In 2003 Troy studied at The Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand where he developed his passion for music. His first major acting role was in coming of age kiwi movie "Mt Zion" (2013), and recently appeared in another kiwi movie "The Pa Boys" (2014).
Troy currently lives in the Bay of Islands of New Zealand with his wife Huia and soon to be four children.
First Take Strut
TROY KINGI Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Makes a laminated nosebleed
And my ability to feel – a loneliness
I keep close to my chest
Floating over the motel
Nobody giving me more towels
Too much time to kill
Pink script on the windowsill
‘Cause you can tell if it's made up
Lighting up the place illuminates your face
See through your flaws
You can hide everything but the eyes
Only experience gonna find ways to sell lies
Improvise your way out of a tight spot
No way you're ever gonna get
It on the first take
Everybody stand in line
Giving digit's like a valentine
You ain't nothing but a number
(nothing but a number)
We ain't getting younger
Since I stumbled into your line of work –
I know I'm late to the fold
So I'll do what I'm told (I can't say no)
Ain't never been nobody's hot stuff
Did I give too much or not enough?
Costume on the wall
Best bit's left on the cutting room floor
You can hide everything but the eyes
Only experience gonna find ways to sell lies
Improvise your way out of a tight spot
No way you're ever gonna get
It on the first take
This is a Façade
What you see is only the scars
Holding true to the authentic you
Fray at the seams
Perfect pictures ain't what they seem
Tired eyes they can't sleep they just scheme
There is a story to tell
Gather your people need new personnel
Cause a tall tale's a hard one to sell
The blind leading the blind
In the end – you can't hide from your mind
Flawed is how we are designed
In "First Take Strut," Troy Kingi provides a revealing critique of the allure and costs of fame in the music industry. The opening lines present a metaphor for being under the scrutiny of the public eye that leaves one feeling exposed and vulnerable. The laminated nosebleed represents the artificial veneer that covers the vulnerable and fragile human condition that one must keep to themselves, while the inability to feel entirely honest generates intense feelings of loneliness. The next lines describe the dreary atmosphere of a motel that reveals a sense of desolation and boredom with no one to share it with. Although, in this scene, the pink script on the windowsill provides a glimmer of hope for the creative expression that can help the singer overcome their melancholic state. However, the need to improvise is necessary to navigate a notoriously fickle industry, as personal experience is often the only way people can recognize the truth in one's work.
The chorus of the song is a call to realism and self-preservation that indulges in specific issues regarding the music industry. The lyrics expose the culture of the industry where the fascination and need for stardom begins to shift the gears of creativity, and innocence fades away. The line, "We ain't getting younger," shows how time is preciously running out for artists to make their mark on the industry. The idea of getting it on the first take criticizes the expectation put on artists to deliver their best work with the least amount of resources and time effectively. The song reminds the listener that the music industry creates an illusory perception of how glamorous and exciting success can be, while it simultaneously grinds down the person slowly to a pulp.
Line by Line Meaning
A clear film over me
I feel isolated from the world and have a distorted view of reality
Makes a laminated nosebleed
This isolation and distorted view causes me to feel overwhelmed and stuck
And my ability to feel – a loneliness
The more I feel, the more it reminds me of my loneliness and isolation
I keep close to my chest
I don't share my feelings with anyone and keep them bottled up inside
Floating over the motel
I feel disconnected from my surroundings and stuck in a transient state
Nobody giving me more towels
I feel unimportant and neglected, as if nobody cares about my needs
Too much time to kill
I have too much time on my hands and don't know what to do with it
Pink script on the windowsill
The only bit of color in my life is this pink script, which represents hope
I need to find a way to tear up
I need to break free from my current state and start over
‘Cause you can tell if it's made up
I need to be genuine and true to myself, or people will see through my act
Lighting up the place illuminates your face
When you light up a room, it reveals the flaws and imperfections in people's faces
See through your flaws
I can see your flaws, but I won't judge you for them
You can hide everything but the eyes
You can use makeup, costumes, and other things to disguise your flaws, but your eyes will always betray you
Only experience gonna find ways to sell lies
You have to be experienced to know how to deceive people effectively
Improvise your way out of a tight spot
Sometimes you have to think on your feet to get out of a difficult situation
No way you're ever gonna get
It's impossible to get everything perfect on the first try
Everybody stand in line
Everyone is trying to fit in and be accepted by society
Giving digit's like a valentine
People are more interested in getting likes and followers on social media than in forming real connections
You ain't nothing but a number
Society treats people like statistics and doesn't value each person as an individual
We ain't getting younger
Time is passing us by, and we're not doing anything meaningful with it
Since I stumbled into your line of work –
I feel like I've fallen into a career path that I'm not sure about
I know I'm late to the fold
I feel like everyone else has already figured out what they want to do with their lives, and I'm behind
So I'll do what I'm told (I can't say no)
I'll go along with what others tell me to do, even if it's not what I really want
Ain't never been nobody's hot stuff
I don't feel special or talented enough to stand out from the crowd
Did I give too much or not enough?
I'm not sure if I've been too open with others or too closed off
Costume on the wall
I have a costume hanging on my wall that represents a different persona or version of myself
Best bit's left on the cutting room floor
The most interesting parts of my life are often left out or edited out of the final product
This is a Façade
What you see on the surface is not the real me
What you see is only the scars
The wounds and scars I've experienced in life are what shape me, not my outward appearance
Holding true to the authentic you
It's important to stay true to yourself and not let others change who you are
Fray at the seams
It's getting harder to keep everything together and maintain my composure
Perfect pictures ain't what they seem
The perfect images we see on social media are often staged and don't represent reality
Tired eyes they can't sleep they just scheme
I'm tired and can't sleep, so my mind starts to wander and create elaborate scenarios
There is a story to tell
Everyone has a unique story to share, if they're willing to open up and be vulnerable
Gather your people need new personnel
Surround yourself with supportive and positive people, not negative influences
Cause a tall tale's a hard one to sell
It's difficult to maintain a lie or deception for long periods of time
The blind leading the blind
People are blindly following others without really knowing where they're going or why
In the end – you can't hide from your mind
No matter what you do, your own thoughts and feelings will always be with you
Flawed is how we are designed
We are all imperfect and have our own flaws and scars that make us unique
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Wash0ut_
Keep this wave of releases coming. The world needs more Troy Kingi.
@followthesapper324
This guy is as good as anyone getting around, unique, genuine, not contrived or manufactured for the sake of it, he doesn't get the dues he deserves
@colonnaable
I have probly heard this waiata
A thousand times
Still blows my mind
Everytime
@camflanagan3476
Holy shit! Talk about goosebumps @3:15
Wowzer.
@7Sagacious
How is this man not being touted as the next HUGE thing.. . clearly the world is asleep
@Bobotnz
100% here for nganeko.. girrrrrl yesss!!!
@WeegeMusic
Troy is under appreciated globally. This dude is the real deal!
@nicksoulwarrior7280
This fella got some smooth sailing music mayne.
@dud554
👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽 Music that Melts the soul
@thesymphonyofscreams
Your awesome in this!