Sweeter by Leon Bridges

I've always known Leon Bridges to be a pretty soulful artist. He gracefully injects very sincere emotion into his songs, and Sweet is no exception. On the track, Bridges expresses his pain in reaction to the murder of George Floyd and sings in hope that such violent racism will some day come to pass over. The lyrics are sung from the perspective of someone who is on his final breaths. In the chorus, Bridges prays for a "sweeter" life, one where he will not be judged, criticized, or harmed due to the color of his skin. Bridges also stated in a statement released by pitchfork, "I am George Floyd, my brothers are George Floyd, and my sisters are George Floyd. I cannot and will not be silent any longer." This resonated with me greatly as witnessing someone who looked like me being brutalized just for the color of a skin caused a lot of pain for me and my family. This same sentiment is reflected in Bridge's lyrics. The song sounds like a desperate cry for help that parallels between different contexts. Just as much as it feels like a dying man crying for more moments of life, it also feels like a culture yearning to be respected and not slain. Bridges demands peace in this song from a broken heart and a delicate tongue.