Cannons’ recent single “Starlight” is a playful plea for help. Initially, the track appears to be like any other lighthearted love song, with seemingly shallow lyrics and a catchy melody. However, like Cannons’ other songs, they introduce a more nuanced portrayal of love and loss. The upbeat drums and vocals mask the true meaning of the lyrics, but upon inspection, the lyrics reveal a deeper and more genuine subtlety to the song. Front woman Michelle Joy earnestly sings “Be my starlight / Promise that you’ll never let me down.”  

However, these lines do more than just reveal longing: They suggest a history of disappointment. After the chorus concludes, Joy continues to voice her anxiety, candidly singing “Life me up, don’t let me fall / Catch me when I’ve lost it all.” These vulnerable lyrics highlight Joy’s past relationship issues and expose her lingering fear of pain and betrayal. She longs for someone she can depend on, but keeps being let down by everyone around her. Because of this, instead of actively searching, Joy has simply begun to hope someone will appear to help her.

However, it later becomes apparent that Joy’s need for support is deeper than expected. She mentions how she needs to be rescued from the depths of her own sadness, singing “Catch me when I’ve lost it all/ in the dark be my light.” Despite the darkness of the lyrics, the engineering and production of the song initially conceal the song’s hidden melancholy core, drawing listeners in before they can dissect the somber truth of the track.