Released: 2023
Madison Beer’s track “Sweet Relief” centers around the intoxicating high of a clandestine relationship. It brims with the urgency and sense of danger that comes with this. Notably, Madison reveals the addictive nature of this secret love affair and her struggle to manage her growing feelings.
The song begins with Madison pleading: “Please leave, God speed/ I can’t be around you right now, don’t speak” — it’s a plea for distance, a call for a respite from the gravitational pull of an irresistible attraction. The line “It’s a problem, it’s addictive/ I need you to listen to me” speaks to the addictions we often form in relationships; the ones that pull us back in, regardless of the consequences.
When Madison sings “Take me high (take me high)/ Lay me down (lay me down),” it’s a call for the intoxicating highs and comforting lows, the see-saw emotion of an intense romance. “It’s so reckless of me/ But this feeling is deeply profound/ It’s just something only we know” reveals that experiencing the thrill is, in many ways, worth the risk. This verse underscores the secretive nature of their relationship, something only they know and understand.
Madison expresses the intrusive thoughts that this relationship evokes: “I’m seeing you everywhere I go/ I don’t dream of anyone else.” She’s so consumed by this relationship to the point it’s verging on obsession. “All I need, sweet relief” could refer to the ‘relief’ of surrendering to the feelings completely or a plea for the tranquility of resolution.
The line “Can’t eat, can’t sleep/ No, you’re not making this easy on me” reveals the physical toll the relationship is taking on her. It’s not just emotional anymore; this romantic obsession is creeping into her daily life, becoming impossible to manage.
Towards the end, the repetition of “Something only we know” is haunting. It reaffirms the secrecy, the thrill of the forbidden, and the exclusivity of their shared experiences. Considering pop culture’s obsession with perfect, transparent love, Madison Beer’s “Sweet Relief” stands as a testament to the raw, all-consuming, and often messy nature of concealed relationships.
