As a singer, Naaz initially gained media attention as a participant in the Holland's Got Talent TV show in 2014, but her independent career in electronic indie pop seriously took off in 2016 when she started to release singles on Spotify. 'Sadboy' (2016) was the first, although Naaz herself feels that was "just a sketch". She considers 'Words' (2017) to be her proper début song.
Naaz released a string of singles and two EPs: Bits of Naaz (2018) and The Beautiful Struggle (2019).
She disappeared from the spotlights for a year or two, battled some demons and returned as an independent artist in May 2022 - a woman rather than a girl, relocated from Rotterdam to Amsterdam - with the single 'Sad Violins' and, in January 2023, the album Never Have I Ever.
TAPED
Naaz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For 300,000 plus years
So I might not know it all, yeah
But I know my way around the streets
And the things in my brain, oh
Sometimes I feel less human
When I lock myself up
Record myself singing taped
Do you like the way I sound
When I'm down and I shut my thoughts up?
Taped, taped, taped, taped, yeah
'Cause one time I told someone (Yeah)
He said, he said, he said
"I wouldn't wanna have your mind"
I said, I said, I said
"I really, really don't mind"
I bet that nobody
Wants to find what I find, ayy
Another time I met someone
She said, she said, she said
"I wouldn't wanna have your mind"
She left, he left, they left
I really, really don't mind
I smile, I smile, I lie
I agree, I just need some relatability
I tend to overshare
Every time that someone cares, ah yeah
The minute I shut up, I shut down
And I feel like a clown, oh
They're never funny
It's like I'm in the movie
Where I never got the part
I actually really wanted, yeah
So I live off the success of my head
Being messy, unimpressed, oh
Taped, taped, taped, taped, taped, taped, ah
'Cause one time I told someone (Yeah)
He said, he said, he said
"I wouldn't wanna have your mind"
I said, I said, I said
"I really, really don't mind"
I bet that nobody
Wants to find what I find, ayy
Another time I met someone
She said, she said, she said
"I wouldn't wanna have your mind"
She left, he left, they left
I really, really don't mind
I smile, I smile, I lie
I agree, I just need some relatability
'Cause one time I told someone
She said, she said, she said
"I wouldn't wanna have your mind"
She left, he left, they left
"I really, really don't mind"
I smile, I smile, I lie
I agree, I just need some relatability (Yeah)
Taped
The lyrics of Naaz's song Taped describe the internal struggles and loneliness that the singer faces due to her unconventional thought patterns. The opening lines of the song acknowledge the singer's lack of experience as a human being, having only existed for 300,000 plus years. Despite this, she believes that she knows her way around the streets and the thoughts in her brain. However, at times, she feels less human when she locks herself up and records herself singing taped. Here, taped could refer to both her use of literal tape to record herself and the metaphorical sense of feeling trapped or confined.
The chorus of the song asks the question "Do you like the way I sound when I'm down and I shut my thoughts up?" suggesting that the singer feels a sense of comfort in shutting off her thoughts and just singing. She then repeats the word "taped" which could again refer to her self-imposed confinement, or it could refer to the act of recording herself, which she finds cathartic.
The verses go on to describe how the singer has been told by others that they wouldn't want to have her mind. Despite this, she doesn't mind having her own mind, and she acknowledges that nobody wants to find what she finds. This could be a reference to the fact that the singer thinks differently from the norm and often feels isolated because of it. The repeated phrase "I really, really don't mind" suggests that the singer has come to terms with her own thought patterns.
In the final verse, the singer talks about how she tends to overshare every time someone cares, suggesting that she craves human connection. However, whenever she stops sharing, she shuts down and feels like a clown. This could be a reference to feeling like an outsider or feeling like people don't understand her. She then concludes the song by saying that she lives off the success of her messy mind and repeats the word "taped" once again.
Line by Line Meaning
I know I've only existed
For 300,000 plus years
So I might not know it all, yeah
But I know my way around the streets
And the things in my brain, oh
Sometimes I feel less human
When I lock myself up
Record myself singing taped
While I may not have been around for very long in terms of the history of the earth, I still feel like I have a good understanding of my surroundings and my own thoughts. Although there are times when I isolate myself and feel disconnected from humanity, I still find comfort in expressing myself through music.
Do you like the way I sound
When I'm down and I shut my thoughts up?
Taped, taped, taped, taped, yeah
I wonder if people enjoy my music more when I'm vulnerable and don't hold back my emotions. This is why I often feel the need to record my music in raw, unedited form.
'Cause one time I told someone (Yeah)
He said, he said, he said
"I wouldn't wanna have your mind"
I said, I said, I said
"I really, really don't mind"
I bet that nobody
Wants to find what I find, ayy
Once, someone criticized me for being too open and sharing too much of my thoughts. They said they wouldn't want to have my mind. But I have grown comfortable with my own thoughts and feelings, even if they may be difficult for others to understand.
Another time I met someone
She said, she said, she said
"I wouldn't wanna have your mind"
She left, he left, they left
I really, really don't mind
I smile, I smile, I lie
I agree, I just need some relatability
Someone else had a similar reaction to my openness, stating that they wouldn't want to be in my head. While it doesn't bother me personally, I still find myself pretending to agree with them just to find some common ground.
I tend to overshare
Every time that someone cares, ah yeah
The minute I shut up, I shut down
And I feel like a clown, oh
They're never funny
It's like I'm in the movie
Where I never got the part
I actually really wanted, yeah
When someone shows me genuine care or interest, I often can't resist sharing my thoughts and emotions with them. But as soon as I stop talking, I feel anxious and embarrassed, like I'm not funny or interesting enough to hold their attention. It's like I'm always auditioning for a role that I never quite get.
So I live off the success of my head
Being messy, unimpressed, oh
Taped, taped, taped, taped, taped, taped, ah
I find solace and validation in my own thoughts and creativity, even though I may not always be happy with myself. This is why I continue to create and record music in my own unique way.
'Cause one time I told someone (Yeah)
He said, he said, he said
"I wouldn't wanna have your mind"
I said, I said, I said
"I really, really don't mind"
I bet that nobody
Wants to find what I find, ayy
Reiterating the encounter where someone criticized my openness and I defended my own thoughts and emotions.
Another time I met someone
She said, she said, she said
"I wouldn't wanna have your mind"
She left, he left, they left
I really, really don't mind
I smile, I smile, I lie
I agree, I just need some relatability
Reiterating the previous encounter where someone expressed their dislike for my openness, and how I feigned agreement with them just to find common ground and a sense of relatability.
'Cause one time I told someone
She said, she said, she said
"I wouldn't wanna have your mind"
She left, he left, they left
"I really, really don't mind"
I smile, I smile, I lie
I agree, I just need some relatability (Yeah)
Taped
Reiterating both encounters with individuals who didn't appreciate my openness and how I tried to find common ground with them. The last line simply restates the title of the song, which references the act of recording myself singing as a form of candid expression.
Writer(s): NAAZ MOHAMMAD, ASKJELL SOLSTRAND, MAGNUS SKYLSTAD
Contributed by Parker H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@serenasinha9384
I know I've only existed
For 300, 000 plus years
So I might not know it all, yeah
But I know my way around the streets
And the things in my brain, oh
Sometimes I feel less human
When I lock myself up
Record myself singing taped
Do you like the way I sound
When I'm down and I shut my thoughts up?
Taped, taped, taped, taped, yeah
'Cause one time I told someone (Yeah)
He said, he said, he said
"I wouldn't wanna have your mind"
I said, I said, I said
"I really, really don't mind"
I bet that nobody
Wants to find what I find, ayy
Another time I met someone
She said, she said, she said
"I wouldn't wanna have your mind"
She left, he left, they left
I really, really don't mind
I smile, I smile, I lie
I agree, I just need some relatability
I tend to overshare
Every time that someone cares, ah yeah
The minute I shut up, I shut down
And I feel like a clown, oh
They're never funny
It's like I'm in the movie
Where I never got the part
I actually really wanted, yeah
So I live off the success of my head
Being messy, unimpressed, oh
Taped, taped, taped, taped, taped, taped, ah
'Cause one time I told someone (Yeah)
He said, he said, he said
"I wouldn't wanna have your mind"
I said, I said, I said
"I really, really don't mind"
I bet that nobody
Wants to find what I find, ayy
Another time I met someone
She said, she said, she said
"I wouldn't wanna have your mind"
She left, he left, they left
I really, really don't mind
I smile, I smile, I lie
I agree, I just need some relatability
'Cause one time I told someone
She said, she said, she said
"I wouldn't wanna have your mind"
She left, he left, they left
"I really, really don't mind"
I smile, I smile, I lie
I agree, I just need some relatability (Yeah)
Taped
@Salam.2000-
You know, this song represents my life too well as a Kurdish girl who is expected to follow the same footsteps as other kurdish women(getting married, having a family, and doing housework). Kurdish family can be so harsh in their judgements if your values and goals don't hold true to theirs 100%. If this isn't the struggle of a Kurdish girl trying to make a path to her goals in a house full of people who don't even try to listen to her voice... I love this song, girl. Keep going! Your voice is beautiful and your music is relatable. You give me hope, sis. Like, you make me want to stop trying to impress my family, but start trying to treat myself as a human too. I have goals and dreams. This song is truly a gift from God. 💖I have to be honest, girl. You made me shed some tears.
@naazCM
سلام this was my exact goal thank u so much her biji I will pray for u to find your path, u can do this ❤️
@Salam.2000-
@Naaz Naaz Awww. I'm so happy you noticed this. I pray your goals are also always set and made. You're truly an inspiration, girl. 😀✊🏽💕💗❤ I pray her biji 2 u too. Queen!
@weirdgothkidnoonelikes7690
Can’t wait to see you as a support act on Melanies Europe tour!!!!!
@reiplush8244
i saw her at melanies concert in london !
@owono6783
Emili_ is_God same owo
@hybrido8
Naaz will be a special guest at Melanie Martinez's K-12 Tour
@fatimascrying
@Gnegne wow chill they legit just said it in case some people don't know
@kenjii01
She was amazing
@fatimascrying
@A_Sunflower yessss