Mykki Blanco brings together two amazing talents for this blended pop hit. Mix the passion of Diana Gordon and the natural storyteller tendencies of Sam Buck and you have a thought-provoking masterpiece that elicits many different emotions. You’ll feel indignant, downcast, wishful, rebellious, and thoughtful all within four and a half minutes.
The production of the track is just gorgeous. Blanco keeps the melody light, but so are the vocals. However, the sounds complement each other perfectly as neither of these elements drowns out the other. We are able to pay full attention to the story he intends to tell with few distractions.
‘“Your Love Was a Gift” is for me. If not the most honest, it’s the most beautiful song I’ve ever written,” Blanco said of the track. “The idea for the song comes from my own wins and losses in the game of love and it’s a story of coming of age as much as coming to terms in adulthood with feeling unloved, yearning to be loved and yearning to be understood.” We see this struggle play out in the lyrics.
“I’m not a secret, don’t keep me / Locked away / I’m worthy of love, don’t you feel that / Don’t you feel that way?
The track starts off with the artist facing a conflict: they are struggling with their sense of self worth. In these lines, it feels like she is trying to convince herself that she is worthy, rather than trying to convince the person she is addressing. She is having doubts due to the way she is being treated: like she is someone that people aren’t supposed to know about. She wants to feel seen and she is seeking validation from this person, but she must search within.
Diana Gordon exhibits her vocal range throughout her verse. She starts off singing gently, but mid-chorus she switches gears to a controlled scream. It isn’t unbearably loud or uncomfortable, but it’s clearly coming from the depths of her soul.
Sugar in my grits, water in my whiskey / Keep a bottle in my pocket when your ass is actin’ fishy
I absolutely loved the change of pace between Gordon and Buck’s verses; it is what makes the song so unique. I would not have expected artists with such different sounds to transition so well, but this song surprised me. I also wasn’t expecting the half rap half singing combo from Sam Buck. It gave the song a quirky feel leading into the outro.
Rather than questioning things, Buck uses his verse to build his confidence and remind the listener that he will be okay regardless of what happens.
And I wonder if you wonder about me now? / And would you love me if nobody else was around? / And would you need me the same? / Would you need me?
The song ends with a few difficult questions, showing the vulnerable side of Buck that we didn’t see earlier. Buck also adopts Gordon’s style and sings the outro, allowing the song to fade out with his voice. I thought it was a beautiful way to wrap up the track and come full circle with the vibe.
