Drew Barrymore

"Drew Barrymore" is a deeply introspective and vulnerable exploration of insecurity, self-worth, and the longing for genuine connection in the context of modern relationships. The song captures the feeling of being at a party yet feeling entirely alone, a scenario SZA uses to delve into themes of social anxiety and comparison. The lyrics are a raw confession of her deepest insecurities, touching upon her physical appearance, her demeanor, and her perceived shortcomings in a relationship. When she sings, "I'm sorry I'm not more attractive. I'm sorry I'm not more ladylike. I'm sorry I don't shave my legs at night," she is directly confronting societal expectations of women while expressing a painful sense of personal failure to meet them.

The recurring question, "Is it warm enough for ya inside me?" serves as the song's emotional core. It's a metaphorical plea for acceptance and validation, questioning whether her inner self is enough to be truly loved and cherished by her partner. The song delves into the difficult space of being aware of one's own self-destructive patterns—admitting "I get so lonely, I forget what I'm worth"—while still being unable to break free from them. It tackles the painful reality of settling for affection that may not be genuine out of a deep-seated fear of being alone. The title itself is a reference to the actress Drew Barrymore, whom SZA sees as a symbol of girls who are outcasts or 'oddballs' but are still deserving of love. SZA identified with Barrymore's characters in '90s films like 'Never Been Kissed' and 'Poison Ivy', seeing them as reflections of her own feelings of being awkward and different.

The narrative unfolds in the aftermath of a house party, where the lingering atmosphere of celebration clashes with a burgeoning sense of loneliness and inadequacy. The singer observes a romantic interest with a new companion, a woman who seems effortlessly perfect in her "mom jeans and her new Vans." This observation triggers a spiral of self-doubt and comparison. She questions her own worth, feeling overlooked and overshadowed. The scene is filled with the casual details of a get-together – calls for tacos, sparking a blunt, and starting a TV show marathon – but these elements of social connection only serve to highlight her internal sense of isolation.

The central, recurring question of the song is about warmth: "Is it warm enough for ya inside me?" This is a plea for emotional intimacy and acceptance, a desperate query to know if she is enough for her partner. It's a metaphor for genuine affection and validation, contrasting the coldness of her insecurity with the heat of true connection she craves. She lays her vulnerabilities bare, offering a series of apologies for not conforming to conventional standards of femininity. She's sorry for not being "more attractive," "more ladylike," and for not shaving her legs at night. These confessions are a powerful indictment of the societal pressures placed on women and her personal struggle to measure up.

This raw honesty intensifies as she admits, "I get so lonely, I forget what I'm worth," and even contemplates the need for therapy. It’s a moment of profound self-awareness, recognizing that her loneliness makes her susceptible to accepting treatment she doesn't deserve. She acknowledges a pattern of being clingy and difficult, born from this deep-seated insecurity. The song's bridge captures this painful dynamic perfectly, where she oscillates between apologizing for being "a lot" and questioning the authenticity of her partner's feelings. She asks if he truly wants to love her or just wants her for physical intimacy, highlighting the frustrating ambiguity of their relationship. The narrative is one of a person acutely aware of their own emotional turmoil and the unhealthy relationship patterns it perpetuates, yet feels trapped by a powerful need for companionship, even if it's flawed and painful.

"Drew Barrymore" was released on January 13, 2017, as the lead single from SZA's critically acclaimed debut studio album, Ctrl. The album marked a shift in SZA's songwriting, moving from more figurative lyrics to direct, raw expressions of her personal life and experiences. The creation of the song was handled by producers Carter Lang and Scum (also known as Tyran Donaldson), who are also credited as co-writers alongside SZA (Solána Rowe), Macie Stewart, and Terrence "Punch" Henderson, the head of her label, Top Dawg Entertainment.

The inspiration for the song's title and theme came from SZA's admiration for the actress Drew Barrymore. SZA saw parallels between her own feelings of being an outcast and the quirky, often misunderstood characters Barrymore portrayed in '90s films. In interviews, SZA explained that when she heard the guitar and bass line, she imagined a "very sad Drew Barrymore in a 90's movie." She felt Barrymore's characters, like Josie Geller in Never Been Kissed, represented awkward girls who ultimately find their way, which resonated deeply with her own experiences. SZA even wrote a long, heartfelt letter to Barrymore explaining how her movies shaped her, though it was never sent. The song was first previewed in a Ford Focus commercial starring SZA and Zoë Kravitz back in 2015. Drew Barrymore herself gave the song a seal of approval after SZA performed it on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and later made a cameo appearance in the official music video, which was directed by Dave Meyers and released in June 2017.

The rhyme and rhythm of "Drew Barrymore" contribute significantly to its conversational and emotionally fluid character. The song largely employs a free verse structure, avoiding a strict, predictable rhyme scheme. This allows the lyrics to feel more like a stream of consciousness or a diary entry rather than a formally constructed poem.

Where rhymes do occur, they are often slant or near rhymes (e.g., "friends" and "Vans," "blunt" and "one"), which maintains a natural, spoken-word quality. There is a more noticeable AABB rhyme scheme in parts of the second verse with lines like "I'm sorry I'm not more attractive / I'm sorry I'm not more ladylike" followed by "I'm sorry I don't shave my legs at night / I'm sorry I'm not your baby mama." This momentary structure emphasizes her list of apologies, making it a powerful point of lyrical focus.

Rhythmically, the song has a laid-back, late-night feel, driven by a steady but not overpowering drum beat and a melodic bass line. SZA's vocal delivery is rhythmically complex and syncopated, often weaving in and out of the main beat. This creates a dynamic tension between the lyrical flow and the instrumental backing, mirroring the emotional unrest she describes. The tempo is moderate, allowing space for the lyrics to breathe and for the listener to absorb the weight of her confessions. The interplay between her fluid vocal rhythm and the more structured instrumental groove is a key element of the song's alt-R&B style.

"Drew Barrymore" showcases a blend of literary and musical techniques that create its raw, diary-like feel.

Literary Techniques:

• Direct Address and Rhetorical Questions: SZA frequently uses direct address ("Is it warm enough for ya?") and rhetorical questions ("Do you really wanna love me down like you say you do?") to create a sense of immediate, personal conversation. This pulls the listener directly into her internal monologue and her confrontation with her partner, making the vulnerability feel palpable.
• Candid Confession: The lyrics eschew complex metaphors in favor of blunt, honest confessions. Lines like "I get so lonely, I forget what I'm worth" and "I'm so ashamed of myself, think I need therapy" are stylistically simple but emotionally powerful, contributing to the song's reputation for radical honesty.
• Juxtaposition: There's a stark contrast between the mundane party imagery ("Somebody get the tacos, somebody spark the blunt") and the profound emotional turmoil expressed in the lyrics. This juxtaposition highlights her feelings of alienation and the depth of her sadness even in a supposedly fun, social setting.

Musical Techniques:

• Instrumentation: The arrangement is built around a melancholic electric guitar, a prominent bass line, and live-sounding drums, giving it a soulful, organic feel. The introduction of string elements during the chorus adds a layer of sombre, cinematic emotion that complements the lyrical themes. The instrumentation is relatively sparse, allowing SZA's vocals to be the central focus.
• Vocal Delivery: SZA's vocal performance is dynamic and emotive. She shifts between a conversational, almost-mumbled delivery in the verses and a more powerful, pleading tone in the chorus. Her use of layered vocals and ad-libs creates a rich, textured sound that mirrors her chaotic internal state.
• Arrangement: The song follows a structure typical of R&B but with extended 16-bar choruses, giving more weight to the song's central emotional plea. Instruments fade in and out of the mix, creating space and emphasizing specific lyrical moments, a technique that enhances the song's narrative quality. The distorted instrumentals at the opening create a hazy, late-night atmosphere, setting the scene for introspection.

"Drew Barrymore" served as the lead single for SZA's debut album Ctrl, which became a landmark album of the 2010s, praised for its unfiltered honesty about modern womanhood, relationships, and insecurity. The song was instrumental in establishing SZA as a major voice in the alternative R&B scene, moving her from a rising artist to a critically acclaimed star. While the single itself did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100, the album Ctrl debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart.

The song's cultural impact lies in its raw vulnerability. It resonated deeply with a generation of young listeners, particularly women of color, who felt seen and heard in its candid discussion of mental health, self-worth, and societal pressures. The line "I get so lonely I forget what I'm worth" became an anthem for those grappling with similar feelings. The song helped to dismantle the "strong Black woman" trope by presenting a narrative of unfiltered fragility and the need for therapy.

The music video, directed by Dave Meyers and featuring a cameo by Drew Barrymore herself, further amplified the song's reach and cemented its connection to the actress. The song experienced a resurgence in popularity in later years due to its use in viral trends on the social media platform TikTok. SZA's public interactions with Drew Barrymore, including an emotional appearance on Barrymore's talk show, have continued to highlight the song's legacy and its message of finding strength in imperfection.

The song is rich with symbolism and metaphors that deepen its emotional impact.

• The Party: The party setting at the beginning of the song symbolizes a facade of social connection and happiness. While a party is meant to be a place of enjoyment and interaction, for SZA, it becomes a backdrop for isolation and insecurity, highlighting the painful contrast between her internal state and her external environment. The line "Why is it so hard to accept the party is over?" can be interpreted both literally and metaphorically, suggesting a reluctance to let go of a relationship or a phase in life, even when it's no longer fulfilling.
• Warmth: The central metaphor of the song is the repeated question about "warmth." This isn't about physical temperature but emotional intimacy, acceptance, and validation. When she asks, "Is it warm enough for ya inside me?", she is essentially asking if her soul, her personality, and her love are sufficient for her partner. It represents a deep yearning for a genuine, comforting connection that feels absent.
• Drew Barrymore: The actress's name is the song's primary symbol. SZA uses Drew Barrymore not just as a title, but as an emblem for a specific type of character: the lovable outcast, the quirky girl who is flawed and sometimes self-destructive but ultimately worthy of love. By invoking her name, SZA aligns herself with this archetype, expressing her own feelings of being different and insecure while simultaneously holding onto the hope of being accepted for who she is, just like Barrymore's characters in films like Never Been Kissed.

Several recurring phrases and motifs anchor the song's emotional narrative and thematic concerns.

• "Is it warm enough for ya?": This is the most significant recurring phrase in the song. It appears in the chorus and variations of it close out the track. Initially, it's posed as a dual question about the external temperature and her internal affection ("Is it warm enough for ya outside, baby, yeah / Is it warm enough for ya inside me, me, me, me?"). Its repetition transforms it into a desperate plea for validation and emotional security. It becomes a motif representing her core insecurity: the fear that she is not enough to provide the genuine emotional warmth and love her partner needs.
• The Series of Apologies: The repeated phrase "I'm sorry" in the second verse acts as a powerful motif of self-deprecation. She apologizes for not being "more attractive," "more ladylike," and for being "clingy." This litany of apologies highlights the immense pressure she feels to conform to an idealized version of a partner and her painful awareness of her perceived flaws. The repetition underscores the depth of her insecurity and the erosion of her self-worth.
• The End of the Party: The opening line, "Why is it so hard to accept the party is over?" sets a motif of denial and the difficulty of letting go. While it literally refers to the social gathering, it metaphorically points to the end of a relationship or the realization that a situation is not as perfect as one pretends. This idea of a party's end recurs implicitly through the song's lonely, after-hours atmosphere.