Cheryl Chow, known professionally as Cehryl (stylized as cehryl), is a Los … Read Full Bio ↴Cheryl Chow, known professionally as Cehryl (stylized as cehryl), is a Los Angeles based singer, songwriter, producer, and instrumentalist.

Chow was born and grew up in Hong Kong. She played classical piano from a young age, and learned to play guitar as a teenager. She studied music production and engineering at Berklee College of Music. Her Wherever it May be Be EP was made start from finish in her bedroom in Boston before moving to Los Angeles. She has toured with Still Woozy and Ravyn Lanae, and Raveena. Her tours with Jeremy Zucker and Cavetown were put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her sophomore EP "time machine" is to be released in spring of 2021 with Nettwerk Records.

Chow records, and produces all of her own tracks. Complex featured her as one of the "Best New Artists of the Month" in July 2019, describing her sound as "more A24 than Marvel."

Heat Wave
cehryl Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh the light in the fall, remember
How nothing felt familiar, familiar at all
The way you looked, at me lookin at you
I didn't say it i thought you knew
Then winter flashed right through

Soon we will be down in the heat summer's our dream
Till you said to me what if this all amounts to nothing?

Still i'll hold on to
To you ooooh
If it's hard to do
Then it's better proof

It's hard to tell, in the dark
I know you well, but we're underwater after all
After all we're so close to staying afloat i swear i
Swear i can see the coast, deep breath we're clear we're some
Where near

Soon we will be down in the heat summer's our dream
Till you said to me: what if this all amounts to nothing?
I felt a death inside of me, nobody screams, it's just a dream
Believe me - what if this all amounts to nothing?

Still i'll hold on to
To you ooooh
If it's hard to do
Then it's better proof
So i hold on to
To you

And it's hard to do
But that's better proof

Overall Meaning

In cehryl's song Heat Wave, the lyrics reveal a complex love story between two people who are struggling to stay afloat in their relationship. The opening lines evoke a sense of nostalgia for a past time when things were uncertain and unfamiliar, perhaps hinting at the early stages of the relationship. The way the singer looks at the other person is loaded with unspoken feelings that go unacknowledged, and soon winter comes and goes, signifying the passage of time.

The chorus of the song is where the main theme of the song is unveiled. The singer switches from a nostalgic tone to a somewhat anxious one, wondering if their relationship will amount to anything in the long run. The idea of the summer heat is a symbol of the passion and excitement that the singers envisioned for their relationship, and it is suggested that their future is uncertain. However, the singer is unwilling to let go just yet, even if it is painful to hold on. The joyful, upbeat melody contrasts with the more melancholic lyrics, adding to the emotional complexity of the song.

The second verse continues to explore the difficulties of maintaining a relationship, likening it to being underwater and struggling to stay afloat. Even though things seem dire, the singer can see the coast, giving way to a glimmer of hope that keeps them holding on. The bridge of the song paints a dark picture of the possibility of their relationship falling apart. Despite that, the singer refuses to give up and clings to their partner, indicating that the pain of holding on is still better than not having anything at all.

Overall, Heat Wave is a somber yet hopeful anthem about the struggles of love, uncertainty, and the strength of holding onto something despite the cost.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh the light in the fall, remember
Reflecting on a past memory, specifically the autumn season and the lighting that stood out during that time

How nothing felt familiar, familiar at all
During that time, nothing seemed to be recognizable, everything felt new and unknown

The way you looked, at me lookin at you
Recalling a specific moment when the singer and the person they are addressing exchanged looks during that time

I didn't say it i thought you knew
The singer didn't explicitly say what they were feeling but assumed that the other person could tell based on how they were looking at each other

Then winter flashed right through
The passage of time continued and suddenly it was already winter without anything changing between the singer and the person they are addressing

Soon we will be down in the heat summer's our dream
Anticipating the upcoming summer season and the hope that comes with it

Till you said to me what if this all amounts to nothing?
The other person expressed a worry about their relationship and its future potential

Still i'll hold on to
Despite the uncertainty, the singer is committed to holding on to the other person

To you ooooh
Reaffirming the person they are addressing as the one they want to be with

If it's hard to do
The singer acknowledges that it may be difficult to stick it out

Then it's better proof
But the challenge they face is additional evidence to the strength of their relationship

It's hard to tell, in the dark
The current situation is unclear, which could make it difficult to navigate moving forward

I know you well, but we're underwater after all
Despite how well they know each other, their relationship feels like it's been submerged and they may be struggling to bring it to the surface

After all we're so close to staying afloat i swear i
Despite the struggles, there is hope that they are near to finding a resolution and moving forward together

Swear i can see the coast, deep breath we're clear we're some where near
The singer is optimistic, feeling like they can almost see the end of the rough patch and that they're close to the resolution

I felt a death inside of me, nobody screams, it's just a dream
The uncertainty of the future and the potential that their relationship might not succeed feels like a part of them has already died, but it's just an internal feeling

Believe me - what if this all amounts to nothing?
Reiterating the other person's doubt and posing it as a possibility that they also worry about

So i hold on to
Despite the doubts, the singer is committed to holding on to the person they are addressing

And it's hard to do
The challenge of holding on is not lost on the singer

But that's better proof
But by persevering through it all, it only strengthens their relationship

Writer(s): cheryl chow

Contributed by Alexis H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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TRACKS