Jessie Reyez – Figures (Lyrics Review and Song Meaning)

Canadian born singer and song-writer Jessie Reyez is almost new to the big leagues in music, but she is making some serious waves as she is making the entrance. She came into the limelight thanks to Calvin Harris by featuring on “Hard To Love.” But little did most of us know that Jessie Reyez already had her debut EP out in April 2017.

Jessie Reyez’s debut album ‘Kiddo‘ features 7 tracks and the most prominent out of the lot is “Figures.” So we decided to take an in-depth look at the song and the lyrics. Reyez’s voice is unique, her expressions are unique and her music is unique. These are good signs that she would have a bright future in the music industry.

“Figures” is a sad song about heartbreaks. The inspiration to this song has been drawn from her personal experience and she describes the song as;

It was a sh*tty breakup. And I was just going through it. I was in Sweden at the time. was there for a writing camp. I was writing songs we were going to pitch for other artists and on the fourth day. The way it works—for writers and producers—is kind of like musical chairs. They just switch everyone. I was with these guys Priest and the Beast on the fourth day, and they were like, “We really f*ck with you and we want to keep you for an extra week and during that week we can work on anything. It doesn’t have to be stuff we have to pitch. We can work on your stuff, too.”

So, I ended up staying and it was a blessing. You know when you breakup with someone and you have memories in that city? You don’t want to be with them in that city because then your heartbreak is just hard to heal the wound when you’re in it. I feel like it was a blessing that I got asked to stay there. The pain goes with you if it hurts enough, so I was there with it, and it just came out on a song. It was me, Priest and the Beast and Shy, and that sh*t just came out of me, man. It was just a sad sad song.

Watch Jessie Reyez Perform “Figures”

---

Download “Figures” Single on iTunes and Amazon

Buy ‘Kiddo’ Album on iTunes and Amazon

---

As the artist herself explained “Figures” is about giving your everything to a relationship and not getting anything back. It was as if the heartbreak was inevitable-something she expected to happen, but some faith kept her driving. Let’s take a look at the lyrics.

Lyrics Review and Song Meaning of “Figures”

Verse 1

Figures
I gave you ride or die and you gave me games
Love figures
I know I’m crying cause you just won’t change
Love figures
I gave it all and you gave me sh*t
Love figures
I wish I could do exactly what you did

“Figures” in this song means to say that it was meant to happen-like she was expecting the inevitable end from the beginning.

She was the kind of person who gives 100% to a relationship and in this particular one, she got “sh*t” back. She held on to it, hoping and praying that he would change. But her instincts were right from the beginning. It was meant to fall apart and it did.

Jessie Reyez wonders if she can return the favor to him. But she cannot. She is not that kind of person. So she suffers in silence.

[polldaddy poll=9829358]

Chorus

I wish I could hurt you back
Love, what would you do if you couldn’t get me back
You’re the one who’s gonna lose
Something so special, something so real
Tell me boy, how in the f*ck would you feel?
If you couldn’t get me back
That’s what I wish that I could do to you, you
To you, you

The singer says she wishes she could serve him a spoonful of his own medicine. She also knows that he is the one who is losing most when the relationship falls apart.

Reyez wishes the roles were reversed so he would know what she is going through. She wants him to be the one giving 100% into the relationship and know that he won’t have her in the end. That is a difficult pill to swallow.

Verse 2

Figures
I’m the bad guy cause I can’t learn to trust
Love figures
You say sorry once and you think it’s enough
I got a lineup of girls and a lineup of guys
Begging for me just to give ’em a try
Figures
I’m willing to stay
Cause I’m sick for your love

One of the most delicate situations in some relationships is the trust issues. In this case, Jessie Reyez is supposed to believe and trust him while he cheats around. It has become her fault because she is not trustworthy of his love to her. There is nothing called “learning” to trust. It’s either you trust someone or you don’t.

And all of his mistakes are to be forgiven at a simple “sorry” which probably doesn’t sound very sincere either.

Jessie Reyez says she has a line of girls and guys trying to date her. Is Jessie Reyez bi? We don’t know for sure yet. So she won’t be the one losing after this relationship crumbles down..

In the end Jessie musters the courage to leave him for good saying she is sick of his love.

She breaks up crying in the music video which seemed like real tears, as she utters a final “figures” in an emotional tone that almost cracks.

Such a powerful voice, lyrics and a video to this song and it is perfection. Jessie Reyez deserves a lot more spotlight than she has been getting.

Let us know what you think about “Figures” single by Jessie Reyez and what these lyrics mean to you. Or comment how these lyrics are relatable to you, because we all have experienced a one-sided love at some point.

If you like our interpretation of the song, make sure to leave a rating and share the article with your friends.