i ❤️ laufey

A song that I've been playing on repeat recently is "Promise" by Laufey. It's about the inner conflict she experiences, in which she is torn between her attachment to someone who she knows isn't right for her and her (futile) efforts to keep temptations at bay.

Here are some lyrics from the song I love:

First up: denial. I love the irony here — she wants to reward herself for "so much restraint" by indulging in a cigarette, which is yet another guilty desire. The cigarette is as an embodiment of her inner struggle, as she yearns for it despite knowing the consequences.

Then, there's despair. These two lines (which are repeated as the last lines of the song) illustrate how utterly vulnerable she feels in this situation — whether she chooses to "be something" or be "nothing with you," she cannot see a future where she won't be tormented by what could have been. In the midst of heartbreak, it's difficult to imagine how to push forward, and I think Laufey's lyrics perfectly epitomizes this universal experience.

Finally: acknowledgement (not acceptance yet). She admits that she knows there is no path for them to be together, yet there is still a part of her that can't let go. Again, I think this resonates strongly with many people — even tragic characters, like Romeo and Juliet.

As a Laufey enjoyer, I have no hesitation in calling her music "poetry," although there isn't a simple definition that establishes a clear line between poetry and everything else. Personally, I would vaguely describe poetry as "something that leaves something out"; by leaving more white space between the lines, it constantly reminds us of what's not there. There is beauty in its incoherence, as it allows us to create our own interpretation of what is missing — Laufey's lyrics are a perfect example of that.