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.”
Retrograde
Whitney Woerz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the world keeps tryna′ bring me down
I know there's a way back up but I just can′t seem to shake this
Out oh, how 'bout you oh
Outta my mind noticing that I'm
Not in my space
How do I get back ohWanna be more
Wanna be me
Wanna be sure of what I can′t see
I′mma try to feel my way back home
I'm on the floor
And I′m asking what it's for
′Cause the world's acting up and the stars are tripping
Tryna get it back but I just keep slipping
Got to be more
Than these doubts they got me bored
When the world′s acting up and the stars are tripping
Outta my hands but I keep on gripping
And I thought that I was fine
But the past snuck up and it led me right into square one
All alone running with my thoughts and the pair of us just won't
Slow down
Oh how 'bout you oh
Outta my mind
Noticing that I′m
Not in my space
How do I get back oh
Wanna be more
Wanna be me
I'mma try to feel my way back home
I′m on the floor
And I'm asking what it′s for
'Cause the world′s acting up and the stars are tripping
Tryna get it back but I just keep slipping
Got to be more
Than these doubts they got me bored
When the world's acting up and the stars are tripping
Outta my hands but I keep on gripping
Oh-oh-ah...
I know they're just growing pains
Things always fall into their place
I′m on the floor
And I′m asking what it's for
′Cause the world's acting up and the stars are tripping
Tryna get it back but I just keep slipping
Got to be more
Than these doubts they got me bored
When the world′s acting up and the stars are tripping
Outta my hands but I keep on gripping
Whitney Woerz's song Retrograde is a contemplative reflection on the feeling of being stuck in the same place despite efforts to move forward. In the midst of a world that seems to be pushing back, Whitney questions her place in the universe and her own potential, but refuses to be defeated. She is seeking a way forward even though her doubts are keeping her bored and frustrated. The song's title refers to the astrological concept of retrogrades, during which a planet appears to move backward in its orbit from the perspective of Earth. This can create feelings of confusion and disruption, and is often associated with a period of reflection and reassessment.
Whitney uses the lyrics to describe how she feels out of sync with the world around her, and explores how she can find her way back to herself. The chorus highlights her determination to stay connected to her sense of self even as she struggles to find her way in the world. She doesn't want to be defined by her doubts and fears, but rather by her ability to overcome them. The song ultimately suggests that growth and transformation are an inevitable part of life, and encourages listeners to embrace challenges as opportunities for self-discovery and growth.
Line by Line Meaning
Feel stuck in the same old place
I am feeling trapped and unable to move forward in life.
When the world keeps tryna′ bring me down
Despite my efforts to move forward, it seems like the world is against me and constantly trying to keep me down.
I know there's a way back up but I just can′t seem to shake this
Although I know there is a way to overcome these obstacles, I am struggling to do so.
Out oh, how 'bout you oh
I wonder if others are also experiencing similar challenges.
Outta my mind noticing that I'm
I am realizing that I am not thinking clearly or logically.
Not in my space
I feel like I am not in control of my own life or surroundings.
How do I get back oh
I am searching for a way to regain control and get back on track.
Wanna be more
I have a desire to be a better version of myself.
Wanna be me
I want to be true to who I am and not let external factors define me.
Wanna be sure of what I can′t see
I want to have a sense of certainty and understanding about things that are not immediately visible or tangible.
I′mma try to feel my way back home
I am going to trust my intuition and try to find my way back to where I feel comfortable and safe.
I'm on the floor
I feel helpless and defeated.
And I′m asking what it's for
I am questioning the purpose or meaning behind my struggles.
′Cause the world's acting up and the stars are tripping
It seems like everything around me is chaotic and unsteady.
Tryna get it back but I just keep slipping
I am trying to regain control and stability, but my efforts are not working.
Got to be more
I need to find a new perspective or approach to my problems.
Than these doubts they got me bored
I am tired of continuously doubting myself and my abilities.
When the world's acting up and the stars are tripping
Even the things that seem constant and reliable are unpredictable and unstable.
Outta my hands but I keep on gripping
Although I cannot control everything, I refuse to give up or let go.
I know they're just growing pains
I recognize that these difficulties are a necessary part of my personal growth and development.
Things always fall into their place
I have faith that eventually everything will work out as it should.
Oh-oh-ah...
A vocalization expressing emotion or emphasis, with no specific meaning.
Writer(s): Whitney Hewitt Woerz, Ayelle, Stavros Tsarouhas
Contributed by Ruby F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.