A native of Los Angeles, California's San Pedro community, Miguel Jontel Pimentel was involved at the age of 16 with the production company Drop Squad. Three years later, he was offered a slot in Fatty Koo, and appeared on the R&B group's BET reality show, but he turned the position down and eventually signed a solo deal with distribution from major-label Universal. In 2005, "Getcha Hands Up!" was issued as a promotional solo single, and its accompanying video -- showcasing Miguel's dancing skills -- aired on BET. An album, Young & Free, was planned for release, but it was never issued. By that point, Miguel was becoming increasingly known in the underground through his collaborative work with Blu, Exile, and Daz-I-Kue.
Miguel signed a solo deal with Jive in 2007 and continued to work with underground and major-label artists. By the end of the decade, he placed songs on albums by Musiq Soulchild and Asher Roth. He experienced major growth during 2010. Jaheim's "Finding My Way Back," a song he co-wrote, reached number 12 on Billboard's R&B/hip-hop hit (and was subsequently nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best R&B Song). Miguel also co-wrote a pair of the Jam & Lewis-produced songs that appeared on Usher's Raymond v. Raymond, which topped the Billboard 200 just before Miguel made his proper solo debut with the atmospheric hip-hop soul of "All I Want Is You," a Top Ten R&B/hip-hop hit. The parent album, All I Want Is You, followed that November and reached the Top Ten of the R&B/hip-hop albums chart, as well as the Top 40 of the Billboard 200, boosted by "Sure Thing" (number one R&B, number 36 Billboard 200) and "Quickie" (number three R&B). Once Wale's Miguel-assisted Top 40 pop hit "Lotus Flower Bomb" was well on its way to platinum certification, Miguel resumed his solo output in early 2012 with a trilogy of three-song EPs dubbed Art Dealer Chic.
The intermediate releases led to Kaleidoscope Dream, which entered the R&B/hip-hop chart at number one and crossed into the Billboard 200 Top Five in October 2012. The RCA-issued full-length was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Urban Contemporary Album, while "Adorn," Miguel's second number one R&B/hip-hop single, was nominated for three awards and won for Best R&B Song. The following year, the album's "How Many Drinks?" was nominated as well. Stardom notwithstanding, Miguel remained available for outside work. "#Beautiful," a collaboration with Mariah Carey, was issued in May 2013 and went platinum. Miguel also devoted time between albums to sessions for J. Cole, Janelle Monáe, Big Sean, Jessie Ware, A$AP Rocky (the gold "Everyday"), Mac Miller (the platinum "Weekend"), and Hudson Mohawke.
Miguel's third album, Wildheart, was released in June 2015. Like his previous full-length, it debuted within the Top Five of the Billboard 200, reaching number two and landing in the same spot on the R&B/hip-hop chart. Less melodic than what preceded it, Wildheart emphasized sensual slow jams and was acknowledged with a Grammy nomination in the Best Urban Contemporary Album category. Another round of collaborations, including a duet with Dua Lipa, and singles highlighted by "2 Lovin U" (produced by DJ Premier) and the platinum-certified "Sky Walker" (featuring Travis Scott), preceded the December 2017 release of the urgent War & Leisure. Another R&B/hip-hop chart topper, it also entered the Billboard 200 at number nine. Miguel continued his extracurricular activity through 2018 with Kygo's "Remind Me to Forget" among his most commercially successful featured appearances. His next solo release was the Spanish-language EP Te Lo Dije, which peaked at number 11 on Billboard's Top Latin Albums chart in 2019. Also that year, Alicia Keys' Miguel-assisted "Show Me Love" began its ascent to gold status.
A mix of smaller-scale solo output and featured appearances followed during the first few years of the 2020s. Early in the decade, Miguel was featured on tracks such as Jhené Aiko's platinum "Happiness Over Everything (H.O.E.)." The Art Dealer Chic series of EPs resumed in 2021 with a fourth volume containing the grinding "Funeral." After he was featured on Diplo's "Don't Forget My Love," Miguel saw "Sure Thing" become more popular than ever in 2023 -- thanks to TikTok -- and a re-release of the single consequently reached number 14 on the Hot 100, thereby surpassing "Adorn" as his highest-charting pop single. The singer responded that April with the smoldering slow jam "Give It to Me." ~ Andy Kellman & David Jeffries
Don't Look Back
Miguel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All you have to do is run (run)
Just promise me you'll run (run)
And don’t look back
Don’t look back
Don’t look back
Don’t look back
And promise me you run
I feel the night approaching
The moon calling me
Reluctant eyes have witnessed
The horrors I can be
I felt compelled to warn you
I'm not all that I seem
And though I care about you
The night is calling me
If I (if I), don’t make it back before the sun (the sun)
All you have to do is run (run)
Just promise me you'll run (run)
And don’t look back
Don’t look back
Don’t look back
Don’t look back
And promise me you run
If I should claim a victim
To devour before the light
I pray that you forgive me
It’s just my appetite
If I (if I), don’t make it back before the sun (the sun)
All you have to do is run (run)
Just promise me you'll run (run)
And don’t look back
Don’t look back
Don’t look back
Don’t look back
And promise me you run
And if I (And if I)
I should try (I should try)
Try to lure you baby (try to lure you back)
Ooh, ooh you just try to get as far away as you can (Ooh aah)
And don’t look back
Don’t look back
Don’t look back
Don’t look back
Don’t look back
Don't look back
And promise me you'll run
Don't you run, don't you run
What's your name? Who's your daddy
Is a rich like me (Like me, like me)
Has it taken, the time to show ya
All the things you need to live
Tell it to me slowly
I really want to know
Is the time of the season for lovin', lovin'
The lyrics to "Don't Look Back" by Miguel are quite complex and can be interpreted in a few different ways. It seems like the song is about the singer warning someone they care about (possibly a lover) that they are not all that they seem and that if they don't make it back before the sun, the other person should run and not look back. The singer seems to be struggling with their darker impulses, admitting that they have an appetite that may cause them to harm others, but at the same time, they seem to genuinely care about the person they are addressing. The repeated refrain of "Don't look back" could be interpreted as the singer's fear that their darker side will cause the person they care about to be harmed, or it could be an urging to keep moving forward and not dwell on what has passed.
The metaphor of night and day is used throughout the song, with the singer expressing their fear that the night (and their darker impulses) will overcome them if they don't make it back before the sun. The moon is described as "calling" the singer, suggesting that they are drawn to the darkness in some way. However, there is a sense of regret and remorse in the lyrics as well, with the singer acknowledging their potential for harm and asking for forgiveness if they do end up hurting someone.
Overall, "Don't Look Back" is a haunting and introspective song about the darkness that exists within all of us, and the struggle to keep it under control. The repeated refrain of "Don't look back" creates an eerie and hypnotic effect, drawing the listener in and urging them to keep moving forward, no matter what.
Line by Line Meaning
If I (if I), don’t make it back before the sun (the sun)
Miguel feels that he may be unable to make it home before sunrise, and makes a request in case he does not.
All you have to do is run (run)
Miguel asks the listener to run away in case he is not back before the sunrise.
Just promise me you'll run (run)
Miguel asks for a promise from the listener that they will run if he is not back before sunrise.
And don’t look back
Miguel asks the listener to not look back in case he is not back before sunrise.
And promise me you run
Miguel repeats his request for the listener to promise to run if he is not back before the sunrise.
I feel the night approaching
Miguel senses that the night is coming.
The moon calling me
Miguel feels attracted to the moon for some reason.
Reluctant eyes have witnessed
Miguel knows that the listener is hesitant and scared.
The horrors I can be
Miguel acknowledges that he can be a scary and dangerous person.
I felt compelled to warn you
Miguel explains that he wanted to warn the listener in advance.
I'm not all that I seem
Miguel admits that he is not as he appears to be.
And though I care about you
Miguel emphasizes that he does care about the listener, despite his warning.
The night is calling me
Miguel feels a strong pull towards the night, but he still cares about the listener's safety.
If I should claim a victim
Miguel acknowledges that he may harm someone.
To devour before the light
Miguel suggests that he might eat someone before the sunrise.
I pray that you forgive me
Miguel apologizes in advance and asks for forgiveness.
It’s just my appetite
Miguel warns the listener that his actions might just be hunger-driven.
And if I (And if I)
Miguel thinks about what he would do if he wanted to tempt the listener.
I should try (I should try)
Miguel suggests that he might try something, despite his warning.
Try to lure you baby (try to lure you back)
Miguel admits that he may try to lure the listener back to him.
Ooh, ooh you just try to get as far away as you can (Ooh aah)
Miguel asks the listener to keep their distance and stay safe.
Don't you run, don't you run
Miguel asks the listener to not run towards him, in case he behaves irrationally.
What's your name? Who's your daddy
Miguel asks personal questions to test the listener's reactions.
Is a rich like me (Like me, like me)
Miguel suggests that the listener may be attracted to money or status.
Has it taken, the time to show ya
Miguel doubts whether the listener has been shown all the right things in life.
All the things you need to live
Miguel believes that there are certain necessities one needs to live life.
Tell it to me slowly
Miguel asks for the listener to explain themselves further.
I really want to know
Miguel expresses his genuine curiosity in the listener's response.
Is the time of the season for lovin', lovin'
Miguel suggests that it is the right season for love.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MIGUEL JONTEL PIMENTEL, NATHAN PEREZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind