"Sepia" is the fourth track on Melanie Martinez's scrapped album, Stranger. The full song leaked onto SoundCloud and Youtube in mid 2017 but was quickly deleted by UMG.
Theme[]
The song is about Melanie really wanting to become a tattoo artist until she auditions for The Voice which changed her life completely. She felt forced to pursue music and thus feeling bad about herself for not pursuing tattoo artistry. She feels as if her future was set in black and white, or in this case, sepia.
Lyrics[]
[Intro]
Each of us chooses the tone for telling his or her own story
But how can we choose the tone without knowing anything about ourselves?
[Verse]
Sitting here at home all alone
Doodling on a notebook and my brain starts to roam
I'm losing myself and my friends all know
They're telling me to sing and to just get up and go
Go to a, to a studio
[Verse]
Sitting here at home all anxious
Trying to get my emotions on a canvas
They keep telling me to hit those notes
And to sail away onto a boat
For a symphony, a symphony
[Chorus]
Is this my correct tone
Something doesn't bode, so well
Is this the right shade
Should I hit the brakes, should I?
Sepia
[Verse]
Strumming on a stage and I feel sick
Feels extremely toxic
Wish I was at home drawing away
Feel like doing this is some foul play
Feeling trapped, very trapped.
[Chorus]
Is this my correct tone
Something doesn't bode, so well
Is this the right shade
Should I hit the brakes, should I?
Sepia
[Bridge]
Each of us chooses the tone for telling his or her own story
But how can we choose the tone without knowing anything about ourselves?
With me being forced to create a ballad or two
I can't help but feel oh so blue
[Chorus]
Is this my correct tone
Something doesn't bode, so well
Is this the right shade
Should I hit the brakes, should I?
Sepia
Sepia
Sepia