(Beat drops — slow, reflective, heavy piano chord repeating under a dusty drum loop)

(Beat drops — slow, reflective, heavy piano chord repeating under a dusty drum loop) (Intro) Yeah... look at the lights from up here. They look bright until you’re standing in them. Everyone wants the crown... Nobody asks how heavy it gets. (Verse 1) I spent nights in the basement, starving for a name, Trading peace of mind just to play inside the game. Chasing after ghosts in a stadium of noise, Swapping real passion for the promises and toys. They tell you that the summit is where the sun shines bright, But the higher that you climb, the colder grows the night. You win a thousand applause, but the room still feels bare, When the people love the image, but there’s nobody there. Looking in the mirror, trying to recognize the eyes, Is it victory or surrender when you wear the disguise? You built a golden cage just to prove that you could soar, Now you got the whole world, but you’re asking what it's for. (Chorus) Standing on the stage while the shadows start to grow, Trading off your shadow just to put on a show. Is it fame that you’re reaching, or a spot in the flame? When the music finally stops... will you still know your name? Yeah, the lights shine bright, but they blind what’s real, Be careful what you trade for the way it makes you feel. (Verse 2) It’s a battle with the ego, a battle with the crowd, Learning how to keep your silence when the world gets loud. They cheer for the victory, they don't see the scars, Or the long lonely highways underneath the stars. Real stature isn't measured by the numbers on a screen, It’s the peace that you hold in the spaces in between. So if you’re reaching for the top, keep your feet on the ground, Don't lose your own voice just to make a bigger sound. (Outro) (Piano fades out, single steady snare hit) Hold onto yourself. The applause always fades... Make sure what’s left is real.