Lose Myself

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"Lose Myself"
Single by Ms. Lauryn Hill
from the album Surf's Up: Music from the Motion Picture
ReleasedJune 5, 2007
Recorded2007
Genre
Length4:35
Label Sony
Songwriter(s) Ms. Lauryn Hill
Producer(s) Ms. Lauryn Hill
Ms. Lauryn Hill singles chronology
"Turn Your Lights Down Low"
(1999)		"Lose Myself"
(2007)		"Repercussions"
(2010)

"Lose Myself" is a 2007 song by American singer and rapper Lauryn Hill, released under the name Ms. Lauryn Hill as part of the soundtrack for the animated film Surf's Up . [1] The song plays during the film's end credits. It marked Hill's first officially released solo material since 2004 and blends synth-pop, rock, and soul influences with introspective lyrics about spiritual struggle and self-discovery. English singer Marsha Ambrosius covered the song for her 2011 debut Late Nights and Early Mornings .

Contents

Background and release

"Lose Myself" is a song by Lauryn Hill, released in 2007 as part of the soundtrack for the animated film Surf's Up . It was her first officially released solo material since her 2004 appearance on The Passion of the Christ: Songs soundtrack with the song "The Passion". According to The Guardian , Hill wrote the lyrics while in the shower, during a period of personal challenges and professional withdrawal from the music industry. [2]

Composition and style

The track blends synth-pop with rock and soul influences, showcasing a more experimental sound compared to her 1990s releases. Critics noted its rhythmic similarities to Outkast's "Hey Ya!", particularly in its upbeat, off-kilter groove. [3] Despite its upbeat production, the lyrics showcase themes of anguish, spiritual struggle, and self-love. The New York Times noted Hill's turn toward a more rock-oriented sound on "Lose Myself", framing it as part of her evolving musical approach post-Miseducation. [4] The song's lyrics also parallels to the character Big Z's passion for surfing in Surf's Up.

In the 2023 academic book Stay Black and Die: On Melancholy and Genius, scholar I. Augustus Durham analyzed the lyric "I had to lose myself / So I could love you better" as an expression of Black identity, sacrifice, and self-love, comparing it to the work of W. E. B. Du Bois and Langston Hughes. [5]

Reception

The Guardian called "Lose Myself" the "gem" of her 2000s output. [2] The song was included on a purpose-driven playlist curated by Jazmine Sullivan for the September issue of Harper's Bazaar , and cited by actor and writer Dan Levy as one of the most heartfelt songs Hill has ever released. [6] It was later covered by English singer Marsha Ambrosius on her 2011 debut album Late Nights & Early Mornings . [7]

References

  1. ↑ "Surf's Up (Music from the Motion Picture)". iTunes. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
  2. 1 2 Chick, Stevie (May 28, 2010). "Whatever happened to Lauryn Hill?". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  3. ↑ "BBC - 6 Music - Lauryn Hill starts UK tour". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  4. ↑ Pareles, Jon (August 8, 2007). "Notorious Absentee Shows Up, Grandly". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  5. ↑ Durham, I. Augustus. Stay Black and Die: On Melancholy and Genius. Duke University Press, 2023. ISBN 9781478027652.
  6. ↑ "Dan Levy's FASHION + Music pick: "Lose Myself" by Lauryn Hill". FASHION Magazine. June 30, 2010. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  7. ↑ Devin. "10 Questions for Marsha Ambrosius". Rap-Up. Retrieved April 2, 2025.


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