In both her personal and professional life, Riah's accomplishments stack up quickly. The Los Angeles native is not only a skilled songwriter and performer, but she recently became a mother. Her collaboration with Shallou has 78 million streams on Spotify and counting. She's opened for LANY at the Shrine and in Anaheim, as well as performed for iconic, intimate Soho House shows in LA and New York.
As a songwriter, Riah delivers a piercing clarity that commands the stage so much so, her pathway into the spotlight appears is as predestined as it born from a tremendous leap of faith to push her introverted nature in front of a microphone. Riah's debut Heartbreak Magic EP, which she wrote and recorded with longtime collaborator Chad Copelin (Sufjan Stevens, Ben Rector), prompting Flaunt to profess, "this rising star has not stopped ascending higher," and that trend continues with "Can't Lose You Now."
Nightmare
Riah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hold your breath
I don′t wanna see you cry
You are smoke
You come and go
But I just wanna hold you tight
Forget what I said
Shaking my head
I just wanna hold you tight
But i gotta say goodnight
You′re driving me crazy
You're making run
Stop calling me baby
Look what you've done
I′m living a nightmare
I′m living a dream
Somewhere somewhere somewhere somewhere in between
Heart is racing
Lost control
Take me away
Leave me alone
Forget what I said
Shaking my head
Are you gonna change your mind?
Are we gonna make this right?
Are we gonna say goodbye?
You're driving me crazy
You′re making run
Stop calling me baby
Look what you've done
I′m living a nightmare
I'm living a dream
Somewhere somewhere somewhere somewhere in between
Your eyes they talk
(Somewhere in between)
Theyre telling stories of
(Somewhere in between)
Places you saw
(Somewhere in between)
People you love
Somewhere somewhere somewhere somewhere in between
You′re driving me crazy
You're making run
Stop calling me baby
Look what you've done
I′m living a nightmare
I′m living a dream
Somewhere somewhere somewhere somewhere in between
You're driving me crazy
You′re making run
Stop calling me baby
Look what you've done
I′m living a nightmare
I'm living a dream
Somewhere somewhere somewhere somewhere in between
The song "Nightmare" by Riah is about being caught in the middle of conflicting emotions and feelings in a relationship. The opening lines "Watch your step, hold your breath, I don't wanna see you cry" set the tone for the song, indicating a sense of hesitation and uncertainty. The artist feels a strong connection to her partner, as conveyed by the line "you're smoke, you come and go, but I just wanna hold you tight", but she is also aware of the pain and heartbreak that can come with investing too much in a relationship. The chorus of the song emphasizes this conflict with lines like "I'm living a nightmare, I'm living a dream, somewhere somewhere somewhere somewhere in between". The artist questions whether the relationship can succeed and if it's worth the emotional toll, ultimately ending with the line "are we gonna say goodbye?".
The second verse continues to paint the picture of the inner turmoil that the artist is experiencing, with lines like "Heart is racing, lost control, take me away, leave me alone". The bridge of the song adds an interesting layer with the repetition of the phrase "somewhere in between", drawing attention to the gray area that the artist is existing in. The final verse brings out a more reflective and contemplative tone, with the artist acknowledging the stories and experiences that her partner's eyes reveal, but still questioning whether they can make it work.
Overall, "Nightmare" is a nuanced exploration of the highs and lows of a complex relationship, with the artist grappling with the conflicting emotions and decisions that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Watch your step
Be careful about what you do or say
Hold your breath
Get ready for a big shock
I don′t wanna see you cry
I care about your feelings and don't want you to be sad
You are smoke
You are not real or tangible
You come and go
You are not consistent in your behavior
But I just wanna hold you tight
I still care about you regardless of your behavior
Forget what I said
Please don't take my words too seriously
Shaking my head
I am disappointed in myself for my actions
You're driving me crazy
Your actions are making me feel very emotional
You're making run
You are stressing me out and making me want to leave
Stop calling me baby
I am not comfortable with this level of intimacy
Look what you've done
Your behavior is causing problems
I′m living a nightmare
I am experiencing a lot of stress and pain
I′m living a dream
I am experiencing a lot of happiness and am content
Somewhere somewhere somewhere somewhere in between
I am not sure what to feel and am feeling both positive and negative emotions
Heart is racing
I am feeling anxious and stressed out
Lost control
I am unable to keep things under control
Take me away
I need space to deal with my emotions
Leave me alone
I am feeling overwhelmed and just need some time to myself
Are you gonna change your mind?
I am unsure if you feel the same way as me
Are we gonna make this right?
I want to fix our relationship and make things better between us
Are we gonna say goodbye?
I am unsure if we should continue with our relationship
Your eyes they talk
I can tell what you're feeling by looking at your eyes
(Somewhere in between)
I am unsure what to feel and am experiencing mixed emotions
They're telling stories of
Your eyes are showing me what you've experienced
Places you saw
You've been to many different places and have experienced a lot
People you love
You have a lot of love for the people around you
Writer(s): Cale Chronister, Chad Copelin, Mariah Goss
Contributed by Ian S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.