Artist: Andrea
Title: Southern Belle
Genre(s): R&B, Hip-Hop, Trap, Rap, Pop, Dance
Length: 56:30
Writers: A.Mason, C.Hudson, S.Hollywood, B.Holmes, D.Khan, T.Newton, P.Rodriguez, YoungHood
Producers: Andrea, Deneil, Ilya, Jam City, KREAMY, LaBella, Steve Mac, MakeAScene, Max Martin, Andrew Watt, XYZ
Format(s): CD, Digital Download, Streaming, Vinyl
Label: Five Pesky Kids
Singles Released: Force [Peak: #1], Something For The Fire (feat. Billy) [Peak: #1], BOOTS [Peak: #1]

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Southern Belle is the second studio album from American singer-songwriter and rapper Andrea. It will be released through Five Pesky Kids in 2019 after re-signing with the label the year previous. Work began on the project as early as 2014 after the release of Andrea's debut record "In and Out of Consciousness" in the January of that year. The album was originally slated for a 2015 release but had since undergone multiple revamps and suffered numerous delays. Andrea revealed that three incarnations of the album exist and at one point she had left her record label to work on it independently only to return several months later with an altered contract. Primarily an R&B/Pop record, "Southern Belle" also incorporates elements of hip-hop, trap and dance music. The album is noted for its drastic departure in style from Andrea's debut which was a country-pop affair. The album was executive-produced by Andrea herself.

In mid-2014, Andrea underwent a major overhaul in her style and public persona. Cropping her hair short and dyeing the remainder a bleach blonde was a stark contrast to her then signature auburn waves. Mason also started to advocate for the legalisation of marijuana, voice her opinions on LGBTQ issues, wear provocative outfits and make public statements regarding her sex life. All of this caused a media frenzy and speculation regarding the directions she was taking as an artist. Mason then divorced her now manager Billy Holmes (Khan) and started to align herself with the rapper Payton Rodriguez before eventually going on to form a relationship with him. The media dubbed Andrea as a "good girl gone bad" and praised her "growth" as well as her "newfound confidence" while others dubbed the makeover as "desperate", "embarrassing" and a "glamorous cry for help". Since her change in public persona, Andrea has been criticised for cultural appropriation and has been a divisive figure with many debating her place as a role model.

"Southern Belle" was written and recorded over a four year period. Various incarnations of the album exist and the project, much like Andrea's debut, was notorious for its delays. Andrea aligned herself with many hip-hop and R&B producers from her homeland of Texas to curate the sounds for the project. While many have criticised Mason's decision, Andrea claims that the style is true to her roots; "Down South, Hip-Hop and Country dominate. They're King and Queen of the airwaves. I grew up listening to both and they have inspired me as an artist. This isn't something I've grabbed out of thin air. This sh*t means something to me." In 2016, after being pushed back, the album took a more introspective style after Andrea found her earlier sessions to be "faceless". "I found myself saying all sorts just for the sake of being controversial. I was a woman scorned and crazy high all the time. The record was a hot mess. I had to regroup and iron stuff out." Despite further work on the project, "Southern Belle" had still not surfaced for two years. Andrea continued to work on the project and release demos and snippets via SoundCloud and Instagram but no official releases or dates came to fruition. In 2018, Andrea left Five Pesky Kids to work on the record independently. From there, she picked apart all of the recordings she had amassed over the years and began to map out a new structure for the album and figure out what was truly missing and needed from the project without label interference. Since then, Andrea went on to re-sign to the label under a new contract with the album "95% completed".

The record has been described by Mason as a concept album with her being the Southern Belle in the story. Over the 18 tracks, it chronicles the events of Andrea's life throughout the process of making the record. Earlier tracks allude to her "toxic" relationship with Billy and he even features on the record. It then follows with the break-up and the repercussions of it all, documenting the different phases of a departure. Andrea dubs "Force" as the "turning point" of the record where she "regains confidence" and turns into "a bad bitch". From then on, we see themes of self-love, female empowerment and sexuality. The run of "Dirtee South" to "BOOTS" document her moving on to a new relationship with the lyrics being inspired by boyfriend Payton. The final tracks on the album are very reflective in nature with Andrea giving kiss-offs to her oppressors, thinking about how much she's grown and what she has learned. The album closes with "Curtains", a track which sums up her public life until this point and how she's ready to close the curtains on this chapter and look ahead to the future.

"Force" was released as the lead single from the project back in 2015. The "disjointed" pop-rap song received mixed reviews at the time but has retrospectively garnered acclaim for its empowering themes and is said to be one of the most important songs in Andrea's career, starting her musical transition. The song debuted at #1 and gave Andrea her second chart topper. "Something For The Fire" followed as the second single in January 2017. The song features ex-husband Billy and documents their highly publicised "abrasive" relationship. The mid-tempo R&B affair generated critical acclaim and internet buzz with many appreciating the "raw honesty" of the track and the "unexpected" collaboration between the pairing due to their rocky relationship. The single also debuted at #1. It wouldn't be until 2019 that a third single would surface. "BOOTS", a trap-rap-pop hybrid was surprise released in February 2019 to relaunch the project. The highly sexual track debuted at #1, giving Andrea four consecutive chart toppers and three from the same album. Andrea confirmed that another single will be serviced before the album is officially released. She plans on choosing the Payton assisted "How 'Bout Dat?" as the fourth single.

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T R A C K L I S T

Southern Belle
Something For The Fire (feat. Billy)
Sleeping With The Enemy
Petty
Skirt
Ain't U (feat. YoungHood)
Billions
Sad Bitch Times
Force
Bad Reputation
Pussy Power (feat. Suzie, Mariko & Amy-Jayne)
Dirtee South
Cross The Line
Honey (feat. Payton & Deneil)
BOOTS
How 'Bout Dat? (feat. Payton)
Cashmere Dreams
Curtains

Artist(s): Andrea, Billy
Title: Something For The Fire
Genre(s): Alternative R&B
Length: 3:33
Writers: A.Mason, C.Hudson, B.Holmes, M.Fiori
Producer: XYZ
Label: Five Pesky Kids
From The Album: Southern Belle

Something For The Fire is a song recorded by American singer/songwriter Andrea Mason featuring her ex-husband and Weekend member, Billy Holmes. Appearing as the second track on the record, Something For The Fire is one of the oldest surviving tracks and was released as the second single from the album back in early 2017. The song was originally written by Andrea Mason alongside friend and regular collaborator Christopher Hudson. British singer/songwriter and ex-husband of Mason's, Billy Holmes was later brought into the project due to the deeply personal lyrics being expressed by Andrea. In-house songwriter Madeline Fiori also joined the trio to complete the song. The collaboration between Mason and Holmes was unexpected and controversial on account of their highly publicised "toxic" relationship. An instant hit, the song debuted at #1 upon its release. Sonically, Something For The Fire can be classed as an alternative R&B song. It also draws inspiration from electronica and incorporates elements from early 2000's R&B music. It was produced by XYZ and recorded in Pesky Studios in London. The song documents how lost both Mason and Holmes felt when they first separated, finding it hard to function on their own and inevitably leading to them reconciling.

"Something For The Fire is one of my favorite tracks I've ever recorded. It's just so fucking honest and to the point. I'm not romanticizing toxic relationships but this is how I felt at one point. This is life. It's not always black and white. Billy and I separated many times behind closed doors before we publicly called it quits and got a divorce. This song is about one of those mini-breakups. He was staying at his friends and I was home alone on my fucking birthday. I felt like straight up SHIT. I WANTED him so bad. Like on the previous track, I still didn't know who I was and with my man out of the equation? Forget about it. I was at rock bottom. It was a little bit like Stockholm syndrome. I was yearning to be a prisoner again, as fucked up as that sounds. I needed the familiarity and I wanted to embrace the occasional wave of greatness we'd experience once in a while. Sat alone crying in my kitchen, I wasn't going to get that. I wasn't going to feel anything good or bad. I was numb. A total husk of a person and I wanted that fucked up comfort blanket back."

"Originally Christopher and I worked on it. It was supposed to just be my point of view. We had done the bulk of the track but it wasn't completed and we left it for a while. Not long afterwards, I was talking to Billy about the album and I brought up this song. It lead to a conversation about that time of our lives and he began to talk about how he felt during that time. He could also remember that birthday of mine vividly and how he wasn't there. I thought that it'd be interesting to get his take so I asked him to jump on the song. Billy was hesitant at first but when we got going, he was pretty comfortable. We took out my original second verse and Christopher, Billy and I brought in another writer at Pesky called Madeleine Fiori to work on it some more. As soon as we slotted in Billy's section, it felt right. It just clicked and I knew it was gonna make waves not just down to the subject matter but because the two of us were on the same track. Releasing it to the world was such a buzz and I'm glad it experienced the success that it did. I really cherish this one."

SOMETHING FOR THE FIRE

Andrea
Billy
Both

Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Something for the fire
Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Something for the fire

I keep all of your pictures in this scrapbook
There's still a frame around us on my wall
Holding on, locking you up like the bottle of my birthday perfume
It's not just me though, you're everyone's favorite poster boy
Still saving pennies in my pocket to support your dreams
We're long gone now but remnants keep lingering
Would be lying if I said I don't miss all the screams
I can't keep doing this to myself, always want a repeat

You'd think that I'd change, now another year older
I still look back, hoping to see you over my shoulder
I'd keep my love in my heart and my enemies behind my back
But I like you sneaking up, you were always so good at that

23 candles to blow out and with each one, you're still my wish
Don't wanna grow up, fuck responsibilities, want your skin on my lips
Seen things I never thought I would back at 15
You showed me things beyond my wildest teenage dreams
23 years down and I'm still terrified, looking at those golden eyes
Don't want them to fade to grey or get lost in the blurry lines
Candles still to burn, should wish for tomorrow to be bright
But I call out to you through the flames, adding something for the fire

Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Something for the fire
Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Something for the fire

Your heart slows down like a train rolling into the station
The comedown is so fucking real, scribbled down this frustration
Said you had enough so why are you still empty and craving?
Kinda like the way I get when I'm low on medication
I cry in the mirror, tell myself that everything will be fine
I'm not even in the city yet I'm still fucking with your mind
Always think about that day when you were dressed in white
What happened to the girl and the Prince Charming on her side?

You'd think that I'd wisen up, now another year older
Can't even cut you off 'cause you like it when I'm colder
You should keep your love in your heart and enemies at the back
I won't be sneaking up, trust me, you won't be wanting that

23 candles to blow out and with each one, you're still my wish
Don't wanna grow up, fuck responsibilities, want your skin on my lips
Seen things I never thought I would back at 15
You showed me things beyond my wildest teenage dreams
23 years down and I'm still terrified, looking at those golden eyes
Don't want them to fade to grey or get lost in the blurry lines
Candles still to burn, should wish for tomorrow to be bright
But I call out to you through the flames, adding something for the fire

Do you know that you're still running around in my mind?
Do you ever think about the times when you were mine?
I try to forget it, just puff out my lungs black and blue
But even those shades remind me of all the shit I did to you
Forget it, I wore that shit like my favorite tattoo
You don't really know me like you think you do

23 candles to blow out and with each one, you're still my wish
Don't wanna grow up, fuck responsibilities, want your skin on my lips
Seen things I never thought I would back at 15
You showed me things beyond my wildest teenage dreams
23 years down and I'm still terrified, looking at those golden eyes
Don't want them to fade to grey or get lost in the blurry lines
Candles still to burn, should wish for tomorrow to be bright
But I call out to you through the flames, adding something for the fire

Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Something for the fire
Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh, oh
Something for the fire

Can Be Compared To:

Artist(s): Andrea
Title: Petty
Genre(s): R&B, Pop
Length: 3:02
Writers: A.Mason
Producer: LaBella
Label: Five Pesky Kids
From The Album: Southern Belle

Petty is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter and rapper Andrea. Appearing as the fourth track on the record, Petty continues the journey shown throughout Southern Belle and showcases a feistier side to Mason then seen in previous tracks. It was conceived in mid-2018 towards the end of the project's creative process. The song was written in its entirety by Andrea Mason herself and the production was handled by LaBella, a female production duo based in New York. Petty is described as a pop and R&B crossover with a "springy" and "joyous" melody juxtaposing "scathing" and "self confessional" lyrics about infidelity and the revenge of a woman scorned, regardless of how extreme it may be. The song discusses Andrea smoking weed, drinking wine and plotting revenge on her unfaithful partner by exposing them to the world via social media and then seeking out a sexual encounter with someone else as the final act of payback.

"Yo, this song is totally inappropriate and unhealthy but I fucking LOVE it! Previous tracks on the record were very serious and spoke about really dark matters and emotions and the next few tracks that follow are more about rising up and forgetting about the ex. I wanted one in which I got to be the one causing the pain. It's not the most grown thing to do but I think we're all entitled to be PETTY from time to time depending on the circumstances. This is in the heat of the moment. This track is where little Ms Southern Belle SNAPS and decides that she's gonna give him a taste of his own medicine. She hasn't totally split with him yet. She just wants to toy around with him and make him squirm a little before cutting him off. This one isn't actually based on real life events. It's more like an amplified and embellished version of how I feel at times when I go AWFF. It's that feeling of freedom and being like a boss bitch where there are no boundaries or lines. Zero fucks."

"I wrote this one on my own and I wasn't sure about it at first because of how...petty it was, for lack of a better word. I was like "Drea, quit with the ratchet and petty shit! We don't want this album to be one big mess!". I liked the song so I kept it with me and I thought that I could at least give it to someone else. When the tracklist and the shape of the album were coming together, I could tell that this one slotted in and was so grateful because it is a fun song, regardless of how mean it is. It's pop music, it doesn't always have to be serious, you know? I had a rough melody in my head but I needed someone to help refine it and obviously produce it. I was doing promo for my matte lip collection in New York and I hit up LaBella. They are three female producers who are so dope. I love working with and empowering other women. It was like a party when we worked on that song. We told each other stories about deadbeat ex-boyfriends and just had an absolute ball when making this tune. You can hear it in the bounciness of the production. It's a dope one."

PETTY

Petty gets the best of me and ego gets the rest of me
Petty gets the best of me and ego gets the rest of me

I been looking at your homeboys, smokin' your homegrown
But you say it's good to have some self-indulgence
This green is hitting the spot, it's going full blown
Unlocked all the darkness hiding in my conscience
Don't mind me, I'm just checking in, lookin' through your phone
I ain't sober so to hell with my better judgement

These girls that you're tapping on the 'Gram?
Well, they'll never be me.
Another glass of bubbles, might raise an alarm
I could let the whole world see

You like it when I'm loud so I'm gonna step it up
Write her a message then I'm gonna post it all
FB, IG, yeah that's shit's gonna blow up
Expose it fuckin' all, ain't that a kink you like?
My bottle went and popped, now I'm in the mood to fight
Mmmhmm, I think petty gonna win tonight

Petty gets the best of me and ego gets the rest of me
Petty gets the best of me and ego gets the rest of me

Would you get all mad if I hit up one of your boys?
What if I said that it didn't mean a thing?
Ain't nice being thrown aside like a bitch's chew toy
Maybe if go 'round, it'll make you think
You like to get your thrills so let me go scream with joy
Oh, will I be on your mind when I'm on him?

I think I'll go take a trip to wonderland
Yeah, will the poor baby miss me?
I think I'll spend tonight in a man's arms
And I don't care if the world sees

You like it when I'm loud so I'm gonna step it up
Write her a message then I'm gonna post it all
FB, IG, yeah that's shit's gonna blow up
Expose it fuckin' all, ain't that a kink you like?
My bottle went and popped, now I'm in the mood to fight
Mmmhmm, I think petty gonna win tonight

You like it when I'm loud so I'm gonna step it up
Write her a message then I'm gonna post it all
FB, IG, yeah that's shit's gonna blow up
Expose it fuckin' all, ain't that a kink you like?
My bottle went and popped, now I'm in the mood to fight
Mmmhmm, I think petty gonna win tonight

Don't think about calling me, I ain't comin' home
Don't try to rein me in 'cause I'm gonna walk on
Yeah I walk on, I walk on
Petty gets the best of me and ego gets the rest of me
Being second choice hurts, don't you agree?
Yeah wouldn't you agree?

You like it when I'm loud so I'm gonna step it up
Write her a message then I'm gonna post it all
FB, IG, yeah that's shit's gonna blow up
Expose it fuckin' all, ain't that a kink you like?
My bottle went and popped, now I'm in the mood to fight
Mmmhmm, I think petty gonna win tonight

You like it when I'm loud so I'm gonna step it up
Write her a message then I'm gonna post it all
FB, IG, yeah that's shit's gonna blow up
Expose it fuckin' all, ain't that a kink you like?
My bottle went and popped, now I'm in the mood to fight
Mmmhmm, I think petty gonna win tonight

Petty gets the best of me and ego gets the rest of me
Petty gets the best of me and ego gets the rest of me
Petty gets the best of me and ego gets the rest of me
Petty gets the best of me and ego gets the rest of me

Can Be Compared To:

Artist(s): Andrea
Title: Skirt
Genre(s): R&B
Length: 3:47
Writers: A.Mason
Producer: KREAMY, Andrea
Label: Five Pesky Kids
From The Album: Southern Belle

Skirt is a song by American singer-songwriter and rapper Andrea including on her sophomore album, Southern Belle. Appearing as the fifth track on the record, Skirt remains one of the oldest songs to remain on the album. It was originally recorded in 2015 with a demo leaking in 2016. The song's production has been majorly reworked from the original demo as well as several of the lyrics and melodies. The song was written in its entirety by Mason and the new production was handled by Atlanta producer KREAMY. Skirt is an R&B track which has been described as a "slow jam with sharp teeth" with many claiming that the track is reminiscent of R&B classics from the early 2000's and has also been dubbed an "ultimate kiss-off anthem". Lyrically, it tells the story of Andrea breaking up with her boyfriend for the final time and telling him some home truths. The first verse is sung in a breathy tone while the second is delivered as a rap with the track gradually picking up in tempo as it progresses.

"Skirt is the final breaking point. You've been together, you've been apart, you've been back together, shit didn't change, you've been growing more and more detached and now you just throw your hands up. You SNAP, basically. There's no heartbreak here in this departure. You've done been through all that shit before. There's a level of confidence to this break-up. You don't exactly know what you're gonna do after this split but you know it's necessary. To just lift the weight off and be a fuckin' free agent again is pivotal to your mental health at this point. You're done and you've been put through HELL so you decide to call this fucker out and serve up some piping hot TEA before walking out that door and letting them get one good look at what they'll never have again. It's also a way of taking advantage of having confidence and being in control. All the anger that's been bottled up for all that time finally comes out and you're able to look to a new chapter after that release."

"I wrote the song way back in like 2015 and even before I decided on this concept for the album, I knew that I NEEDED this song to be on there. It's one of the key tracks lyrically as it documents a pivotal moment in my life. It's gone through many incarnations and variations. It was one of the first songs I had written on my own for the second album and I was so proud of how I incorporated a rap into it and just how different it was to my earlier work yet still meant something to me. The song was just meant to be. Like a lot of my songs on this record, the production doesn't always reflect the intensity of the lyrics. It's all about contrast and mixed emotions. I didn't want this one to be too overbearing because the lyrics are already a gut punch. I took it to my boy KREAMY and told him to totally rework the demo and just make a song with a dope classic R&B vibe. Forget about this song being about an angry bitch. I was suggesting throwing it back to the So-So-Def era and that's where we were aiming with this one."

SKIRT

I don't need no game plan, I ain't ever gonna lose
Stop dealing the cards out baby, I wanna serve up some truth
What I bring to the table, y'all know it's gonna raise the roof
This a motherfucking game changer and ain't a thing you can do
It's a man's world but when it goes wrong, who they start runnin' to?
Lose their cool with the slightest burn, this "bitch" stays fireproof

This old wallflower watched and learned every trick in the book
I brushed up on all that shit, know how it's played, baby what's good?
I know looks can be deceiving but don't let me be misunderstood

Was always told that nice boys finished last
But who wants it all to be over in a flash?
You might be a hit with all your fuckboys
But you can't hit it when we fuck, boy
Always cutting corners, looking for a fast pass
Watch it as I walk, the last look at this ass
Take shots on my name then just know Imma put it on ya
Spill that piping hot-hot, leave you repenting in the corner
Boy I got you looking like a wreck, shaken up, in sweats
And my skirt didn't even come down (down, down)
The skirt hasn't even come down (down, down)
The skirt hasn't even come down

Always been attracted to the bad boys, the wild ones but you were just something else
Was told many times that I should know my place, to stay outta your face and on the shelf
Expected me to only open my mouth to give you head, nah the fuck you think is?
Ain't turning into a Stepford wife, baking you pies like it's some 1950's shit
If a guy deserves it, he get it but you just keep unzipping and expecting
You blowing my money and riding in my Benz, what the fuck you even delivering?
Wanted me behind the stove, well I'm serving that fire, can't take the heat? Get outta my kitchen
Bring your boys over, I'll pour them the tea that I'm sipping
I'll spread it all over, man you can forget about drizzling
The watch on your wrist was my gold coins, your time is ti-ticking
Better pack your bags and run for the hills, go find your next new model
Don't think y'all will survive on your own, boo, with a mind tinier than Donald
Duck for cover cause I'm 'bout to set your ass straight like a mutha

This old wallflower watched and learned every trick in the book
I brushed up on all that shit, know how it's played, baby what's good?
I know looks can be deceiving but don't let me be misunderstood

Was always told that nice boys finished last
But who wants it all to be over in a flash?
You might be a hit with all your fuckboys
But you can't hit it when we fuck, boy
Always cutting corners, looking for a fast pass
Watch it as I walk, the last look at this ass
Take shots on my name then just know Imma put it on ya
Spill that piping hot-hot, leave you repenting in the corner
Boy I got you looking like a wreck, shaken up, in sweats
And my skirt didn't even come down (down, down)
The skirt hasn't even come down (down, down)
The skirt hasn't even come down

You can kiss this 'cause it's gone, don't worry about me I can hold my own
I'll do my thang, I'm fully grown, it's you who needs a hand to get your horn blown
Don't act like you was doin' me a favor
Even from day one my girls said I could do much better
'memba all the times you would call me useless?
Now your paper doll out here dropping exclusives
Yeah, where the fuck you at?
Peace out. Deuces.

Was always told that nice boys finished last
But who wants it all to be over in a flash?
You might be a hit with all your fuckboys
But you can't hit it when we fuck, boy
Always cutting corners, looking for a fast pass
Watch it as I walk, the last look at this ass
Take shots on my name then just know Imma put it on ya
Spill that piping hot-hot, leave you repenting in the corner
Boy I got you looking like a wreck, shaken up, in sweats
And my skirt didn't even come down (down, down)
The skirt hasn't even come down (down, down)
The skirt hasn't even come down

I learned every trick in the book
I know how it's played, baby what's good?
I know looks can be deceiving but don't let me be misunderstood

I learned every trick in the book
I know how it's played, baby what's good?
I know looks can be deceiving but don't let me be misunderstood

Can Be Compared To:

Artist(s): Andrea
Title: Billions
Genre(s): Alternative R&B
Length: 3:38
Writers: A.Mason
Producer: Jam City
Label: Five Pesky Kids
From The Album: Southern Belle

Billions is a song by American singer-songwriter and rapper Andrea including on her sophomore album, Southern Belle. Appearing as the seventh track on the record, Billions remains one of the oldest songs to remain on the album. It was originally recorded in 2016 with Andrea posting the demo to her SoundCloud account in 2017 to which it received rave reviews. The song was written in its entirety by Mason and the production was handled by Jam City. The production is more refined than the demo but ultimately has no major differences. Billions is an alternative R&B track backed with industrial elements, heavy bass, hand claps and "space age synths" giving it a dark and otherworldly feel. Andrea's vocal delivery has been described as "breathy", "sultry" and "soothing". Lyrically, it is an introspective track in which Andrea ponders whether or not she can be truly happy with all the money she's earned and the lifestyle she has carved out when she still feels lonely and not satisfied with herself as a person.

"On Billions we take a detour in subject matter. It's still the same chain of events but this one is really different lyrically. It's about how after the breakup, you're alone and reflecting. Suddenly the spotlight is on you and you realize that you're not entirely happy with yourself. Inside the relationship, that was masked because you were functioning and moving as a unit. Now, you're alone in your big house and it's just not enough. You need to feel more. You need to feel alive. I was a little apprehensive about releasing this one because I didn't want it to seem like "Woe is me, I'm so fucking rich and sad!". I'm so grateful for my successes but at the same time, I'm not materialistic. I was empty for so long. You can be dripping in diamonds and still be fucking dead inside. Mental health is the most important thing and that applies to your favorite celebrities, to your parents, to your neighbor and to you. If we're not all happy with ourselves, what's the point?"

"I wrote this one a few years back, around the same time as Something For The Fire. It was back in the introspective phase of the project. I was at home and just going through a dark time. I was lonely, my album wasn't working out the way I wanted, the media weren't being the nicest. I wrote a bunch of depressive songs around that time in my little studio. This one really stood out. It was so different to anything I had written before yet still so personal and relatable. Not all of us are pop stars going through shit but we're all human and know what it's like to feel empty. I took the track to Jam City, who I love. I knew they would nail the production. I wanted something that sounded dark and otherworldly. Something that's a little jarring yet alluring at the same time. I wanted to encompass the allure of the rich lifestyle as well as the dangers of the isolation it can bring. The whole thing sounds like you're trapped in a web of contradictions. There's this catchy pop melody but a really dark and foreboding bass laying under it just waiting there."

BILLIONS

I am gold. She is gold. He is gold. We is gold.
I am gold. She is gold. He is gold. We is gold.

I can't twist the cap back on once it been popped
Gotta savor that zest, making the most of every drop
Can't spoil the only fizz and excitement that I got
Living such a sweet life, it finna make these teeth rot
People lying through cavities as they play my slot
Working me right in hopes I spurt some of my jackpot

All that glitters ain't always worth it
All those figures can't always fix it
All who slither will always be lurking
I couldn't see the sunrise when I woke early this morning
Say I couldn't see the sunrise when I woke early this morning
Shrouded by the fog and the shade, I'm hoping for some 180 turning

We are billions, ain't no time to work when it's all play
We are billions, ain't no consequence when it's all pay
Diamonds are a girl's best friend but they ain't got my back
Other bitches riding it, scooping what I drop on the track
I'm always bowing down inside a church that don't pay no tax
Praying for some real love that can't be sold on Saks
We are billions, supposed to be ten figures of fun
Feeling a billion, the loneliest number since the number one

Dirty paws all over the coins, need to round up these bitches
Evade their knife in the back, can't deal with no more stitches
Sounding so damn ungrateful, shitting on a billion wishes
Little girls on their knees, trynna make their rags to riches
But when they don't know your name yet count all your digits
You see that it ain't a fair game, full of corrupts and glitches

All that glitters ain't always worth it
All those figures can't always fix it
All who sliver will always be lurking
I couldn't see the sunrise when I woke early this morning
Say I couldn't see the sunrise when I woke early this morning
Shrouded by the fog and the shade, I'm hoping for some 180 turning

We are billions, ain't no time to work when it's all play
We are billions, ain't no consequence when it's all pay
Diamonds are a girl's best friend but they ain't got my back
Other bitches riding it, scooping what I drop on the track
I'm always bowing down inside a church that don't pay no tax
Praying for some real love that can't be sold on Saks
We are billions, supposed to be ten figures of fun
Feeling a billion, the loneliest number since the number one

What am I to do when I feel like I'm coming slowly undone?
Endless contacts, yet I'm still feeling like the only one
Could blow it all away until that pocket's finally burnt
What am I to do when I feel like I'm moving in the wrong direction?
How can I be when everything is looking like perfection?
But this plastic and paper, it don't give no affection
I am gold. She is gold. He is gold. We is gold.
I am gold. She is gold. He is gold. We is gold.
I am sold. She is sold. He is sold. We is sold.
I am sold. She is sold. He is sold. We is sold.

We are billions, ain't no time to work when it's all play
We are billions, ain't no consequence when it's all pay
Diamonds are a girl's best friend but they ain't got my back
Other bitches riding it, scooping what I drop on the track
I'm always bowing down inside a church that don't pay no tax
Praying for some real love that can't be sold on Saks
We are billions, supposed to be ten figures of fun
Feeling a billion, the loneliest number since the number one

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