It’s only been a few days since Noname came out with her new album “Room 25,” which means I still haven’t had nearly enough time to absorb everything new that she has to say on the record. Still, “Window,” the fourth song on the album, felt familiar, striking me as quintessentially Noname: vulnerable and introspective.

The orchestral instrumentals set a dreamy tone to the song, almost like the intro to a Disney movie, yet her lyrics are far from idealistic: Rather than the fairytale romance usually associated with such films, she tells the story of a one sided, unsuccessful romance: “I knew you never loved me but I f*cked you anyway/ I guess a b*tch like to gamble, I guess a b*tch like to lonely.”

It seems that Noname – no matter how beautiful and talented she may be – is not enough for this man, yet she holds on to him. Using the metaphor of the window, the song encourages listeners to look inside themselves rather than trying to change someone; “Quit looking out the window, go find yourself,” sings Phoelix during the hook. There is almost a sense that he is giving Noname advice which she is ignoring by continuing to wonder whether this man still thinks about her, whether he misses her.

This sort of vulnerability is why people love Noname so much. While there is surely room for both in the industry, she strays away from the bragging and self-confidence displayed by more mainstream female rappers and of this fact, she is completely aware. On “Samaritan,” she addresses her critics: “You a female rapper. Don’t rap about that sh*t/You ‘sposed to be a bad b*tch or at least a little confident.” Instead, Noname creates stories which are relatable and often melancholy. “Window,” along with the majority of Noname’s work, challenges those who believe that rappers can’t be soft or show weakness.

This September, I encourage you to embrace that vulnerability and give this song (and the rest of Noname’s work) a listen. Don’t be discouraged if one listen leaves you unimpressed; these songs aren’t very catchy. I have found that most of her songs take time for me to appreciate her lyricism.

Thank you, and if you like this song, you’re welcome.

Ella