
And how can I even make you see
When I don't even know me
Following my footsteps home
This time I'm walking all alone
Trying hard to be someone I don't even know
I feel like a shadow
Walking behind who you think I am
Just like my shadow
Wanting to see the sun again
I'm your shadow
And I'm lost
Just like my shadow
Thought I'd like me bright and new
But my candle burned out long before you
Now I'm the one whose got to pay
I'm finding me a better day
Following my footsteps home
This time I'm walking all alone
Trying to be someone I don't even know
I feel like a shadow
Walking behind who you think I am
Just like my shadow
Wanting to see the sun again
I'm your shadow
And I'm lost
Just like my shadow
Sun light is my life
I can hardly comprehend
Sun light is my life
I cannot understand
I feel like a shadow
Walking behind who you think I am
Just like my shadow
Wanting to see the sun again
I'm your shadow
And I'm lost
Just like my shadow
In Maria Mena’s song “Shadow”, the singer laments her struggle to find her true identity and the difficulty of expressing her true self to others. The opening lines “I wish you'd see it in my face, but I'm caught up in those long lost days” suggest her longing for someone to be able to understand her through her expressions rather than her words. However, she acknowledges her own confusion about who she actually is, making it difficult for anyone else to understand her. She then talks about walking home alone, trying hard to be someone she doesn't even know. The repetition of “someone I don’t even know” emphasizes her lost and confused state.
The chorus repeats that she feels like a shadow, walking behind who others think she is. She wants to see the sun again, possibly a metaphor for finding her true self and living authentically. The line “sun light is my life, I cannot understand” suggests that the only way she can feel alive is by being true to herself, but she still struggles to fully comprehend how to do that. The final repetition of the chorus with the line “and I'm lost, just like my shadow” is a poignant reminder of her disorientation and lack of belonging.
Line by Line Meaning
I wish you'd see it in my face
I wish you could read my emotions and thoughts just by looking at me.
But I'm caught up in those long lost days
I am still stuck in the past and can't seem to move on from it.
And how can I even make you see
I don't know how to show you who I truly am and make you understand me.
When I don't even know me
I am still trying to figure out my own identity and who I am as a person.
Following my footsteps home
I am retracing my own steps and reflecting on my choices.
This time I'm walking all alone
I am doing it all by myself, without anyone's help or guidance.
Trying hard to be someone I don't even know
I am trying to create an identity for myself that I am not even sure of or comfortable with.
I feel like a shadow
I feel invisible and insignificant, like a shadow that is unnoticed.
Walking behind who you think I am
I am following the expectations and perceptions of others about me, rather than being true to myself.
Just like my shadow
I am just like my shadow, following and mirroring the actions of others, without having my own individuality.
Wanting to see the sun again
I am longing to feel happy and content in my own skin again.
I'm your shadow
I am constantly following and pleasing others, without ever having my own desires or needs.
And I'm lost
I am confused and unsure of my own identity and purpose.
Thought I'd like me bright and new
I thought I would be happy and satisfied with a new identity or persona.
But my candle burned out long before you
My enthusiasm and hope for a new identity faded out before I could attain it.
Now I'm the one whose got to pay
I am regretting my choices and have to deal with the consequences of my actions.
I'm finding me a better day
I am searching for a new identity or a better version of myself that I am comfortable with.
Sun light is my life
Being happy and content in my own skin is crucial to my well-being and survival.
I can hardly comprehend
I find it difficult to understand or achieve true happiness and contentment.
I cannot understand
I am struggling to understand myself and what I truly want in life.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARIA MENA, THOMAS WHO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind