After moving to Atlanta for college, Kays continued to develop her skills as a singer, songwriter, and performer. She started writing her own music at the age of seventeen and regularly performed at open mic nights. Her talent caught the attention of online audiences through covers she posted on social media platforms, which helped her cultivate a devoted fan base.
In 2018, Kays independently released her debut EP titled "A House Too Big," featuring self-published singles. She initially shared her music on YouTube and expanded her presence to platforms such as TikTok, where she has amassed over 1.9 million fans on her sarakaysmusic account.
In 2020, Kays signed a contract with Atlantic Recording Corporation, marking a significant milestone in her career. Her first single released under the label, "Remember That Night," went viral on TikTok towards the end of 2020. The song achieved chart success in the Netherlands and Flanders in 2021, further elevating her profile.
In early 2021, Kays made her national television debut with a performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, showcasing her growing recognition in the industry.
On August 6, 2021, she unveiled her EP "Struck By Lightning," a collection of seven tracks that has been referred to as a mini-album or album. Sara Kays' musical journey showcases her evolution from a young street musician to a rising star in the American music scene.
Picture Of You
Sara Kays Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Last family vacation
Trip to Michigan last year
My yearbook from seventh grade
I tore out every page
With me and threw it all away
I know there were more good times than bad
So I know you wanna keep this memory
Can you keep it in the back of your head?
'Cause when I see it in a week
I'll wish I was dead
I'll wish I took the picture of you instead
Future holidays
The beach like summer break
I don't need proof that I was there
My big brother's wedding
Hope I'm not regretting
The dress that I decide to wear
So I know you wanna keep this memory
Can you keep it in the back of your head?
'Cause when I see it in a week
I'll wish I was dead
I'll wish I took the picture of you instead
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
I'll wish I took the picture of you instead
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
I know there were more good times than bad
But they keep on getting ruined by these photographs
So I know you wanna keep this memory
Can you keep it in the back of your head?
'Cause when I see it in a week
I'll wish I was dead
I'll wish I took the picture of you instead
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
I'll wish I took the picture of you instead
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
The lyrics to Sara Kays's song Picture Of You explores the idea of how memories can sometimes be painful, especially when they are attached to people we can no longer see or be with. The song touches upon the feeling of regret that comes with not being able to capture a moment in time, as well as the fear of losing people we care about. The first verse of the song talks about past memories such as high school graduation, last family vacation, and a trip to Michigan the previous year. The singer confesses that even though there were more good times than bad, it's easier to forget the good times when looking back. She then talks about how she tore pages from her yearbook with pictures of herself and threw them away, suggesting that she doesn't want to revisit old memories.
The second verse looks towards the future, and how the singer doesn't necessarily need proof of her experiences through photographs. She talks about her big brother's wedding and worries about the dress she'll choose. The chorus, repeated twice, suggests that the singer wishes she had taken a picture of someone else instead of herself in these moments because it's those people who matter to her that she wants to remember. The final verse confirms the idea that memories can be painful and that photographs can often ruin them. She wishes that she can keep the memory of her loved ones in her head instead of through photographs because photographs can remind her of the people who have gone away.
Overall, Sara Kays's song Picture Of You explores the theme of memory and how it affects our perception of the past and the future. It touches upon the idea that memories can be painful, and photographs can remind us of things that we would rather forget.
Line by Line Meaning
High school graduation
The event of graduating from high school
Last family vacation
The most recent family trip
Trip to Michigan last year
The journey taken to Michigan in the previous year
My yearbook from seventh grade
The book containing pictures and memories from seventh grade
I tore out every page
The action of removing every page of the yearbook
With me and threw it all away
Discarding the entirety of the yearbook while keeping it with oneself
I know there were more good times than bad
Feeling confident that there were more positive memories than negative ones
But it's easy to forget when I start looking back
Despite the above, feeling that the difficulties taint the memory when reflecting back
So I know you wanna keep this memory
Acknowledging that the other person wants to hold onto the memory
Can you keep it in the back of your head?
Asking the other person to hold the memory internally
'Cause when I see it in a week
Stating that having to look at the memory again in the next week will be difficult
I'll wish I was dead
Feeling that it would be better to not exist than to relive the memory
I'll wish I took the picture of you instead
Regretting not taking a picture of the person instead of the memory
Future holidays
Upcoming vacations
The beach like summer break
The beach location of a summer vacation
I don't need proof that I was there
Not requiring tangible evidence to prove one was present
My big brother's wedding
The wedding of one's older sibling
Hope I'm not regretting
Hoping to not feel remorseful about something later
The dress that I decide to wear
The clothing selected for the event
But they keep on getting ruined by these photographs
Feeling that the memories are being negatively influenced by visual reminders
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
Vocalization without explicit meaning
I'll wish I took the picture of you instead
Desiring to have a photo of the other person instead of the problematic memory
Lyrics © SARA KAYS SONGS, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Sara Kays, Steven Martinez, Henry Agincourt Allen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Sara Kays - Picture of You
🌟 Lyrics 🌟
High school graduation
Last family vacation
Trip to Michigan last year
My yearbook from seventh grade
I tore out every page
With me and threw it all away
I know there were more good times than bad
But it's easy to forget when I start looking back
So I know you wanna keep this memory
Can you keep it in the back of your head?
'Cause when I see it in a week
I'll wish I was dead
I'll wish I took the picture of you instead
Future holidays
The beach like summer break
I don't need proof that I was there
My big brother's wedding
Hope I'm not regretting
The dress that I decide to wear
So I know you wanna keep this memory
Can you keep it in the back of your head?
'Cause when I see it in a week
I'll wish I was dead
I'll wish I took the picture of you instead
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
I'll wish I took the picture of you instead
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
I know there were more good times than bad
But they keep on getting ruined by these photographs
So I know you wanna keep this memory
Can you keep it in the back of your head?
'Cause when I see it in a week
I'll wish I was dead
I'll wish I took the picture of you instead
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
I'll wish I took the picture of you instead
Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
unbreakable vow
this is masterpiece, i don't care what others say.
StingRayFace
i agree
G Siya
@Casey Campbell how can it just be a song without feeling it at some point in ur life.
G Siya
@Sara Kays I loved it ,one of the best songs you have written
Sinai jamatia
Agree with that
SamGrayz
What are others even saying? It's such a great song already
Skylar Reigns
She is so talented I can’t believe it. Her songs are so relatable!
dumbage
If you relate you need therapy. She don't make happy songs
⋆ 𝚂𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚢𝚇𝚁𝚘𝚊𝚛𝚜 ⋆
@Nazri Buang what?
Nazri Buang
Lies again? Purchase itunes card