NIGHTS LIKE THIS

"NIGHTS LIKE THIS" by The Kid LAROI is a raw and poignant exploration of loneliness and the intense yearning for deep emotional connection. The song's central theme revolves around the profound need for a partner who not only provides love but also understands and soothes one's soul on a fundamental level. LAROI expresses a desire for a love that is absolute and eternal, as illustrated by the opening lines, "Hold my hand until we turn to ashes / Love me 'til they put me in my casket". This isn't just a fleeting feeling; it's a plea for an unbreakable, lifelong bond. The lyrics convey a state of vulnerability, where the artist is tired of hiding his true feelings ("I got all these feelings that I'm maskin'") and is asking for a safe space to lay his emotions bare. The song captures the specific, sharp pain of loneliness that feels most acute during quiet, solitary nights, making the listener feel the weight of that solitude and the desperate hope for comfort and connection.

The song opens with a declaration of profound and enduring love, a desire for a connection that lasts until death, symbolized by turning to ashes and being placed in a casket. The narrator admits to hiding his true, intense feelings, questioning if he can finally be vulnerable and open up to his love interest. This sets a tone of deep emotionality and a longing for a love that transcends the physical realm.

A specific, cherished memory is recalled: sharing a kiss, fueled by red wine, in a house her parents had rented. The detail of this moment highlights its significance to him, and he seems bewildered that she could have forgotten something so important. This reminiscence underscores his current state of fixation; his thoughts are consumed by her and nothing else. He makes a direct plea for her to come over, confident that he can demonstrate the depth of his feelings in person, suggesting that words alone are insufficient to convey his emotions.

The chorus serves as the song's emotional core, repeatedly emphasizing that it is on nights like the present one that his need for her love becomes overwhelming. He craves more than just physical presence; he needs someone who can understand and 'heal his soul.' This refrain articulates a profound loneliness and a yearning for a deep, almost spiritual connection that can offer solace and completeness. The repetition of "Nights like, nights like this" accompanied by a soft, mournful "ooh-ooh" creates a haunting, cyclical feeling, as if these lonely nights are a recurring and inescapable part of his existence.

The bridge is minimalist, simply repeating the phrase "Nights like this" and the wordless vocalization. This stripped-back moment allows the emotional weight of the song to settle, serving as a quiet, introspective pause for both the artist and the listener. It amplifies the sense of solitude and the central theme of longing without the need for further lyrical explanation, letting the melancholic atmosphere speak for itself before returning to the climactic plea of the chorus.

"NIGHTS LIKE THIS" was released on November 10, 2023, as a track on The Kid LAROI's debut studio album, THE FIRST TIME. The song was written by The Kid LAROI (Charlton Howard) and Michael Volpe, who is professionally known as Clams Casino. Clams Casino, known for his work with artists like A$AP Rocky and Jhené Aiko, also handled the production. The collaboration came about after Clams Casino was connected with LAROI through a mutual collaborator, Billy Walsh. Though an initial studio session didn't yield immediate results, Clams Casino created the beat for "NIGHTS LIKE THIS" about a year and a half later, feeling it was a perfect fit for LAROI's style. He sent the demo to LAROI, who reportedly loved it instantly and recorded his vocals over the MP3 file within a day. The final track is said to be very close to this original demo. The song gained significant viral attention in 2024, leading to international chart success and was later included as the B-side to his June 2024 single, "Girls". A sequel, "NIGHTS LIKE THIS PT 2," was included on the deluxe version of the album.

"NIGHTS LIKE THIS" employs a relatively simple and direct rhyme scheme that enhances its lyrical sincerity. In the verse, the structure loosely follows AABB, with near rhymes like "ashes" and "casket," followed by "maskin'" and "askin'". This straightforward rhyming makes the lyrics feel conversational and earnest, as if they are a direct outpouring of thought. The rhythm of the lyrics is delivered in a fluid, almost stream-of-consciousness style that syncs with the slow, atmospheric trap beat. The Kid LAROI's vocal phrasing often lags slightly behind the beat, a common technique in emo rap and trap that adds to the song's laid-back yet melancholic feel. The tempo is slow, creating a contemplative and somber mood. The repetition of the chorus, "And it's nights like this when I need your love / When I need someone that'll heal my soul," acts as a rhythmic and thematic anchor, its steady, pleading rhythm contrasting with the more varied cadence of the verses. The minimal bridge, with its soft "ooh-ooh" vocalizations, provides a rhythmic pause, allowing the emotional weight of the song to resonate before the final chorus.

Musically, "NIGHTS LIKE THIS" is defined by its atmospheric and melancholic production, a signature of producer Clams Casino. The beat is often described as eerie, spacey, and ethereal, creating a soundscape that reflects the song's themes of loneliness and longing. The instrumentation features a unique organ sound and choir elements layered over a trap-influenced drum pattern, which gives the track its distinctive, haunting quality. At just 1 minute and 26 seconds, the song's brevity makes its emotional plea more impactful, leaving the listener wanting more. The Kid LAROI's vocal delivery is a key stylistic element. He employs an emo-rap style, blending melodic singing with a raw, emotionally charged tone that conveys deep vulnerability and desperation. His delivery feels intimate and unpolished, enhancing the lyrical themes of masking feelings and needing to be truly seen. The use of repetition in the chorus, with the phrase "nights like this," drills the central theme into the listener's mind, making it a memorable and haunting hook that captures the cyclical nature of his yearning.

Upon its release as part of the album THE FIRST TIME, "NIGHTS LIKE THIS" quickly became a standout track. It went viral on platforms like TikTok in 2024, which significantly boosted its popularity and led to strong international chart performance. The song charted in numerous countries, including Australia (peaking at 20), the UK (28), Canada (43), and the US Billboard Hot 100 (47). Its success demonstrates The Kid LAROI's ability to create emotionally resonant music that connects with a young, global audience. The track's moody, atmospheric vibe, combined with its vulnerable lyrics, fits perfectly within the contemporary emo rap and sad-trap soundscape. The song was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2024 ARIA Music Awards, cementing its critical and commercial success in LAROI's home country. Its popularity also led to its inclusion as a B-side for the 2024 single "Girls" and the creation of a sequel, "NIGHTS LIKE THIS PT 2," highlighting its significance within LAROI's discography.

The lyrics of "NIGHTS LIKE THIS" are rich with imagery and metaphors that deepen its emotional impact.

• Ashes and Caskets: The opening lines, "Hold my hand until we turn to ashes / Love me 'til they put me in my casket," use the finality of death as a metaphor for the eternal and all-encompassing love the narrator craves. It's not just about love in life, but a love that transcends mortality, highlighting the depth of his desire for permanence and security.
• Masking Feelings: The phrase "I got all these feelings that I'm maskin'" serves as a direct metaphor for emotional suppression. The 'mask' symbolizes the facade he maintains, hiding his vulnerability from the world, and his question, "Can I lay it on you?" is a plea to be allowed to remove this mask without judgment.
• Healing the Soul: The chorus's desire for "someone that'll heal my soul" elevates the need for connection beyond the physical or purely romantic. The 'soul' represents his innermost self, wounded by loneliness or past heartbreak. The love he seeks is presented as a form of spiritual or emotional medicine, the only thing that can make him whole again.
• Red Wine Kissing: The memory of "Red wine kissing" is a potent symbol of a past, perhaps more innocent and passionate, time in the relationship. The red wine itself can symbolize passion, intoxication, and a luxury of feeling that now seems distant, making the memory both sweet and painful.

The most significant recurring phrase in the song is the title itself, "nights like this." This phrase is the emotional and structural core of the track, appearing in the chorus and the bridge. Its repetition emphasizes the cyclical and persistent nature of the narrator's loneliness and longing. It suggests that this isn't a one-time feeling but a recurring state of emotional need that descends upon him during the quiet and solitude of nighttime. The simple, wordless "ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh" vocal motif that follows the main phrase in the chorus adds to the haunting and melancholic atmosphere. It functions as a sigh or a moan, a non-verbal expression of the deep sadness and yearning that words alone cannot fully capture. The concept of needing a love that can "heal my soul" is another crucial recurring idea, reinforcing that the desired connection is not superficial but deeply spiritual and restorative. This motif frames the relationship as a source of salvation from his inner turmoil.