What does 'Starboy' by The Weeknd ft Daft Punk mean? | Song Lyric Meanings

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Pop Song Professor Clifford Stumme explains the new song "Starboy" by The Weeknd and ft. Daft Punk. The song is typical of The Weeknd, both in lyrics and in musical style. Particularly for this podcast, The Weeknd seems to be revisiting a theme from "The Hills" when he hints at the emptiness of the celebrity life.

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[NIIVES]

I think the lyrics is him talking to his old self. You can see in the musicvideo he kills his old self. So first he starts bragging about the most superficial things, using every cliche of bitches, drugs and money there is to use. Therefore sculpting the impression that he's nothing but a egocentrical celebrity living a fabulous lifestyle. And in the chorus, the lyrics turn around by saying "Look what you've done.", giving the impression he blames someone else for his behaviour.

What I believe is, he's not saying that to the fans or anyone at all but to his old self. The old mini-Weeknd who made songs in his bedroom dreaming of becoming big and famous. He's saying like "Look what you've done, old-me. I've achieved everything you ever wanted and ever dreamed of. I made your whole-year salary in about a week. I get bitches way out of your league and snort coke all day. But as much as I've become a titan as a musician, I've become an empty shell and a mere shadow of you as a human being. I'm a motherfucking starboy."

He says 'starboy' as if it's a term he once used to describe or mock superficial celebrities, but now that he has become one it gets kinda ironic, hence the use of 'motherfucking.'

[jlann]

You forgot to mention the visual symbolism in the music video. how he kills himself and comes forth with a new hair cut symbolizing change and rebirth. Also how he destroys his possessions in the house with a lit up cross and burns his closet - good destroying evil and maybe even baptism by fire. Then when the cat walks with him to the car and changes into a Jaguar us a throw back to Michael Jackson video symbolizing confidence strength and valor and the ability to face ones enemies. Then they drive off away from his house and possessions.

[beatmasternew]

I'm soooo happy to have found someone out there who analyzes songs like this. Thanks Pop Song Professor! I actually came here from your blog post on this song, and I just wanted to say that I agree with your interpretation. I would add also as well that The Weeknd seems to have a fascination with "the fall", referring to not only his successes in the fall, but his descent towards corruption or his 'fallen state', or even his older song "The Fall". There's actually a lot going on in a lot of his songs if you listen closely enough. Keep it up, seems like your fanbase is only growing from here :)

[cora]

I feel like he's talking to the record company when he says "look what you've done"

[juanreales]

I realy love the way you undetstand lirycs, i'ts so deep ... congrats

[melissabledsoe]

Thanks! I love the beat and crank it up when I'm driving around with the top down, but wanted to make sure he wasn't saying anything too crazy.

[justsaybobby]

Don't forget the laughing in the chorus before the lines "look what youve done." We could argue that he is literally laughing at his audience because they made him into what he is.

[mrbluesky]

The "Starboy" album gonna have 18 songs in it
im hype af

[mohdalif]

I think his fame is distroying his religion and that's why he is distroying all of his stuff with a cross or "look what you've done" is him talking to the devil and he wants to get back to normal and that's why he destroy all of his stuff using a cross and I think the black cat is the devil in disguise following him in his car trying to get out of that live

[victoriafranco]

Yo dude he gave his soul to the devil so that why he is famous and in starboy he destroys his trophy’s and all that cause the devil helped him

[doNoHarmtowardabetterworld]

Really helpful video -- thanks. A lot of it rings true. Some of the comments do, too. Great to have this as a resource!

[ThePopSongProfessor]

Hey, everyone! Don't forget to comment a song you'd like to hear me explain! Let's go deep together! Oh, and comment your own theories about "Starboy" too. And read what others have said! The Song Meaning Community is alive and well!

[Wodz]

Here is an actual explanation of the lyrics since so much was missed in this video

In the first verse, he is talking to his younger self, that is made evident by the music video. In the video he kills his "old" self and takes over. This first verse is directly targeted at himself in the past

I'm tryna put you in the worst mood, ah - he is trying to make his "former self" jealous by what he has become

P1 cleaner than your church shoes, ah - referencing a McLaren P1 and "cleaner" infers the car specification is "on point"

Milli point two just to hurt you, ah - He spent 1.2 million USD on the car but this line is saying "I bought it just because I can"


None of these toys on lease too, ah - Most high-end cars are leased. Even the richest people and celebrities will typically lease or finance a car. They can clearly afford the car but this makes it easier for turn-around. Let's say you currently have a 2018 Rolls Royce on lease and you want to get into the 2021 Rolls Royce. Being on lease means the dealer is going to give you a better dealer to "swap" into the new car and adjust for the difference. This works with financing as well. You can sell the car at a good value, pay the remaining owed balance to the bank and then purchase a new car from the dealer. This is especially good when the dealer is the one offering the financing. People that work at dealers like Mercedes will commonly use this practice to keep switching into different cars. However, in this specific lyric he is implying that most people lease a car because they cannot afford to purchase the car outright.

Made your whole year in a week too, yah - Remember that he is speaking to his younger self and looking down on him

Main bitch out your league too, ah - This is how you know he is speaking to a male and not his audience or an ex-girlfriend. He is saying that his main girl is out of another mans league. His current girl is too good for his former self

Side bitch out of your league too, ah - In fact, even his girl on the side is out of "your" league, his younger self


Chorus

House so empty, need a centerpiece - This is an important lyric as he references his main girl as his bitch and not his lover. So he has sex with beautiful women but he has yet to find true love that he feels is worthy

20 racks a table cut from ebony - 20 kilos of cocaine, ebony being a veiled reference to cocaine

Cut that ivory into skinny pieces - referencing making lines of cocaine

Then she clean it with her face man I love my baby - speaks for itself..

You talking money, need a hearing aid - Now he switches and is talking to haters/fans/doubters. They are not on his level

You talking bout me, I don't see the shade - This is how you know he is not speaking to his former self because his former self, which no longer exists cannot be talking about this future/current version of him.. so he must be addressing haters during the chorus

Switch up my style, I take any lane - Lane referencing skill set, in the "stay in your lane" inference. He infers that he can sing in any style, so they are all his lane

I switch up my cup, I kill any pain - Absolutely referring to cup of lean and then other alcohol (switching), but it is deeper as it shows he is using these substances to rid himself of various pains

Look what you've done - This is where it is confusing because in the first verse he is speaking to his younger self but then in the chorus he is clearly speaking to haters/doubters. This is opaque at best

I'm a motherfuckin' starboy - Jamaican reference to someone that is famous. A celebrity. But he is saying that someone forced him to get to this stage. Almost as if he is spiting someone and now he is famous

Second verse (will only explain lines that require it)

Pull off in that Roadster SV, ah - Referencing the aforementioned Lamborghini Aventador SV

I come alive in the fall time, I - As referenced in this YouTube video he is circling back to his previous song


Third verse

Let a n**** brag Pitt - Note that he does not say BRAD Pitt, he says Brag. "Let others brag, it does not matter"

Legend of the fall took the year like a bandit - Explained in this YouTube video



In the music video for this song there is a moment when he is walking through his garage and the aforementioned cars are shown there. A red Lamborghini Aventador SV. A black Bentley Mulsanne. A red McLaren P1

In the start of the video you see someone being killed, that is his former self, which is revealed in the video.

At the end of the video you see a black panther riding along with him in the McLaren P1, which symbolizes death and rebirth

[labrinth]

The "star" part of "Star"boy comes from the song lonely star where he is wondering what would happen to him if he becomes famous

[elopezbha]

My interpretation when he says "look what you have done" probably refers to a girl that must of broken his heart that caused him to give up on love and become a womanizer

[jasonblas]

that wasnt what i was expecting and very good. good job, keep them coming

[footballsfinest]

I think it's a whole different meaning altogether. Yes he kill his old self, the whole new him is an alter ego. He sold his soul to the devil. If you watch carefully in the music video of (starboy), at 2:19 he throws up the sign. If you know you, you know. He's showing his appreciation towards ' them '... letting them know he's with them! You may think it's a load of tosh but if you're interested to find out more, go to through ( stranger than fiction ) youtube. Many actors, actresses, musicians everyone in the so called business they all have said " I sold my soul to the devil ". Oh also watch ' out of shadows '

[phinexblit]

Thanks for your explanation, it made me understand a few of the lyrics better!!

[dacentafielda]

I had just read the lyrics to the song. I came to the same conclusion as you for the most part

[svtcobrablkmamba]

Starboy is his religion per say, Its hard to explain. But him being a starboy, is why hes special. Star childern have unique talents to change themself to whaterever they want to achive their dreams. "Switch up my cup i kill any pain" star child reference, and that he kills the old him. Most star childen know how to kill the old you and make themself into a better versions of themself. The cross? Star children know the power comes from within themself. NOT god. But within us, all of us.