Melanie Martinez is a singer-songwriter who rose to fame after appearing on the third season of the competition show The Voice in 2012. She is known for her distinctive style and persona, characterized by pastel colors, childlike imagery, and a dark, often unsettling aesthetic. Her debut album, Cry Baby, released in 2015, is a concept album that tells the story of a character named Cry Baby, a fantasy version of Martinez when she was a very young child. She represents the messed-up and vulnerable aspects of Martinez' own personality.
On her second album, K-12, Martinez brought us up to speed with her Cry Baby alter-ego. We see her dealing with all sorts of jerks and sketchy teachers in a candy-colored world.
With "Death," Melanie Martinez bids farewell to her Cry Baby persona and formally declares that she is "back from the dead." The track sees the star embracing a rebirth and an electronic, synth-driven sound.
"Death" is the lead single from Martinez' third album, Portals. And if you're into sci-fi and fantasy stuff, you know that portals are magical or technological doorways that can transport you to other dimensions, worlds, or times. Martinez says the album is all about how life and death are basically the same thing. "Death" really hammers that point home with its dramatic, five-minute art-pop sound.
"Death" takes us on a journey into the afterlife, where the ghost of Crybaby has returned from the dead and is trying to reconnect with the living. But even though those left behind try to bring the spirit back, the barriers are too strong to overcome.
Your words mean nothin', so take 'em back
And meet me here across the plane
The other side, I'm not far
The spirit is not happy that everyone thinks she's dead. She's still around, trying to send signals like ghosts do, but every time she tries to reach out, people freak out and run away in fear. It's like, c'mon guys, she's just trying to communicate!
The verses have a slow and sultry guitar-based sound that perfectly capture the spirit's struggle to connect with the living. But the chorus is where things really explode, as the drums go off and the catchy hook, "Back from the dead," reminds us that death is not the end. With its full-on rock vibes, it no longer sounds like we're at a funeral.
Back from the dead, back from the dead
I'm back from the dead, back from the dead
The pre-chorus really tugs at your heartstrings, with the spirit longing to be close to the people they left behind and feeling the weight of death on their shoulders.
When you aren't around, I sink into the ground
I try to pretend I'm closer to you
Never understand it
You're always on my mind, I cannot help it
The personification of death itself as a source of closure gives us hope that death is not something to be afraid of, but rather a necessary part of life.
I don't wanna be carryin' the weight on my shoulders
Death has come to me, kissed me on the cheek, gave me closure
Immortal by design
I'll be meetin' you here every time
The bridge and the final chorus bring the song to a hopeful conclusion, reminding us that death is inevitable, but we shouldn't worry because it's all part of the plan. We'll all die one day, but the spirit has returned to remind us that death is not the end, and that we'll be reunited with our loved ones in the afterlife.
When "Death" debuted at #95 on the Hot 100, it was the first time since 2012, when Martinez was on The Voice, that she appeared on the chart.
