Marie Hines, a 22-year old singer/songwriter from Spartanburg, SC, is well … Read Full Bio ↴Marie Hines, a 22-year old singer/songwriter from Spartanburg, SC, is well on her way to making her passion known to the ears of Nashville. With her rich alto voice and beautifully honest lyrics, Marie is purposefully crafting her original music to stand out from the sea of typical singer/songwriters. Blending pop, rock, and a little blues, adding a layer of classical strings and piano, and sprinkling warm vocals on top, Marie is unique in her sound and style.
At age 4, Marie walked around with a play microphone, belting the theme song to Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” for anyone who would listen. At age 7, she started taking piano lessons, and at age 11, she began writing original songs. Over the next several years, Marie seized all performance opportunities she was given- playing her original songs in church services, local talent shows, See You At The Pole rallies, school performances, and numerous youth camps across the nation, with audiences ranging in number from 50-850. At just 16 years old, Marie received a standing ovation from a crowd of over 850 people and realized she was permanently hooked on music.
With a strong passion for her music and the determination for pursuing a career in this field, Marie moved to Nashville in 2005 to study commercial piano and voice at Belmont University. In the summer of 2006, Marie joined Stealing Scarlett, a newly formed rock band from her hometown, as their lead singer. With Stealing Scarlett, Marie performed at several local venues, youth gatherings, and a large citywide festival, even performing on a few occasions as a guest artist with other local bands. However, after a year with Stealing Scarlett, Marie decided that heavy rock music just wasn’t her style. She left the band to pursue a solo career and write more songs, while revamping and developing her own musical “sound.” Since this move, she has recorded a 5-song demo in OceanWay studios in Nashville and received over 36,000 song plays on her music Myspace page.
When asked to describe her original sound, Marie says, “It’s like Sara Bareilles and One Republic’s love child. I layer bluesy/rock vocals over pop/rock music, and have a heavy emphasis on the piano and classical string quartet.” Since she loves virtually all types of music, she is influenced by characteristics of several different genres. Her primary focus for her music, however, is the lyric. “My songs are just about as ‘me’ as it gets. The laughter, the heartbreak, the frustration, the search for love, discovering love- it’s all me. They’re as raw, as real, and as vulnerably emotional coming from my lips as they are on my heart- so it’s very important to me that the lyrics speak,” Marie says.
With big dreams and even bigger talent, this cheerful Southern belle is ready to take the music industry by storm. While most aspiring artists look for a lucky break, Marie has a different outlook. Flashing a huge smile, Marie says, “I can’t rely on luck. I was always taught that you create your own luck. ‘When preparedness meets opportunity, you’ll have your luck,’ my mom always said. I’ve spent years preparing for this. I’m still preparing. I’m simply waiting for my opportunity- the opportunity- to share my passion for music- maybe to inspire some to find their own passion. “ She pauses. “Passion… it’s all about passion,” she says. “My passion- my music- it’s who I am.”

beauty
Marie Hines Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Lines tally themselves at my eyes
A gift of time and years of laughter
My age is my virtue

My lips a little crooked when they slide in a smile
Give me kisses to remember
Perfect in my imperfection

Don't change me, no
Don't save me,
I'm just fine
And I'm better off without you

Don't change me, no
Don't try and save me,
I'm alright
And I'm better off without you

A few too many freckles at the tip of my nose
I'm not the perfect zero
But my curves are my virtue

I've got no secrets, I'll bare my soul
Nothing to hide when a heart is open, oh
I am more than my reflection

We're all searching for ourselves
Standing before our own eyes
Begging to be noticed
Snowflakes aren't formed in a mold
Flowers don't choose their shades
And butterflies don't paint their wings

Don't change me, no
Don't try and save me,
I'm alright
And I'm better off without you

Don't change me, no
Don't try and save me,
I'm alright
And I'm better off without you

You told me
I should be younger, I should be thinner

Brighter, lighter, taller, softer, smaller
Am I not more than that'

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Marie Hines's song "Beauty" are a celebration of individuality and self-love. The opening lines, "Lines tally themselves at my eyes, a gift of time and years of laughter, my age is my virtue," suggest that the singer appreciates the wrinkles and creases around her eyes because they are the result of a life filled with happiness and joy. She values her age as a sign of wisdom and experience, rather than viewing it as something to be ashamed of.

The chorus, "Don't change me, no, don't try and save me, I'm alright and I'm better off without you," is a declaration of independence and self-determination. The singer is rejecting the idea that she needs anyone else to change or "save" her, because she is content with who she is. The verses that follow further reinforce the idea that the singer embraces her imperfections and quirks, such as her crooked smile and freckles. She recognizes that these things make her unique and add to her beauty, rather than detracting from it.

The end of the song is a message of empowerment for listeners, as the singer reminds us that we are all different and that should be celebrated, rather than shamed or criticized. The final lines, "Am I not more than that?" suggest that there is more to a person than just their physical appearance, and that we should strive to see and value the whole person rather than focusing solely on their external characteristics.

Line by Line Meaning

Lines tally themselves at my eyes
The visible signs of aging on my face are a testament to the long and happy life I've lived

A gift of time and years of laughter
The wrinkles and lines on my face are a result of the time I've been alive and the joy and laughter I've experienced

My age is my virtue
I value and embrace the person I've become over the years

My lips a little crooked when they slide in a smile
My smile may not be perfect, but it is genuine and reflects the uniqueness of my personality

Give me kisses to remember
I cherish genuine displays of affection and connection with others that leave a lasting impression

Perfect in my imperfection
I recognize and celebrate that my flaws and imperfections make me who I am and contribute to my beauty

Don't change me, no
I am content with who I am and do not desire to be someone I am not

Don't save me,
I can take care of myself and do not require others to rescue or fix me

I'm just fine
I am content with my life and the person I have become

And I'm better off without you
I do not need anyone who does not accept me for who I am in my life

A few too many freckles at the tip of my nose
I have attributes that may not be considered traditionally beautiful, such as freckles, but I still see them as a part of my unique beauty

I'm not the perfect zero
I do not conform to unrealistic beauty standards and that is okay

But my curves are my virtue
I appreciate and value the curves and shape of my body, even if they do not align with societal expectations

I've got no secrets, I'll bare my soul
I am authentic and transparent with others, sharing my true self

Nothing to hide when a heart is open, oh
When you live with an open heart, there is nothing to hide, you are completely transparent.

I am more than my reflection
My worth goes beyond my external appearance and I know that I am a multi-dimensional person with many different aspects to my personality

We're all searching for ourselves
We all have a journey to discover who we are and what makes us unique

Standing before our own eyes
We must look within ourselves to truly see and recognize our own value

Begging to be noticed
We all want to be appreciated and seen for who we truly are

Snowflakes aren't formed in a mold
Everyone is unique and cannot be made to conform to a certain mold or standard

Flowers don't choose their shades
Nature creates things as they are, with unique colors and attributes, without any intention on the part of the object itself

And butterflies don't paint their wings
Like flowers, butterflies are born with their unique patterns and colors, without any conscious choice on their part.

You told me
The singer is referencing an external person who has tried to make them feel like they are not good enough

I should be younger, I should be thinner
The external person has tried to make the artist feel like they need to change their physical appearance to meet certain societal expectations

Brighter, lighter, taller, softer, smaller
The external person has tried to make the singer feel like they need to become an entirely different person to be accepted

Am I not more than that'
The singer is questioning if they are truly defined by their external appearance, or if there is more to them as a person

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TAKURA TENDAYI, DARREN LEWIS, IYIOLA BABALOLA

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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