The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Interlude III" by the artist "Tessa Violet"

In Interlude III, Tessa Violet paints a poignant picture of profound existential angst and loneliness, often experienced after a painful breakup.

The song opens with the protagonist waking up to a feeling of alienation, realizing that even she doesn't fully understand herself. This sentiment is emphasized by the repetition of the line "nobody really knows me" at the beginning and end of the song, creating a sense of isolation and despair.

The heartbreak she sings about has left a deep wound. She "traded [him] for a broken heart" and now, left alone, fears she has nothing left. She craves new experiences, something to fill the void, but all her attempts to find solace prove futile.

The lyrical "I" hides her true feelings behind a "smile mode," projecting an image of normalcy to the outside world. She convinces everyone that she's "working on herself," while in reality, she's torn apart by pain and loneliness. The fear of being hurt again prevents her from opening up to someone new. She's afraid to trust, afraid to hope, so she prepares for the worst.

The recurring line "God, I wanna feel something new, something I can hold onto" reflects her desperate yearning to break free from the shackles of pain and solitude. She craves change but remains stuck in the past, clinging to memories that prevent her from moving on.

The elongated "a-a-a-a" and "mmm" that conclude the song underscore the depth of her despair and hopelessness. They create a sense of incompleteness, as if the protagonist is frozen in her grief, unable to see a way out of her current situation.