I've been thinking about Colbie Caillat's song, "Try," ever since it came out on the radio. I kept writing it down in my notes on my iPhone to remind myself that this song, and the message it sends, should be acknowledged. This simple song is so powerful. I'm guilty of blasting it in my car and singing at the top of my lungs, and just realizing what it means to love myself. If you don't love yourself and who you are, what are you doing?
Colbie Caillat has always been one of my favorites. I always loved her natural look, and after hearing her latest hit "Try," it really opened my eyes. People from all around the world know this song, and I'm sure many often find themselves singing along to it. Imagine if they all took a few minutes to actually break down the song lyrics that Colbie Caillat is singing.
Caillat describes how women schedule certain tasks into their daily routines just to fit into society and to fit in with their peers. Why do we do this? Do people like you more because you put on that extra stroke of mascara before class, or that heavy eye shadow you had to apply from your $50 Urban Decay Naked palette that you ranked number two on your Christmas list? The answer is no.
Colbie Caillat knows what she's talking about. Due to our generation growing up alongside social media, we are constantly surrounded by images and words that we feel we need to fit into. We have social media applications such as Twitter and Instagram that constantly remind us of what is "socially acceptable and likable." It makes everyone feel like they need to strive for perfection, always needing to be noticed and talked about positively based off their social media. Through simple yet powerful lyrics, Colbie Caillat stresses that no one needs "to try so hard. You don't have to change a single thing" about you that you don't want to. It's inspiring to see a prominent artist share such inspiring words.
I find it extremely important to feel comfortable in your own skin. We see people on Instagram and Twitter spending an unnecessary amount of time editing their pictures with the new app, Perfect365: softening their skin, whitening their teeth, removing blemishes or birthmarks. The music video to "Try" shows women with make-up on, and then quickly removing it. It displays Colbie Caillat taking out her extensions, ripping off her fake eyelashes, removing her foundation and revealing her mole that is always Photoshopped out of photos.
Caillat emphasizes how women spend unnecessary money on clothes and make-up. "Get your shopping on, at the mall, max your credit cards/ You don't have to choose, buy it all, so they like you/ Do they like you?", reads her lyrics.
Allow Caillat's message to inspire you the way it inspired me. Let it get under your skin. Don't be afraid to let it help you notice your flaws and make you love them. Let it change the way you view the way you live your life.
We are all guilty of getting sucked into reality and adding things into our daily routine that we don't necessarily like to do, but maybe feel like we are obligated to in order to fit into society --"this is what you want, to belong, so they like you." It is a simple 3+ minute song that can stop us in our busy day to remind us what is really important. As the famous Dr. Seuss once said, why fit in when you were born to stand out?