3:15 (Breathe)

"3:15 (Breathe)" is a poignant exploration of a dysfunctional and emotionally charged relationship, delving into themes of vulnerability, fear of intimacy, and self-sabotage. The song portrays a toxic cycle where both partners contribute to the turmoil. Russ's verses highlight a communication breakdown, where arguments escalate because of an unwillingness to admit fault. He sees himself as a guide for his partner but is met with defensiveness.

The time "3:15" symbolizes the witching hour of anxiety and overthinking, a time when emotional guards are down and unspoken feelings surface. The recurring line, "I'm not in love, it's just a game we do," serves as a defense mechanism against getting hurt. It reflects a conscious attempt to downplay deep feelings to maintain a sense of control. However, the sleeplessness and obsessive thoughts reveal the truth: a deep, albeit tumultuous, connection.

Russ's second verse is a confession of his own commitment issues, rooted in a fear of abandonment. He admits to pushing loved ones away as a preemptive strike against potential pain. This reveals the song's central paradox: a simultaneous desire for and fear of deep emotional connection. The lyrics "I keep my walls up, if you want me, then you better start to climb" encapsulate this challenge, placing the onus on his partner to prove her sincerity. Ultimately, the song is a raw depiction of how past trauma and fear can prevent individuals from achieving the healthy, stable love they crave, trapping them in a cycle of conflict and emotional breathlessness.

The song unfolds as a raw, introspective dialogue set against the backdrop of a volatile romantic relationship. The narrative begins with the male protagonist, voiced by Russ, expressing his frustration and earnest desire to guide his partner toward self-awareness and growth. He feels he has illuminated truths for her that she wouldn't have otherwise seen, positioning himself as a unique and invaluable presence in her life. However, this dynamic is fraught with conflict. He confronts her inability to admit her own flaws, which consistently escalates disagreements into heated arguments, often culminating in her storming out in the middle of the night.

The chorus, carried by the sampled, ethereal vocals of Ina Wroldsen, shifts the perspective to an internal monologue of confusion and emotional denial. The time, a quarter after three in the morning, signifies a moment of sleepless introspection and obsession. The lyrics convey a struggle with commitment, repeating the mantra, "I'm not in love, it's just a game we do," as a defense mechanism against deeper feelings. Despite telling herself she isn't deeply invested, the person is consumed by thoughts of her partner, unable to escape the mental hold they have, symbolized by the recurring word, "breathe."

In the second verse, Russ delves into his own psychological barriers and patterns of self-sabotage. He questions his own behavior, wondering why he instinctively pushes people away whenever they get too close. This reveals a profound fear of abandonment; he preemptively wants to leave before he can be left. It's a defense mechanism born from a fear of needing someone before they admit they need him. He describes his heart as belonging to his partner but keeps his emotional walls high, challenging her to break through them if she truly wants him. He expresses a cynical view on love, noting that women who claim to love him are common, but those who genuinely mean it are rare. He holds onto a sliver of hope that she is the latter, pleading with her not to prove him wrong.

The song's conclusion circles back to the core conflict. The feeling of being unable to breathe represents the suffocating nature of their toxic dynamic. The relationship is a spell that needs to be broken, yet there's an unwillingness to let go. This push-and-pull, this game of emotional chicken, leaves both parties in a state of anxious paralysis, questioning each other's motives and fearing manipulation while being inextricably drawn to one another.

"3:15 (Breathe)" was released as a single on May 21, 2021. The song was written and produced entirely by Russ himself, showcasing his capabilities as an independent artist. A key element of the track's creation is its prominent sample. Russ built the beat around the vocals from the song "Breathe" by British DJ Jax Jones, which features Norwegian singer Ina Wroldsen. In a TikTok video, Russ shared the story of how he discovered the sample while eating at a Turkish restaurant. The song came on over the speakers, and he was inspired to use it. He took the sample, sped it up, pitched it up, and used a filter plug-in to give it an "underwater" feel, creating the song's signature atmospheric and somber instrumental. The official music video was released later, on September 30, 2021, and was co-directed by Edgar Esteves and Joshua Valle.

The rhyme and rhythm in "3:15 (Breathe)" are crafted to support its conversational and introspective tone. Russ employs a relatively straightforward, yet effective, rhyme scheme in his verses, often using couplets (AABB) and near rhymes to maintain a natural, flowing narrative. For instance, in the first verse, he rhymes "grow" with "show" and "know," and later "flaws" with "wrong." This simple structure makes the lyrics feel direct and personal, like a candid conversation or internal monologue.

The rhythm of the lyrical delivery is key. Russ's flow is relaxed and paced in a way that mirrors speech, avoiding complex rhythmic patterns in favor of clarity and emotional emphasis. This contrasts with the rhythmic, hypnotic repetition of the sampled chorus, "Dum-dum-da-da-da-da," which creates an urgent, almost heartbeat-like pulse beneath the song's otherwise somber mood. The tempo is slow, contributing to the late-night, reflective atmosphere of the track. The interplay between the steady, conversational rhythm of the verses and the catchy, looping rhythm of the chorus creates the song's signature push-and-pull dynamic, mirroring the emotional tug-of-war described in the lyrics.

"3:15 (Breathe)" effectively blends musical and literary techniques to create its emotional depth.

• Sampling: The most prominent musical technique is the use of a sample from Jax Jones's "Breathe." Russ manipulates the pitch and speed of Ina Wroldsen's vocal, giving it an ethereal, haunting quality that serves as the song's emotional core and chorus. This creates a powerful juxtaposition with his direct, conversational rap verses.
• Narrative Voice: The song uses two distinct narrative voices. Russ's verses are grounded, direct, and confrontational, presenting his side of the conflict and his internal struggles. The sampled chorus, sung by Wroldsen, provides a contrasting, more atmospheric and introspective voice, representing a universal feeling of romantic confusion and denial.
• Rhetorical Questions: Russ employs rhetorical questions to explore his own self-sabotaging behavior, such as, "How come when I love somebody, part of me don't wanna stay?" This technique enhances the song's introspective quality, making it feel like a genuine self-analysis.
• Vocal Delivery: Russ's delivery is characteristically clear and direct, with a conversational flow that makes the lyrical content feel personal and authentic. The delivery is somber and matches the melancholic production, emphasizing the seriousness of the emotional conflict.
• Production: The production, handled by Russ himself, is minimalist and atmospheric. It features a mellow beat with subtle percussion, which allows the manipulated vocal sample and Russ's lyrics to remain the central focus, enhancing the song's intimate and reflective mood.

Since its release in 2021, "3:15 (Breathe)" has become a fan favorite and one of Russ's standout tracks, demonstrating significant cultural resonance, particularly online. While not a chart-topping hit in the traditional sense, its impact is evident in its streaming numbers and social media presence. The official music video has garnered over 30 million views on YouTube as of early 2024.

The song's raw and relatable exploration of modern relationship anxieties, fear of commitment, and self-sabotage has struck a chord with a large audience. It has found a second life on platforms like TikTok, where the audio is frequently used in videos that explore themes of love, heartbreak, and emotional vulnerability. Many users have created their own "open verse" challenges and remixes, adding their own personal stories to the song's narrative. Russ himself has engaged with this trend, acknowledging the song's status as a fan favorite and even sharing how he created the beat. The song's introspective nature has also led to discussions about attachment styles, particularly avoidant attachment, with therapists and users on social media using the lyrics as a case study. Its success further solidified Russ's reputation as an artist capable of producing emotionally complex and self-aware music independently.

The song employs several powerful symbols and metaphors to convey its themes of emotional turmoil and romantic conflict.

• 3:15 AM: The time itself is a central symbol, representing a moment of heightened vulnerability, anxiety, and introspection when the world is quiet and internal conflicts feel loudest. It's a time of sleeplessness caused by obsessive thoughts about the relationship.
• Breathe / Breathlessness: The act of breathing and the feeling of being unable to breathe serve as a primary metaphor for the state of the relationship. In moments of calm, the chorus is a reminder to just "breathe," but as the emotional intensity rises, the lyrics shift to "now it's hard to breathe," symbolizing the suffocating and overwhelming nature of their conflicts and anxieties.
• Emotional Walls: Russ uses the common metaphor of having "walls up" to describe his emotional guardedness. The line "if you want me, then you better start to climb" literalizes this metaphor, turning the act of getting close to him into an arduous task, a test of his partner's dedication and strength.
• A Game: The repeated phrase "it's just a game we do" is a metaphor for their relationship dynamic. It suggests a conscious, perhaps defensive, framing of their interactions, implying strategy and a lack of sincere emotional investment. However, the context reveals this is a facade to protect themselves from the potential pain of what is clearly not just a game.

Several recurring phrases and motifs are central to the structure and meaning of "3:15 (Breathe)":

• "Breathe": This single word is the most significant motif. It appears in the title and is repeated in the chorus. Initially, it seems like a command to stay calm, but as the song progresses, it represents the very thing that becomes difficult, symbolizing the suffocating pressure of the relationship.
• "I'm not in love, it's just a game we do": This phrase, repeated in the chorus, is a crucial lyrical motif that encapsulates the theme of emotional denial. It's a mantra used by the narrator to convince themselves their deep feelings are not real, a defense mechanism against vulnerability and potential heartbreak.
• "It's quarter after three": This recurring line anchors the song in a specific, symbolic time. 3:15 AM is portrayed as a time of intense introspection, anxiety, and sleeplessness, when the emotional weight of the relationship becomes inescapable.
• "Dum-dum-da-da-da-da": This non-lexical refrain serves as a musical motif that creates a sense of urgency and emotional intensity. Its repetition mirrors the racing, obsessive thoughts one might have in the middle of the night, contributing to the song's feeling of internal turmoil.