Rachel Chinouriri (born November 1, 1998) is an English singer-songwriter. … Read Full Bio ↴Rachel Chinouriri (born November 1, 1998) is an English singer-songwriter. After posting numerous songs on SoundCloud, she began releasing music on major streaming platforms in 2018. She released her debut EP "Mama's Boy" in 2019 to critical acclaim. One of the songs from the EP, "So My Darling", received attention on TikTok when it became a popular audio to use. Chinouriri was signed to Parlophone, with whom she released the EP "Four° In Winter" in 2021. She then released a third EP "Better Off Without" in 2022.

Chinouriri was born in Kingston Hospital, Surrey on 1 November 1998. Her family later moved to Croydon, where she was raised from age 3. Her family had moved to UK from Zimbabwe shortly prior to her birth, and she experienced a "traditional African upbringing". Her upbringing led her to be curious about British culture, specifically its music, and as a teenager, she became influenced by the discographies of Daughter and Lily Allen. At age 17, she began writing songs and recorded them on a £20 microphone, uploading them to the music sharing website SoundCloud via her mother's laptop.

Chinouriri began formally releasing various singles on major streaming platforms in 2018 which led to her being signed to Parlophone.[6] Her first release with the label was "So My Darling", which she wrote aged 17 and released in 2018. The song received radio play when it was picked as a special play on BBC Radio 1.[5] She was then announced as an act at Field Day festival in 2019.[7] Chinouriri followed "So My Darling" up with "Adrenaline" in April 2019. She played a headline show in London in June 2019.[8]

Chinouriri released her debut EP "Mama's Boy" in August 2019. It was released to critical acclaim. Following the release, she dropped the song "Where Do I Go?", which she said was written about her thoughts on the afterlife. The song "Beautiful Disaster", featuring Sam Dotia, was then released in July 2020. Tom Bibby of Yuck magazine described the song as "an honest and heartfelt portrayal of the isolation and stillness felt in the midnight hours, told through Chinouriri's powerful falsettos", adding that she has proved herself to be "a powerful singer-songwriter". She then released various singles, including "Give Me a Reason", "Darker Place" and "Through the Eye". The latter acted as the lead single for her second EP "Four° In Winter", which was released in September 2021. She released a deluxe edition later that year, with the addition of three new songs. In January 2022, after the rise in popularity of her 2018 single "So My Darling" on the video sharing app TikTok, Chinouriri re-released the song in acoustic form. At the time of release, the audio had over 40,000 videos shared on TikTok. Then in March of that year, she released the single "All I Ever Asked". The song was chosen as that week's "Hottest Record in the World" by BBC Radio 1's Clara Amfo. Chinouriri subsequently announced plans for a third EP that would feature the song, as well as a national tour throughout the UK.

Adrenaline
Rachel Chinouriri Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You like a challenge
It′s hit and miss
But then you thought you'd
Tell me this
Who tried to hurt you?
Contradict
The biggest weapon is a eye roll with a flick

I′m pushing past my adrenaline
(Adrenaline)
I'm something more than just feminine
(Feminine)
I'll give you time like a gentleman
(Gentleman)
You′ll make me drop all my Benjamins

Maybe you make me don′t want it anymore
And you made me run down, run down
'Til I made it to the floor
We are lovers of ′84, lovers in '84
′Cause love was stronger than before in 1984

Words are rolling off my tongue
Yeah, they're bitter to the core
Now it′s getting loud, slow it down, not time for an encore
But now you're saying

I'm pushing past my adrenaline
(Adrenaline)
I′m something more than just feminine
(Feminine)
I′ll give you time like a gentleman
(Gentleman)
You'll make me drop all my Benjamins

Maybe you make me don′t want it anymore
And you made me run down, run down
'Til I made it to the floor
We are lovers of ′84, lovers in '84
′Cause love was stronger than before in 1984

Adrenaline
Feminine
A gentleman
I can feel my
Adrenaline
Feminine
I can feel my adrenaline
Gentleman

Maybe you make me don't want it anymore
And you made me run down, run down
'Til I made it to the floor

We are lovers of ′84, lovers in ′84
'Cause love was stronger than before in 1984

Overall Meaning

The song "Adrenaline" by Rachel Chinouriri is essentially about a complicated romantic relationship. The song begins with the singer suggesting that her partner likes challenges, and that sometimes things can go well or badly. Her partner then queries her about someone that might have hurt her, but she indicates that eye-rolling is a more effective weapon in arguments. She sings about pushing past her fears and anxieties and becoming more than just feminine, suggesting that she's ready to show the world what she's made of. She notes that she'll give her partner time like a gentleman would, but that it takes everything she has not to be overwhelmed by the adrenaline of the relationship. She's willing to provide financial support as well ("drop all my Benjamins"). Ultimately, however, it seems that the relationship takes a negative turn, with the singer suggesting that maybe her partner has made her not want the relationship anymore, and causing her to end up feeling run down and defeated after trying so hard to make it work.

The song illustrates the struggles of a complicated relationship, with the singer feeling like she's giving her all to make things work while her partner appears to be indifferent to her efforts. However, the fact that she's willing to keep going and give it her all suggests that her love is strong and that she's willing to put in the effort required to make it work.

Line by Line Meaning

You like a challenge
You enjoy taking on difficult situations or people.

It's hit and miss
Sometimes things go well and other times they don't.

But then you thought you'd tell me this
But despite that, you wanted to share something with me.

Who tried to hurt you?
You ask me who caused you pain or harm.

Contradict
You challenge me by disagreeing with what I said or did.

The biggest weapon is a eye roll with a flick
The most powerful weapon you have is the ability to show your disapproval through a simple gesture.

I'm pushing past my adrenaline
I'm trying to overcome my nervousness or excitement.

(Adrenaline)
This line is a repetition of the previous line, emphasizing the adrenaline.

I'm something more than just feminine
I have qualities that go beyond what's typically associated with being feminine.

(Feminine)
This line is a repetition of the previous line, emphasizing the feminine aspect.

I'll give you time like a gentleman
I will be patient and courteous with you as a sign of respect.

(Gentleman)
This line is a repetition of the previous line, emphasizing the gentlemanly behavior.

You'll make me drop all my Benjamins
You will make me spend all my money on you.

Maybe you make me don't want it anymore
Maybe you make me lose interest in something I once wanted.

And you made me run down, run down
And because of you, I feel exhausted and worn out.

Til I made it to the floor
Until I fell down or collapsed from exhaustion.

We are lovers of '84, lovers in '84
We have a love that is reminiscent of the love people had in 1984.

'Cause love was stronger than before in 1984
In 1984, love was more powerful and meaningful than it is now.

Words are rolling off my tongue
I'm speaking without thinking carefully or choosing my words wisely.

Yeah, they're bitter to the core
My words are full of resentment and anger.

Now it's getting loud, slow it down, not time for an encore
It's getting too intense or overwhelming, so we need to calm down instead of repeating what we've done.

Adrenaline
This line is a repetition of the previous use of the word, emphasizing it again.

Feminine
This line is a repetition of the previous use of the word, emphasizing it again.

A gentleman
This line is a repetition of the previous use of the phrase, emphasizing it again.

I can feel my adrenaline
I'm aware of the adrenaline running through my body.

Maybe you make me don't want it anymore
This line is a repetition of the same line earlier in the song, emphasizing it again.

And you made me run down, run down
This line is a repetition of the same line earlier in the song, emphasizing it again.

Til I made it to the floor
This line is a repetition of the same line earlier in the song, emphasizing it again.

We are lovers of '84, lovers in '84
This line is a repetition of the same line earlier in the song, emphasizing it again.

'Cause love was stronger than before in 1984
This line is a repetition of the same line earlier in the song, emphasizing it again.

Writer(s): Rachel Chinouriri, Jack Sibley

Contributed by John P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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TRACKS