It is not an exaggeration to say that Lauv’s contribution to Disney’s ‘Elemental’ soundtrack truly stole the show! Sung from the quirky boyfriend’s perspective, “Steal The Show” is about letting your partner shine the brightest even if it means being overshadowed by her glow.
‘Elemental’ by Disney is a movie about a city filled with four elements living together–water, fire, air, and earth. The four elements have their own biases and differences, like how water does not go well with fire. And this forms the plot for the story as two very unlikely people start falling in love despite their differences. The girl ‘Ember’–a fire elemental–is ambitious, hot-headed, and sizzling hot, just like fire. The boy–a water elemental–is an easy-going, cool, flows-with-the-motion kind of chap, just like water. How would their love story mix, when the two elements don’t? Maybe with a touch of love.
The movie ‘Elemental’ was inspired by the personal experiences of the movie director Peter Sohn. “Elemental is a personal story inspired by my experience of growing up in New York City with two Korean immigrant parents. When my parents came to New York in the 70s, they didn’t have a lot of money. They didn’t have any family here and they barely spoke any English, but they managed to create a beautiful life in the Bronx for my family. My dad opened a grocery store there, and I have so many memories of growing up in this shop, just like Ember. Ultimately I wanted to tell the story of a community where elements who may not typically mix–fire, water, land, and air–live and interact together.”
Listen to “Steal The Show” by Lauv from ‘Elemental’ Movie Soundtrack
Lauv “Steal The Show” Lyrics Meaning and Song Review
In the first verse of the song, the singer tells us how he was headed on a one-way train–a fast-moving locomotive stopping at nothing. It is often said that what matters most is the journey and not the destination. Pacing through life, this cannot hold more ground. The destination is the end that no one wants to get to. What is it that we have to do in life then? Enjoy the ride.
In the movie, Ember is destined to take on the family grocery store that produces the hottest fire-based goods in town. Through a journey of self-discovery, she finds out that taking on her father’s shop is not what she wanted to do. She would rather use her exquisite skills in glass making to help her city build. Out of fear of disappointing her father, who gave up his entire tribe to build a better life for Ember, she succumbs to her fate.
Wade, the water boyfriend, is the one who comes through to show that she should never let her flame dim down to please anyone else, including himself.
I wouldn’t mind
If you steal the show
The truest form of caring is when you let someone go to pursue their own dream if that means you having to give them up. In the movie ‘Elemental,’ Wade literally gives up his life to protect Ember when the city floods and the store gets overrun with water. Stuck in a small room with no air or escape routes, Ember’s fire evaporates Wade into vapor and out of existence.
Love brings him back, though. So, it is not a sad ending for these two elements after all. Wade encourages Ember to speak her mind to her father, even if it means disappointing him. One’s happiness and ambitions are more important than anything else in the world.
At the end of the movie, we get to see that Ember musters the courage to tell her father about her dreams and although disappointed at first, he comes to the realization that the truest form of love and support her can give his daughter is to let her follow her dreams. Ember, in the end, sets off to a different city to follow her dreams, and Wade supports her all the way through by tagging along with her.
A very sweet movie accompanied by excellent singing and lyrical craftsmanship by Lauv. “Steal The Show” really does live up to its name.
Let us hear what you think about the song in the comments below. Read the full lyrics to the song on Genius.
