Released: 2023
Features: Guitarricadelafuente
“In My Room” by Troye Sivan, featuring Guitarricadelafuente, is a lyrical whirlwind that transports listeners into an introspective exploration of desire, self-analysis, and the visceral connection between two people intersecting both the physical and emotional. The track is a masterful reflection of the myriad of feelings and experiences that can occur ‘in one’s room’, a key physical and metaphoric space within which Sivan and Guitarricadelafuente navigate the delicate dance of romantic relationships.
Bearing an opening line, “Confundo la realidad” (I confuse reality), Sivan sets the tone for the song: it’s going to be a rumination on the blurring of fantasy and reality. Backed with the repeated refrain, “Se ha encendido el cielo, Se te enreda el pelo, Tus espuelas con las mías” (The sky has ignited, your hair gets tangled, your spurs with mine), the song encapsulates the push and pull of love – attraction and entanglement, sparks flying – through vivid, sensual imagery.
Now, let’s break into the chorus where Sivan exclusively sings in English, “So in my head, And I leave it like an unmade bed, Oh, I don’t wanna clean up yet, Keep it messy, messy, messy.” Here, Sivan captures the tension between wanting to unravel the tangled thoughts and deciding to ‘keep it messy’. It’s a homage to the raw, unfiltered feelings and the chaotic beauty of untamed thoughts we entertain, especially when in love.
With the lines, “Am I fucking sixteen? This shit’s kinda depressing. All you’re doing to me. ‘Cause you mess me, test me, wreck me, aww-yeah,” Sivan conveys the biting nostalgia and intense passion often accompanied by teenage infatuations. He further probes the nature of his feelings — “Maybe it’s just admiration, copulation, or Adoration, no defence, infatuation” — and asks whether these feelings are purely physical, or emotional, or just an infatuation. Content to let the mystery be, he ends with the acknowledgment of an indescribable feeling.
Also worth mentioning is Guitarricadelafuente’s verse, “Y aunque esté partida, Tu mirada es genuina, Sé que estás pensando, Carnavaleando, Has dado en el blanco, Dientes en el canto, Que la carne fría, Es fina peletería”. This poignant portrayal of the raw, exhilarating, and genuine feelings existing despite the rifts embodies the emotional complexities of relationships. The notable phrase “carnavaleando” (carnivaling) suggests a whirl of emotions, further emphasizing the celebratory yet chaotic nature of intense feelings.
In the finale, the line – “We got something to give each other” – is sung in English, lending to the universal nature of the sentiment. It embodies partnership and camaraderie, reminding us of the mutual exchange that relationships demand and celebrate.
“In My Room” is a rich tapestry of emotion and introspection, a compelling portrait of the personal sphere where feelings and thoughts find a safe haven for exploration and expression. From a broader perspective, it underscores our shared human experience of grappling with complicated emotions and longing for connection and understanding.
