When I first saw that I would be reviewing “The Dealer,” I remember wondering what was being dealt in the song. Would it be cards? Cars? Drugs? Plot twist – it’s a wake-up call. Nilüfer Yanya is dealing an ice-cold glass of honesty and self-reflection.
Initially, I didn’t know what to expect from this song. I can usually feel the vibe within the first few seconds, but with this one, it felt a little more ambiguous. It starts off with an inviting drum beat and accompanying guitar which felt pretty encouraging to me. Then, we get the first line:
It’s been weighing on my mind, oh
Immediately, the vibe of the song shifts. We know now that something is troubling the artist, and that this song is an outlet to express it. However, the melody itself is still pretty upbeat. As the song goes on, the lyrics and melody continue to bounce off one another, and you realize “The Dealer” is what you make of it. It can be a somber experience that highlights the problems you see within yourself, or it can be a friendly reminder that you have some soul-searching to do along with everyone else who hears it. The song is beautifully written to convey the feeling of needing peace and clarity within oneself before trying to please other people.
I need some time to work out who this is / I need to know now who I’m dealing with
Here we see the ultimate self-awareness. It takes a lot of discipline to willingly admit that you need to work on yourself. Since our society places a great deal of importance on knowing oneself, many people aren’t willing to come out and say that they still have things to figure out. “The Dealer” is powerful in that the speaker calls themselves out unapologetically. This opens the door for listeners to do the same. It normalizes the idea of looking at yourself and admitting that you might be the problem.
Patience, there she goes / Cadence set in stone
This line is repeated a few times, and I took it to mean that the speaker is stuck in their ways, at least for the time being. The recipient of this message is going to have to be patient and wait for the speaker to work themselves out. Sprinkling this throughout the piece feels like a sort of break. It’s a chance to think about everything you’ve heard and remind yourself to be patient — not only with yourself, but with those around you struggling with their own internal battles.
Although the subject matter may be triggering, Yanya gives the song its chill with her unique vocals. Although she speaks softly in “The Dealer,” every word is spoken with power and intention. All of the elements — her voice, the melody, the lyrics — add something different to the song and give it the balance it needs to be a hit.
