On March 1st, 2019, three years ago today Simz dropped her album Grey Area, so let’s look back at what Grey Area meant and was talking about…
The only words to describe what Grey Area is, is it being a raw, vulnerable, and honest piece of work. This is an album that really lets us as listeners in on Simz’s world and all the thoughts she has. She bares it all on this album and lets us emotionally connect with her on a deeper level. The opening song Venom lets everyone know that if you never took her seriously before or saw Simz as being the ‘underdog’ in this game then think again because ‘I’ve probably ended careers and it’s never out of malice.’ Just because I’m a woman in a male dominated industry ‘you do not scare me’ because ‘I’m Jay-z on a bad day, Shakespeare on my worst days.’ I’ve heard the doubting of me but I’m not going to let anyone diminish my voice or talent because ‘my pen is the maddest.’ Boss re-enforces Simz acknowledging her worth and talent that she is bringing to the game because ‘my legacy remains.’ I am going to dominate the rap game whether you believe in me or not because I ‘never looked back once I discovered the pen.’ Simz lets everyone know in the first two songs what she is here for and is not going to let anyone steer her away from that. Selfish is a female empowerment song that lets ladies know that you should embrace your selfishness and put your feelings first because ‘I’m priority.’ It’s about ladies taking back that power from society and using what they see as a negative trait in women as one they should embrace. Own your selfishness because ‘I’m so selfish’ and ‘my best friend is I’ and that ‘doesn’t phase’ or ‘bother me’ ‘honestly.’
Wounds not only talks about what happened to her friend but also reminds us how we all have choices in this life and every action comes with consequences and ‘your life, would you risk that? ' Simz is telling us how every choice has an outcome so think about your choices wisely because in the end it is ‘never worth it when you think back.’ It’s like Simz is directly questioning the gunman herself because ‘you thought you was grown, huh?’ and want to ‘deal with it on your own, huh?’ Venom is fast paced and representative of her mind and how it is working. Just like the beat gets more intense and all ‘erratic and shit’ her inner thoughts are becoming more intense, and she is constantly battling the dark thoughts and places it takes her because ‘I’m a mess, honestly’ and ‘life sucks and I never tried suicide.’ This is her offloading about everything including the way society is dismissive of women and their talent ‘pussy, you sour never givin’ credit where it’s due cause you don’t like pussy in power.’ 101FM sees her switching perspectives and reminiscing on life from when ‘me and Avelino used to make tracks’ to her remembering ‘dreams of getting out the flats’. This is her remembering what she used to be ‘praying and wishing’ for and now she’s ‘doing up big tings.’
The second part of the album takes on an even deeper perspective with Pressure explaining how it is your wants for yourself vs the oppressive society that does not want to see black people succeed and has already marked you as not worthy of winning but worthy of losing. So ‘let me apply the pressure’ and show you that ‘I don’t loose, I refuse.’ ‘All we ever know is pain’ and ‘it may not be your fault, heard that line before’ but there’s ‘nothin’ I can’t be in this life.’ ‘I’m still gonna succeed in life’ and ‘won’t stop ‘til we livin’ in bliss.’ Therapy is her being vulnerable and telling us how she feels about everything whilst also taking on an observer role and looking at the world around her. It’s ironic that the song is called ‘Therapy’ because she narrates the first couple lines in the same way a therapist would break down an event ‘hung up, picked up the keys, then drove to the bar.’ She is ‘afraid of the answers to the questions I never asked’ and is seeing ‘people’s true colours and the fakers fadin’ at last.’ I don’t need a therapist because ‘there’s nothin’ you can tell me that will help me.’ There’s not one person that hasn’t ever felt that way about therapy. How can you help me when I can’t even help myself? You don’t even know me. Sherbet Sunset is her baring her heart for everyone and is raw and honest. What do you do when you have given so much of yourself and your heart to someone and they break that? ‘L-O-V-E, can you tell me what’s the meanin?.’ I ‘gave my all to you, wanted to give more to you’ but all I ended up doing was loose ‘parts of myself, and I can’t get her back.’ This song sees her going through all the waves of emotions from her wondering when was you going to ‘let me know about her pregnancy’ to being a ‘mess’ but also mad at herself because ‘I should’ve known better, mummy taught me better strategies.’ But Simz reassures everyone ‘I’m good, I got it, I never lost it’ or am I just ‘lying to myself to skip the topic?’ That line really hit me because we’ve all done this to ourselves before. Sometimes I still do now. It’s so easy to do because no-one’s going to get onto you for being dishonest with yourself if they don’t know.
The closing song on the album Flowers is a reflective song about life and everything that comes with it. Our fears and the greats. She is paying homage to the greats that came before her like ‘Jimi, Basquiat, Amy, Robert, Janis, Kurt Cobain.’ Simz is realising that she is at the age where so many greats passed away and for a second it just has her ‘afraid of what the future may hold for me.’ ‘The good fly young, the good are our greats’ and we’ll always have the ‘memories’ because they will never be outlived. Simz ‘you already won.’
Looking back at this three years later and I’m still as proud if not prouder of Simz for creating something that is so raw, honest, and close to her heart and sharing that with us to have and connect to. It takes a lot to bare your heart like that and have people take it in and comment on it. Simbi I’m so proud of you and couldn’t love this album and you anymore than I do now. The album Grey Area speaks for itself and still sounds as good three years later. Shoutout Simz for creating such a beautiful piece of work and thank you.
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