Letting out jazzy runs, hypnotic hooks, and an unfiltered operatic scream from the gut, Whitney Woerz sparks a physical reaction with every performance in the studio and on stage. With over 135 million YouTube views, 20 million streams, and acclaim from Billboard, Vanyaland, and more, she traces her 2020 10:22pm/Island Records debut back to one such moment and a life-changing realization…
“I fell to the floor,” she recalls. “I discovered my voice, my sound, and my genre in one take. I realized I didn’t have to play by any rules. I could just sing what came naturally. Rather than just touching on it, I’m bringing out what’s underneath the feelings and the sadness. If you analyze my lyrics, they’re real. It’s music that might help you learn something about yourself.”
Whitney discovered herself through music. Singing before she could talk, she enrolled in vocal lessons as early as kindergarten before participating in her first musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a year later. Falling in love with performance, she continued to hone her voice through rigorous traditional training. Studying opera, lyrical, classical, and jazz, her range encompassed an expansive swath of styles.
Facing turmoil in school, she retreated into her art.
“In my hometown, everybody was skinny with straight blonde hair and played sports,” she says. “If you weren’t playing at a high level, you weren’t cool. I got bullied because I did performing arts. Can you believe that? At the time, I was bigger than everyone else and had curly hair. It could be really tough.”
She siphoned that struggle into songs. Retreating to Nashville with GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Glenn Rosenstein [Madonna, U2, Talking Heads], she recorded her independent Behind The Smile EP in 2016. Written after a friend admitted to suicidal intent during an online chat, the single “Ghost Story” took off as an anthem of encouragement and empowerment. Citing the song as “one of the most significant moments of my life, because my friend said it saved her,” the accompanying video went viral with 10 million-plus views. Bring Change 2 Mind—the organization founded by Academy® Award nominee Glenn Close—sought her out as an ambassador. Maintaining this momentum, “Love Me Not” racked up over 60 million YouTube views and 4.5 million Spotify streams in 2018. Along the way, she shared the stage with everyone from Jason Mraz and Jesse McCartney to Nina Nesbitt in addition to performing on The Today Show as Elvis Duran’s “Artist of the Month.” During 2019, she fully realized her sonic identity. Striking a balance between jazz phrasing, lo-fi production, and pop power, Whitney introduces a singular style on Sad Love.
“It’s pop fused with jazz influences and urban elements,” she explains. “It’s left-of-center, and it nods to everything I love. I grew up practicing opera. The theatricality is in there. I love standards by Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Billie Holiday, so it has some of those elements. It’s quirky like me. I feel like what I’m doing now really represents who I am.”
The lead single and title track “Sad Love” tiptoes between airy keys and a glitchy beat as her soothing vocals give way to a sassy bridge. Meanwhile, her voice ascends to towering heights with an impassioned refrain, “Baby, that’s sad love,” backed by a revival-style call-and-response.
“I was with the only boyfriend I’ve ever had for my junior year of high school,” she remarks. “I was way too in love with him. He became my life. I didn’t even matter anymore. One day, he came over and he told me he didn’t love me anymore. Then, a few months later when I wrote ‘Sad Love,’ I wasn’t healed all the way. But, then I realized I wouldn’t be anywhere if he didn’t break my heart. I became so powerful in my mind that I took all of me back. I finally became myself again. It’s an oxymoron, but the sadness brought me to self-love. You have to break before you can grow.”
Elsewhere on the EP as her journey carried on, lithe guitar wraps entwine with swells of strings as her angelic delivery emanates through “Philophobia.” Once again, she makes a stark confession, “Philophobia means ‘fear of falling in love.’ I’m admitting that I’m scared of meeting my match, getting attached, and giving my heart without getting it back’.” The droning production of “Weirdos” gives way to a schizophrenic performance as her voice flutters between hushed verses and fits of triumphant as she declares, “The odd are getting even.”
“If you’re weird, embrace it,” she continues. “That’s the message of the song. Weird is the new cool. It’s our turn. Back in the day, I was bullied for theater and singing. I’m taking an awful time in my life and adding light again.”
In the end, Whitney might just move you emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
“I want you to take away positive energy, encouragement, and unconditional love,” she leaves off. “That’s the most important thing to me. I want to be a light in the world by being real.”
A Little Bit More
Whitney Woerz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
mixtapes
and i don't and i don't and i don't want to
leave you
or these vibes
or the cotton candy clouds
and champagne skies
that are dancing out my window on the upper west side
the city sleeps
no one left alive
but you here with me
i can't say goodnight
i need a little bit
i need a little more
i need a little bit
just a little bit more
is it late?
is it love?
is it magic?
don't know what you've got
but boy i gotta have it
i need a little bit
i need a little more
i need a little bit
just a little bit more
just a little bit more
they say you know when you know
and i knew and i knew and i knew when you
held me just right-
well at least it feels like that to me tonight
the city sleeps
no one left alive
but you here with me
i can't say goodnight
i need a little bit
i need a little more
i need a little bit
just a little bit more
is it late?
is it love?
is it magic?
don't know what you've got
but boy i gotta have it
i need a little bit
i need a little more
i need a little bit
just a little bit more
just a little bit more
i'm on the outer layer
of an outside circle
my mind picks
with with the fights it's picked so
me, i love me
you don't mean it
i don't believe me
when can a you see it
i need a little bit
i need a little more
i need a little bit
just a little bit more
is it late?
is it love?
is it magic?
don't know what you've got
but boy i gotta have it
i need a little bit
i need a little more
i need a little bit
just a little bit more
just a little bit more
just a little but more
The lyrics of Whitney Woerz's song "Little Bit More" paint a vivid picture of a nighttime scene in the city, specifically referencing the upper west side. The imagery of fire escapes, mixtapes, cotton candy clouds, and champagne skies creates a dreamy and nostalgic atmosphere. The mention of the city sleeping and feeling alive only with the presence of a special person emphasizes the intimate and almost magical connection between the singer and their companion.
The repeated refrain of "I need a little bit more" conveys a sense of longing and desire for something beyond the current moment. The lyrics suggest uncertainty about whether what they are feeling is late, love, or magic, but the singer knows they want more of it. This yearning for more could relate to an emotional connection, a deeper understanding, or simply a craving for the feeling of contentment and joy that the presence of the other person brings.
The lyrics also touch on self-doubt and inner turmoil, with the lines "I'm on the outer layer of an outside circle" and "me, I love me, you don't mean it, I don't believe me." These conflicting thoughts and emotions add depth to the song's theme of longing and uncertainty. Despite the doubts and insecurities expressed, the central focus remains on the intense desire for more of whatever intangible magic the singer is experiencing with their partner.
Overall, "Little Bit More" captures the essence of a fleeting and enchanting moment in time, where the singer is hesitant to say goodnight and craves just a little bit more of the connection, love, or magic they are feeling. The lyrics eloquently express the complexity of emotions that come with being in the presence of someone special, blending feelings of joy, confusion, longing, and self-discovery into a beautifully crafted narrative of yearning for more in the midst of the quiet city night.
Line by Line Meaning
fire escapes
These architectural features symbolize a means of escape, perhaps reflecting a sense of urgency or freedom in a bustling city.
mixtapes
Curated collections of music that evoke nostalgia and personal connection, representing meaningful memories shared together.
and i don't and i don't and i don't want to
Repetitive insistence emphasizing a strong reluctance to part ways or let go.
leave you
The desire to remain in the presence of someone special, illustrating emotional attachment.
or these vibes
Referring to the positive, energetic atmosphere created by their connection, which one wants to preserve.
or the cotton candy clouds
Imagery of lightness and sweetness, suggesting a dreamy and idyllic state of being.
and champagne skies
Vivid and luxurious images that represent high spirits and a celebratory mood.
that are dancing out my window
A metaphor for the lively, enchanting scenes of city life that can be observed, enhancing the overall feel of magic.
on the upper west side
Referencing a specific location that adds to the urban experience, grounding the atmosphere in a recognizable place.
the city sleeps
A reflection on the stillness of the urban night, contrasting with earlier vibrancy.
no one left alive
A hyperbolic expression conveying a sense of isolation in the midst of a large city.
but you here with me
Highlighting the significance of the special person present in an otherwise empty environment.
i can't say goodnight
An expression of an unwillingness to end a perfect moment, conveying emotional depth.
i need a little bit
A yearning for something more, perhaps love or connection, indicating incompleteness.
i need a little more
A further emphasis on the desire for deeper feelings or intimacy, signaling a craving for extended connection.
is it late?
Questioning the time, highlighting the allure of being in a moment that feels significant despite the hour.
is it love?
Contemplating the nature of the feelings involved, seeking clarity about the depth of the relationship.
is it magic?
Wondering if the connection they share transcends the ordinary, suggesting enchantment in their bond.
don't know what you've got
A realization of uncertainty regarding the nature of the partner's feelings, hinting at the complexities of love.
but boy i gotta have it
Expressing an intense longing and willingness to pursue the feelings, no matter the uncertainties.
just a little bit more
Reiterating the desire for additional closeness and connection, emphasizing insatiability in feelings.
they say you know when you know
Referencing a common belief about instinctively recognizing true feelings, suggesting confidence in emotions.
and i knew and i knew and i knew when you
Reiterating a strong conviction about when the emotional connection was felt, demonstrating certainty.
held me just right-
An intimate moment that confirms the connection and affirms the feelings shared in that embrace.
well at least it feels like that to me tonight
Acknowledging that the emotions might be subjective, but still valid, reflecting personal experience.
the city sleeps
Revisiting the serene, quiet atmosphere, further establishing the contrast with their lively emotions.
but you here with me
Reiterating the powerful presence of the special person, highlighting their importance amidst the stillness.
i can't say goodnight
A renewed declaration of the emotional struggle to end such a beautiful moment created together.
i'm on the outer layer
A feeling of being on the periphery of the relationship or situation, suggesting a desire for deeper involvement.
of an outside circle
Indicating a sense of distance or exclusion from an inner emotional circle, craving inclusion and intimacy.
my mind picks
An illustration of introspection where the thoughts linger on past experiences or challenges faced.
with the fights it's picked so
Expresses the mental struggles and battles faced in relationships, ultimately highlighting internal conflict.
me, i love me
A self-affirmation that hints at a complex relationship with self-worth and identity amidst romantic emotions.
you don't mean it
A revelation of doubt towards the partner’s sincerity, highlighting insecurity in the relationship.
i don't believe me
An internal struggle where self-doubt clouds judgment, questioning one’s perceptions and feelings.
when can a you see it
Longing for the partner to recognize and understand the depth of emotions present in their connection.
i need a little bit
Reiterating the longing for connection, emphasizing a persistent desire for affection.
i need a little more
Further stresses the yearning for deeper feelings, encapsulating the essence of unfulfilled desire.
just a little bit more
Emphasizes an insatiable craving for closeness and connection, illustrating the desperation for intimacy.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Whitney Woerz, Justin Halpin, Bobby Campbell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind