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
The Thrill
Miguel Lyrics
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I just wanna feel the wind blow, in my face
Cause these moments go ugly and get undone
That's why I never wanna close my eyes
Yeah, I can feel them right in the air, tonight
Got a trouble, you can tell
And I, can't wait
It's the thrill I feel my heart beat racing
And I, can't wait, can't wait
Tell me johnny and jack know
Shoot them up, shoot them down, Sh shh shooter
Dancing up we never black out
Nowadays, nowadays, never hesitate now
Cause these moments go ugly and get undone
And We're just laughing as we loose our mind, yeah
It could be a riot in the air tonight
Start to call it trouble, you can tell
And I, can't wait
And I, can't wait
It's the thrill I feel my heart beat racing
And I, can't wait, can't wait
Till they play our song, till the lights go on
Till we can't drive home
Shout give me more, give me more
Till were all alone, till we greet the sun
Give me more, give me more, yeah
Give me more, give me more
And I, can't wait
And I, can't wait
It's the thrill I feel my heart beat racing
And I, can't wait, can't wait
The lyrics of Miguel's song The Thrill speaks to the exhilarating feeling of being alive and experiencing life to the fullest. The singer is asking to roll down the window to feel the wind in his face, emphasizing the importance of being present in the moment. The song is driven by a pulsing beat that creates an urgent feeling that one is living life to its fullest potential. The lyrics express that life is fleeting and sometimes chaotic, but it's the thrill of the moment that makes it all worth it.
Miguel sings, "Cause these moments go ugly and get undone / That's why I never wanna close my eyes / Yeah, I can feel them right in the air, tonight / Got a trouble, you can tell." The lyrics suggest that life is unpredictable and complex, but it's the excitement of the unknown that makes it worth living. The chorus repeats the sentiment, "And I can't wait / It's the thrill I feel my heart beat racing / And I can't wait, can't wait."
The lyrics further emphasize the importance of living life to the fullest with lines such as, "Till they play our song, till the lights go on / Till we can't drive home / Shout give me more, give me more." The message is clear that the singer wants to experience every moment to its fullest, making memories that he will be able to look back on with joy.
Line by Line Meaning
Can you roll down a window
I just wanna feel the wind blow, in my face
Miguel wants to feel the present moment with an open mind free from the chaos and ubiquitous distractions that surround him. Rolling down the window and feeling the wind on his face is a symbolic representation of it.
Cause these moments go ugly and get undone
That's why I never wanna close my eyes
Yeah, I can feel them right in the air, tonight
Got a trouble, you can tell
Miguel is aware that moments in life can be unpredictable and ephemeral, and he does not wish to squander them. Therefore, he intends to keep his eyes open and stay alert. He can sense that something is about to happen, a trouble brewing, and he is ready for it.
And I, can't wait
And I, can't wait
It's the thrill I feel my heart beat racing
And I, can't wait, can't wait
Miguel is excited to be alive and to experience different things that life has to offer. The anticipation of a good life experience elevates his heartbeat and keeps his spirits high.
Tell me johnny and jack know
Shoot them up, shoot them down, Sh shh shooter
Dancing up we never black out
Nowadays, nowadays, never hesitate now
Miguel wants to rock and roll with Johnny and Jack, two legendary names in the world of music. He feels invincible while dancing and will never pass out or lose consciousness while doing so. In present times, one should not hesitate to do what one wants to do.
And We're just laughing as we loose our mind, yeah
It could be a riot in the air tonight
Start to call it trouble, you can tell
Miguel and his friends are having so much fun that they are losing track of reality. There is an air of something unusual, possibly dangerous about to happen, and it is visible. It's like sensing a slight earthquake before it hits.
Till they play our song, till the lights go on
Till we can't drive home
Shout give me more, give me more
Till were all alone, till we greet the sun
Give me more, give me more, yeah
Give me more, give me more
Miguel wants to continue enjoying the present moment until the last call for music and lights. He wants to party till he's too drunk to drive home. He wants more happiness and good times that will last until sunrise.
And I, can't wait
And I, can't wait
It's the thrill I feel my heart beat racing
And I, can't wait, can't wait
Miguel is happy and looking forward to the next step that life has to offer. The thrill that originates from the unknown possibilities of tomorrow excites him and fills his heart with optimism.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALLEN ARTHUR, CLAYTON REILLY, KEITH JUSTICE, MIGUEL JONTEL PIMENTEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind