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Ashton Irwin opens up about body dysmorphia in powerful Skinny Skinny lyrics
24 September 2020, 11:24
5SOS’ Ashton Irwin calls out Billboard over Number 1 controversy
'Skinny Skinny' is Ashton Irwin's first single outside of 5 Seconds of Summer and the meaning behind it is so important.
5 Seconds of Summer star Ashton Irwin just dropped a solo single and fans are praising 'Skinny Skinny' for its moving lyrics.
Yesterday (Sep 24), 5SOS fans started losing it after they discovered that Ashton Irwin launched his own solo website. In the following hours, a new single titled 'Skinny Skinny' and the pre-order link for a new solo album called Superbloom appeared on iTunes. Ashton then confirmed on Instagram that he was releasing solo music with permission from the rest of 5SOS.
READ MORE: 5SOS star Ashton Irwin releases Skinny Skinny from first solo album Superbloom
'Skinny Skinny' is out now and it's already receiving acclaim thanks to Ashton's stunning vocals and its powerful message.
What do Ashton Irwin's 'Skinny Skinny' lyrics mean? What is body dysmorphia?
Describing the meaning behind 'Skinny Skinny' on Instagram, Ashton wrote: "When writing 'Skinny Skinny' I first thought of myself, and many other young peoples struggles with body image and particularly body dysmorphia. It’s something I’ve never confronted in a creative form and I am feeling strong in saying 'Skinny Skinny' goes directly to that painful place in my mind."
As recognised by the NHS, Body Dysmorphia is "a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance. These flaws are often unnoticeable to others."
In the lyrics, Ashton sings: "I'm skin and bonе, I'm made of nothing / My secret pose, my secret ending /You tear me up all of the time / My tongue is tasteless, my heart is barren / My fingers stretching into my larynx," perhaps alluding to bulimia.
In the post-chorus, he then adds: "I wanna eat, I wanna stay thin / I wanna dance but I gotta stay in."
The video is just as raw and personal as the song itself. It sees Ashton, topless, battling his demons and it ends with him smashing his own reflection in a mirror.
Ashton Irwin - Skinny Skinny (Official Music Video)
Given how rare it is to see men open up about eating disorders and body image issues, fans are applauding Ashton for his honesty. One person wrote: "To hear a song about body dysmorphia that has lyrics about bulimia and disordered eating and not having it romanticise the issues I’ve struggled with for years means a lot and honestly thank you Ashton."
Another tweeted: "I can only thank Ashton for making this song, and giving me a release from the demons that haunts me even when I sleep."
tw / eating disorders
— ulysses (@28LUCOZADE) September 24, 2020
to hear a song about body dysmorphia that has lyrics about bulimia and disordered eating and not having it romanticize the issues i’ve struggled with for years means a lot and honestly thank you ashton
society engraved standards for “perfection”. the want to be anything but unique does more hurt than good. most are shamed for self hatred and never brave enough to share their story. ashton shared his struggles to help others get through another day. ashton made it, so can you. pic.twitter.com/rnKQDoUpyg
— olivia (@SUPERBLOOMLIV) September 24, 2020
skinny skinny mv is everything i thought it would be and more. it's so raw and beautiful. @Ashton5SOS, sos arte. pic.twitter.com/TJw20f0ecJ
— naz ♡ (@sodisconnectedd) September 24, 2020
"my second face, my damn reflection, we always meet, when I’m defeated" "i wanna eat, i wanna stay thin, i wanna dance but i gotta stay in"
— kar || STREAM SKINNY SKINNY (@calumhoodwild) September 24, 2020
i can only thank Ashton for making this song, and giving me a release from the demons that haunts me even when i sleep
SKINNY SKINNY pic.twitter.com/vQMRxIKTOa
ashton broke down so many musical barriers, he didn’t produce skinny skinny to chart, he produced it to tell people that they aren’t alone in their struggles and that’s why so many of us look up to him and respect him.
— Rhea¹ᴰ ❤️|| CALM #1 (@rhea_malik99) September 24, 2020
Did Ashton Irwin just wrote a song about people who has eating disorders? And did he just made them feel assured that no matter how your body looks like, you're beautiful and that you should own yourself? Yes, he did. #SkinnySkinny pic.twitter.com/V0U7iYiRY7
— ne (@adoresbands) September 24, 2020
We can't wait to hear the rest of Superbloom.
Ashton Irwin - 'Skinny Skinny' lyrics
CHORUS
Hey skinny skinny
Don't you think about the future
Hey skinny skinny
Too bad (Too bad)
Hey skinny skinny
Stop your thinking 'bout tomorrow
You'll never make it like that (Too bad)
VERSE 1
My second face, my damn reflection
We always meet when I'm defeated
You tear me up all of the time
My second face, don't wanna listen
We always meet without permission
PRE-CHORUS
You tear me up all of the time
CHORUS
Hey skinny skinny
Don't you think about the future
Hey skinny skinny
Too bad (Too bad)
Hey skinny skinny
Stop your thinking ‘bout tomorrow
You'll never make it like that (Too bad)
POST-CHORUS
I wanna eat, I wanna stay thin
I wanna dance but I gotta stay in
Hеy skinny skinny
Don't you think about the future
Hey skinny skinny
Too bad (Too bad)
VERSE 2
I'm skin and bonе, I'm made of nothing
My secret pose, my secret ending
You tear me up all of the time
My tongue is tasteless, my heart is barren
My fingers stretching into my larynx
PRE-CHORUS
You tear me up all of the time
CHORUS
Hey skinny skinny
Don't you think about the future
Hey skinny skinny
Too bad (Too bad)
Hey skinny skinny
Stop your thinking ‘bout tomorrow
You'll never make it like that (Too bad)
POST-CHORUS
I wanna eat, I wanna stay thin
I wanna dance but I gotta stay in
Hey skinny skinny
Don't you think about the future
Hey skinny skinny
Too bad (Too bad)
BRIDGE
Too bad, bad, bad
Too bad, too bad
Too bad, bad, bad
Too bad
CHORUS
Hey skinny skinny
Don't you think about the future
Hey skinny skinny
Too bad (Too bad)
Hey skinny skinny
Stop your thinking ‘bout tomorrow
You'll never make it like that (Too bad)
POST-CHORUS
I wanna eat, I wanna stay thin
I wanna dance but I gotta stay in
Hey skinny skinny
Don't you think about the future
Hey skinny skinny
Too bad (Too bad)
OUTRO
Too bad, bad, bad
Too bad (Skinny skinny)
Too bad (Skinny skinny)
Too bad, bad, bad
Too bad (Skinny skinny)
Too bad (Skinny skinny)
Too bad, bad, bad
