Released: 2021
“WITHOUT YOU” by The Kid LAROI dives deep into the pain and emptiness left by a broken relationship. The artist laments the void in his life and the emotional wreckage that follows the departure of a significant other, highlighting raw vulnerability and regret.
The opening lines, “You cut out a piece of me, and now I bleed internally”, set a melancholic tone that underscores the emotional damage inflicted. The repetition of “without you” drives home the sense of loss and desperation.
In the next lines, LAROI expresses disbelief at the breakup. When he says, “Fuck all of your reasons”, it shows his anger and frustration. His admission, “I lost my shit, you know I didn’t mean it”, speaks to a moment of regret. Despite recognizing his mistakes, he acknowledges that some things can’t be undone, emphasizing, “so in the past is where we’ll leave it”.
LAROI’s blunt statement, “Can’t make a wife out of a ho”, reflects a harsh reality check and perhaps a misjudgment of his partner’s intentions. His inability to find the right words of apology, combined with his fear of loneliness, creates a poignant conflict.
As the song progresses, it circles back to the chorus, reinforcing the pain of being without the person who once completed him. The repeated “Oh-oh, whoa-oh” in the background adds a haunting quality to his sorrow, while the dragged-out phrases heighten the feeling of emptiness.
In the final lines, “It’s gon’ be hard here on my own, and even harder to let you go”, LAROI acknowledges the painful journey of moving on. Despite wanting to make things right, he’s left with the haunting reality of life “without you”.
