“Dear baby,” by PIAO Is Simultaneously a Nostalgic Reflection of Self and Hope for the Future
Written by Erin Norton
Recognized by legend T-Pain himself and signed to his record label, Chinese-Canadian superstar PIAO is a force to be reckoned with. The Berklee alum has just released her newest single, and it is inducing an incredibly intense state of nostalgia. Songs about womanhood, childhood, and motherhood really get me going—in the reminiscent, melancholic sense. After my first listen of“ Dear baby,” I initially believed the track to be about embracing one’s younger self. However, the more I replayed the song, I began to imagine my own life on a timeline: childhood, young adolescence, and adulthood. Where I stand now, I’m not too far away from the age some people would consider becoming a parent at. While this is not personally in the cards for me, it’s still poignant to imagine how much having a little one would bring me closer to myself. This is also the other side of the song: motherhood. In her latest single PIAO, with a serene flair, conveys the symbiotic relationship between motherhood and girlhood.
“PIAO, with a serene flair, conveys the symbiotic relationship between motherhood and girlhood.”
This song is packed full of breathy and harmonious vocals akin to icons Caroline Polachek and Weyes Blood, with engineering as smooth as oklou and snafu. The lyrics remind me somewhat of Lizzy McAlpine’s songwriting, whose songs mainly take place in retrospect.“ Dear baby,” calls out to a girl who could either be PIAO’s past self, or a future child. She pleads for a connection or simply a thread to hold on to in order to stay connected to this child.
“I’m staring at a girl, a shadow / My enemy is time.”
“I’m the closest that I’ve ever been to you.”
This line hits hard for the girls who were forced into adulthood too young. In the midst of our forced growth, we yarn to find the smaller versions of ourselves, buried deep within our souls. I felt myself swooning over this lyric as PIAO sang it in a gorgeous sweeping scale. I allowed myself to get swept away in the simultaneous reflection and future ideation.
“Doe eyes, thick thighs, I see resemblance / Bug bites, due time, I hope to love you right.”
My favorite lyric. This is such a nuanced image of what childhood looks like. This is not just connecting with an inner child, it is embracing her in all of her iterations. It’s a prayer for motherhood and girlhood at the same time.
PIAO is destined for great things, and“ Dear baby,” will absolutely go down as a staple in her discography.
