Marion Raw's latest single, "You Gotta," is one of those songs whose elegant simplicity enlists your attention, but the emotional layering holds onto you. A wistful yet celebratory reflection on self-discovery, "You Gotta" comes accompanied by a dreamy 8mm-style visualizer that adds to the strain's nostalgic power.
Based on raw personal experience, "You Gotta" plays like a close conversation. Raw, who had left her mother's custody by 12, cultivated that early feeling of displacement into a song that touches on self-parenting, resilience, and the messy beauty of growing up. "It's about finding truth and inner strength through mistakes and heartache," she says. But don't be deceived "You Gotta," at its heart an introspective work, is far from dour. "You Gotta" is playful, a reminder that self-love is a compass that doesn't point backward.
With Marion Raw's signature poetic lyricism and a sound that balances tenderness with an undeniable groove, "You Gotta" is an invitation to shake your way through life's lessons. Combine that with the cohesively vibey visuals, and you've got a song that feels like flipping through some faded Polaroids, equal parts melancholy and magic.
Hit play and let "You Gotta" wash over you because sometimes, the best way to find yourself is to get lost in the music.