>> in honor of Pride Month, let's talk about a theme that's heavily present in Stray Kids' earlier discography: the questioning of one's true identity, and the search for it. their mini album trilogies are centered around it, and talk of a path to self-discovery and acceptance.

in their I Am trilogy they question themselves on who they really are, fighting against what they were always told to be and finding what exactly makes them who they are. their Clè trilogy is focused on overcoming doubts and hardships to actually, and confidently, be themselves.

let's take two songs that sit at the polar opposites of said pair of trilogies – Awaken, from their debut album I Am Not; Levanter, from their sixth album Clè: Levanter; and I Am YOU, from its eponymous third album, sitting right between them.

Awaken is the questioning, the pain, the anger that comes with suddenly not being certain of who you are anymore: it's dark, melancholic yet energetic – and the lyrics are extremely telling. who was i for all this time? i am me, so what's the problem?

Levanter is the realization, the end of a process: i am finally free of whatever was holding me back, i know my worth, i know who i am. it's much lighter both musically and lyrically, portraying a new beginning. i wanna be myself, even if it's still strange.

but there's a middle step between those two phases, an epiphany: I Am YOU. it's the acceptance, the first contact with our true selves, the willingness to embrace our identity. you shined on me when i didn't even know myself: no one can replace you, i am you.

and it's interesting to see how their most recent mini album, ODDINARY, tackles this topic once again, but in a much more confident light. MANIAC is a bright, bold hymn to embracing your true self, inviting you not to hide anymore, to be free and proud of your identity.

of course these four songs can have other meanings too, they can be seen in different lights and contexts – but that's exactly the beauty of most of Stray Kids' lyrics: their ability to be molded in many ways to achieve various meanings, making them as universal as possible.

but among the multitude of significances their songs can have, very strong is their queer connotation. many of their tracks talk of themes and concepts that are very dear to LGBTQ+ communities, all while being gender neutral and extremely open in the way they're written.

Stray Kids know that their audience is wide and varied, and they consciously choose to make their lyrics as "open" as possible; but their themes are also extremely multifaceted and universal, comforting and identifiable – making their music a safe haven for their queer fans.

after all, it's no news how they've always encouraged us to be ourselves: there's no rush, you don't have to prove anything to anyone – but you should never be afraid of who you are. their mindset reflects in their music – feeling like a big, warm hug.

link to the screenshotted CuriousCat: https://curiouscat.me/mazeofmelodies/post/1247535674

link to Levanter analysis: https://twitter.com/mazeofmelodies/status/1399418609991094279?t=MOInJIEeHzIoKzc3rj22yw&s=19

link to MANIAC analysis: https://twitter.com/mazeofmelodies/status/1508474054164025352?t=MOInJIEeHzIoKzc3rj22yw&s=19