Tying together her works across installation and pop music is the relationship between nostalgia, migration and identity. She released her debut record Spacings (Silo Arts & Records) in 2016, which was feature album on FBi Radio, Radio Adelaide & RTRFM. She’s been nominated for numerous awards including FBi SMAC 2016 for Best Live Act, Record of the Year, and AIR 2017 Best Dance/Electronica Album. Her stunning single "Let Me" won SMAC Best Song of 2017.
Rainbow has performed extensively including live appearances at Sydney Opera House, Museum of Contemporary Art, Gallery of Modern Art, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Museum of Old and New Art, Iceland Airwaves and National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. Her installations have been exhibited with Firstdraft Gallery, Liquid Architecture, 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art and Longli International New Media Arts Festival, China.
Rainbow is a passionate mentor in electronic music and has worked with MusicNSW, Information and Cultural Exchange Parramatta, Hack Sounds and several Bunga Barrabugu programs at Sydney Conservatorium where she teaches in Contemporary Music Studies.
A recent signing to GAGA Music as a composer, Rainbow created soundtracks for ABC web documentary, "The Glass Bedroom" directed by Kate Blackmore, Sydney Opera House’s podcast “It’s A Long Story”, and a live score commissioned by AGNSW as part of “Starburst”: Chinese Film Season (2018). She is one half of the techno duo, DIN, and also releases experimental music under the moniker Chunyin.
Nest
Rainbow Chan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You could only see me without your glasses in the morning, baby
It′s such a shame for us
That we'll no longer touch
You′ll only remind me of bubblegum
And ice-cream kisses in the sun
You explored the colours of my plumage
You wanted to change yourself so badly, but I'm
Not enough for you
I'm not enough for you
I′m not enough to make you feel good
Your eyelashes were matted as you blinked slowly
And I could only see you without my glasses in the morning baby
It′s such a shame for us
That we'll no longer touch
Oh, whoa
Just for a little while I built a nest for you
You explored the colours of my plumage
You wanted to change yourself so badly, but I′m
Not enough for you
I'm not enough for you
I′m not enough to make your feathers new
I'm not enough for you
I′m not enough for you
I'm not enough to make you feel good
(It's not enough, uh uh uh uh uh)
It′s not enough
(It′s not enough, uh uh uh uh uh)
It's not enough
(It′s not enough, uh uh uh uh uh)
It's not enough
(It′s not enough, uh uh uh uh uh)
Just for a little while I built a nest for you
You explored the colours of my plumage
You wanted to change yourself so badly, but I'm
Not enough for you
I′m not enough for you
I'm not enough to make you feel good
(It's not enough, uh uh uh uh uh)
It′s not enough
(It′s not enough, uh uh uh uh uh)
It's not enough
(It′s not enough, uh uh uh uh uh)
It's not enough
(It′s not enough, uh uh uh uh uh)
It's not enough
(It′s not enough, uh uh uh uh uh)
It's not enough
(It's not enough, uh uh uh uh uh)
The lyrics of this song by Rainbow Chan speak about unrequited love and the feeling of not being enough for someone you care for. At the beginning of the song, the singer narrates their experience of looking at their lover and noticing how their eyelashes were matted as they blinked. The lover wears glasses and cannot see well without them, which seems to create a sense of intimacy and vulnerability between the two.
However, the singer expresses sadness about the relationship not working out, saying that they will no longer touch and that their memories of happy moments will only serve to remind them of what they cannot have. The singer built a nest for their lover, symbolizing a place of comfort and safety, but it was not enough for them to stay. They also mention the lover's desire for self-transformation, which the singer could not fulfill. The song ends with the singer acknowledging that they are not enough for their lover and cannot make them feel good.
The lyrics of "Nest" convey a feeling of loss and the pain of unrequited love. Chan's choice of words is evocative and poetic, and the song shows a deep understanding of the human emotions at play in such situations.
Line by Line Meaning
Your eyelashes were matted as you blinked
Your disheveled appearance made it clear that you had just woken up
You could only see me without your glasses in the morning, baby
You were so nearsighted that you had to be without your glasses to see me clearly
It's such a shame for us
It's unfortunate that things turned out this way
That we'll no longer touch
We won't have any physical contact anymore
You'll only remind me of bubblegum
Thinking of you will only bring back memories of sweetness and childhood joy
And ice-cream kisses in the sun
Memories of our moments of intimacy under the warmth of the sun
Just for a little while I built a nest for you
I provided a safe and comfortable place for you to rest and be yourself
You explored the colours of my plumage
You discovered and appreciated the unique qualities that make me who I am
You wanted to change yourself so badly, but I'm
You were seeking something different and hoped that I could provide it
Not enough for you
Unfortunately, I couldn't fulfill those needs
I'm not enough for you
I simply wasn't the right person to provide what you were looking for
I'm not enough to make you feel good
I couldn't make you feel the way you wanted to feel
It's not enough
Sometimes our efforts and our love just aren't enough to make a relationship work
Writer(s): Chun Yin Rainbow Chan
Contributed by Samantha S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Raffy Rillo
I can hear Solange's Losing You all over this! This is great. :)
miccimiccimicci
Wow!! This is great!!! I'm so glad to see you're back and still making music, Rainbow Chan! (^w^)
Bernard Long
My love for this is immeasurable... because I hear that Lost Woods from Zelda in this
Adelaide Dupont
NEST was the first thing on RAGE at 0500. A strong start! Made me want to check out more Rainbow Chan. Must commend Lee's editing/directing and Choi's artistic production. Hadley and Eremin added to the single in their respective fields.
Liber Ramirez
I Hope this means a new EP, or even better, a debut album!
Color vinyl on this, please <3
Lee Hannah
I've waited so long for a new RC release! Yay!! <3
Jessica Chalker Cantlon
beautiful work all round, Rainbow! you look gorgeous too x
Fruleo
Amazing!
Charis Lee
awesome video and track
saturnist
beautiful (｡･ω･｡)ﾉ♡