Indonesian artist NIKI reflects on her youth through the simple and acoustic  “Take A Chance With Me,” highlighting her bittersweet lyrics on falling in love with playful ukulele strums. Singing, “Heart intangible, slips away faster than dandelion fluff in the sunlight,” NIKI praises the person she secretly admires by comparing them to “dandelion fluff” in order to emphasize that they’re so special to the point of being out of her reach. While using one voice to idealize this person, she layers another in the chorus to mirror her clouded thoughts. Repeatedly chanting, “Why can’t we for once / Say what we want, what we feel,” NIKI illustrates the struggles of mustering up the courage to confess her feelings. She ends the song softly singing, “In the end we only regret the chances we didn’t take,” her quiet, remorseful voice silently urging listeners to learn from her mistake.

Known only by their stage name Egg, the singer-songwriter is best known for their unique musical covers, having only a handful of released original songs, including one of their most popular songs “sorry haha i fell asleep.” The single tells the whimsical fantasies and disillusionment of falling in love. Set in the texting phase with a crush, its lyrics flood with thoughts of overthinking and navigating the struggles of an online romance. Egg’s originals (and covers) are simplistic, usually accompanied by their ukulele or piano; “sorry haha i fell asleep” creates a tranquil ambiance with their gentle ukulele strumming, bringing out the vulnerability of raw and desperate romantic feelings. It’s perfect to desperately fall in love.

Artist Kip Moore first released “Young Love” in 2013. Described to be an us-against-the-world type of song, Moore describes a series of rebellious acts performed in the name of love. Though the song largely describes “Young Love,” the themes of the song are similar to those of a first love, mainly centering around the immaturity and pureness of the first love due to inexperience. Aside from the lyrics, Moore sings in a raspy tone, providing a mature voice that allows listeners to feel a reminiscent mood, like a mature adult reflecting back on their young love.

“Drowning,” released in 2001 by the popular ‘90s boy band the Backstreet Boys, is a perfect, slow love song to describe the honeymoon phase. The honeymoon phase exemplifies the head-over-heels love that a couple has, and “Drowning” captures its essence. The song also includes transcendent drum beats which crescend at the end, portraying the growing romantic feelings in this phase. The lyrics “Every time I breathe, I take you in / And my heart beats again / Baby I can’t help it / You keep me drowning in your love” showcase this intoxication of love that is representative of a couple’s relationship at this stage. The boy band also sings in a tone filled with desire and passion, allowing the listeners to experience the feeling of sparks and butterflies in your stomach when love-struck.

Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey’s “Lovesick” is a melancholic interlude to her enchanting second full-length album “Bewitched.” In the track, she pines after a lover who is slowly slipping away. Beautiful orchestral melodies carry the poignant feelings of disillusionment in a relationship, as Laufey sings “Getting twisted in my head / Dreams are nightmares in my bed / Since the last night that I spent with you.” While the melody of the chorus is reminiscent of an enthralling fairytale romance, the mournful lyrics demonstrate the painful reality of falling out of love. With this clever contrast, Laufey is able to effortlessly convey bittersweet emotions: the blissful dream that is love, and the disappointing sense of reality that sets in when you open your eyes.

After disillusionment, the unfortunate event of heartbreak follows, a vexing but numbing emotion that is perfectly captured in Dominic Fike’s “Wurli,” the 13th track on his 2020 album “What Could Possibly Go Wrong.” The song combines transcendent synths, catchy beats and hypnotic vocals to express the pain and pique that comes with a confused heart. In the track, Fike explains what it’s like to be in a toxic, controlling relationship and to no longer be in love. Along with the invigorating flow of the song, its repetitive lyrics put the listener in a trance, mimicking the mindless emotion of being controlled by someone you love. One line in particular stands out: “I’m a glorified doorstop,” conveying the realization of being taken advantage of and a broken heart. The song eventually finishes off with the melody ebbing back and forth while getting gradually louder, ending the song with a growing doubt of “what’s next?”

After break up and heartbreak comes jealousy and longing, two emotions perfectly encapsulated in Phoneboy’s track “Nevermind,” featuring the dynamic vocals of Jason Magnaye. With its upbeat yet bittersweet vibes, this song delves into the rollercoaster of post-breakup feelings hidden under a veneer of positivity. It portrays two lovers caught in a cycle of desire and exasperation, unable to resist the attraction that pulls them back together despite their clear disdain for each other. Through its aggressive drum beats and resounding guitar chords, “Nevermind” establishes an infectious pulsing melody that balances both angst and listlessness and captures the cyclical nature of the story. Layered on top of Phoneboy’s strong rhythm are Magnaye’s equally catchy lyrics like “I pulled the trigger / And hit your line” or “And I know you’ll never be mine / The cycle callin’ my line,” which create a deceptively upbeat song perfect for listeners looking for a post-breakup love song.

In his single “In Two,” Will Paquin accepts his ultimate incompatibility with his lover as he overcomes the debilitating experience of cutting ties. Drowning the listener immediately with a rushing barricade of acoustic staccato, Paquin immerses the listeners in the overwhelming scene of his thoughts. Recognizing the imbalance in his relationship, he reflects, “Is this even a game / If in the end I let you kill me?” Though detaching from his partner is as painful as severing himself in half, he accepts that his devotion to them is just as self-sacrificial, realizing that he was “never meant to be by [their] side.” The song leads us into a messy, butchering crescendo; as he sings, “I cannot escape from the sight of you / Half of me is half of you,” the song fills with yelling voices and crashing percussion. In a concluding acceptance, Paquin abruptly severs off the musical chaos in the last line, rerouting our focus to his own, now soft, voice — a gentle surrender: “I’ll have to cut myself in two.”