“People You Know” is the 8th track on Selena Gomez’s 2020 album ‘Rare.’ The song speaks about a special someone that was drifting away from her life, making them just a memory. Let’s get into further lyrics and meaning breakdown in this article.
Selena Gomez released her third studio album ‘Rare’ on January 10, 2020, marking the year as an official heartbreak calendar. The album inspired by Selena’s life treads close to addressing her past relationships that have failed. Her most notable breakup was with the singer Justin Bieber who married model Hailey Baldwin in 2019. However, on this album, Selena Gomez talks about moving on, in songs such as “Look At Her Now” and “Dance Again.”
Often after a relationship, it is natural to feel as if the person you once knew is no more. The personality that you fell in love with has changed over the years and you look at them as if they were strangers. But if you were in a relationship with them for quite some time, you have already opened up your body and soul to them. This puts the relationship in a very awkward state of ambiguity.
Listen to “People You Know” by Selena Gomez
In the first verse of the song, Selena Gomez sums up the premise she is stuck in. He was like water around her, nourishing her, refreshing her and giving her new life. But now that he is a different personality, she feels as she is drained. She is still in this love, waiting for a change. So she asks him ‘how does it feel to be on the other side?’ The ‘other side’ being out of love.
Selena Gomez regrets having this person in her life. She had so many nights with him, which now she categorizes as “wasted.” In “Cut You Off” song from the album, Selena sings that her relationship lasted for 1,460 days.
Selena Gomez also reflects back to the time their relationship was on “fire.” Not the burning kind of fire, but the illuminating kind. However, what they did not know is that fire burns out. And so it did. People you thought you know, eventually become strangers. It’s the circle of life.
What do you think this song by Selena Gomez means about her relationships? Who do you think this song is about? Drop a comment below.