SEANN MEDICINA creates so much of a personal and intimate experience in the lyrics of “I Only Show To You,” all centered around concepts of trust, safe emotions, and closeness. The song contains everything it means to reveal the genuine self to someone particular — the trusted person and the sole person capable of understanding and providing the innermost soul’s secrets.

SEANN MEDICINA sets the tone of concealment and protection from the first lines. He speaks of keeping a part of him a secret and tightly locked and untouchable. This imagery choice shows how much he keeps his inner life and emotions to himself. There is nervous fear and risk here — the fear of opening up to the wrong person. In the midst of keeping it all to himself, he does mention the fact that there is someone he does open up to. That contrast between keeping it to himself and opening up is indicative of how strange and exceptional a thing such a relationship is to him.

As the song progresses lyrically, SEANN MEDICINA paints a scene of how such a secret location is also a source of fear and healing. We hear him refer to it as a location where things “make sense” and the heart is “free.” This is a turn in the song on an emotional level — it is not solely about hiding out, but about what becomes possible when the right person arrives at that location. When such a person is with us, the secret location is a sanctuary and source of healing. This is a incredibly powerful thing and one that speaks to the healing power of genuine intimacy.

The chorus itself is a testament to how unshakable this bond is. By constantly reaffirming the fact that he always knows “what to do” and “what to say,” SEANN MEDICINA drives it home that genuine understanding simply cannot have to be explained. It is a form of emotional fluency shared with a select few individuals in life and one he is appreciative to have had. The repetition in the chorus creates a sense of calming reassurance to the song, a rhythmic beat like a heartbeat, indicative of how solid and safe the relationship is to him.

The other striking thing about the lyrics is the way in which SEANN MEDICINA articulates his affective responses to the experiences of the other. Sentences taking up the narrative of bleeding when they fall and singing together to their “beating drum” demonstrate an astonishing empathy and presence. Not only does he reveal to this person his feelings — but he is also fully present to their’s. The exchange is a smooth, give-and-take in terms of feeling, a slow and steady work of care.

The words are simple and honest all the way through the song and work to make the message all the more potent. SEANN MEDICINA does not employ grand words and huge ideas. He employs bare emotion and raw emotional expression. This brings a quiet force to the words, and makes the emotion very realistic and tangible. “I Only Show To You” is a brilliant illustration of creating beautifully lyrically-vulnerable music. SEANN MEDICINA opens up to the listener a space which individuals don’t often open themselves up to sharing, and in doing so creates a melody which is a shared secret in confidence. A bold and unconventional song which makes me remember how powerful it is to really be seen by a person who cares.