AURORA’s “Heathens” Lyrics Meaning

Aurora’s most recent project, which includes this song (“Heathens”) we’re covering today, apparently, judging by its title for instance, features the young vocalist deciding to tackle some established, and shall we say complicated religious doctrine. 

More specifically in the case of “Heathens”, it does in fact read as if as a premise the songstress is mixing or contrasting certain fundamental ideas associated with Christianity and other such religions (i.e. those based on the Torah) with what many would generally classify as a pagan belief system.

For instance, Christianity teaches that from a moralistic standpoint, human beings are intrinsically flawed. What this means is that mankind is born into sin. But by the looks of things, that is not an idea that Aurora personally believes in.  

From the perspective of people like herself, even though we are imperfect, that doesn’t mean that we’re flawed. And that is why this female entity who is present throughout the lyrics is embracing mankind despite its shortcomings. It is as if to say that the religious rules of belief systems like Christianity are stacked against us. And by virtue of this, they inhibit our freedom. 

The “Heathens”

So this resolve to still do what one wants despite such teachings is what classifies such individuals, including the vocalist, as “heathens”, i.e. a person who willingly and contrarily does not adhere to any of the mainstream religious bodies.

Aurora talks about “Heathens” and the Mystery Female Entity

Now if all of this sounds a bit confusing, you likely aren’t alone. In her own explanation of this song, Aurora has alluded to the idea that the female entity identified in the lyrics is actually Eve of Genesis (i.e. the first book of Bible) fame. 

In an interview, Aurora shed some light on this. According to her, “Heathens” was inspired by the bravery Eve from the Bible showed by eating the “forbidden apple”. The singer believes that in doing so, Eve “granted humans free will”. Aurora therefore decided to use this song to honor Eve and every other woman like her.

Below are Aurora’s exact words about the meaning of “Heathens”:

Good and Evil

And in the chorus the singer does make a roundabout reference to another related character, if you will, that being the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The said tree was also situated in what is known as the Garden of Eden. Many of us may have a cursory understanding of what the “trees of Eden” symbolize from a religious standpoint. However, not everyone interprets the outcome of the Biblical story of the Fall of Man the same.

As the story goes, God told Adam and Eve, the progenitors of the human race, not to eat from the aforementioned tree(s). However, they did so anyway and were cursed accordingly. 

And individuals who embrace belief systems, such as Luciferianism or Satanism, that oppose Christianity and co. also use that same story as a symbolic reference point. That is to say that they too contend that God cursed mankind due to Adam and Eve for partaking of the fruit which gave them knowledge of good and evil. 

But in the minds of such “heathens”, God is actually the villain. These people see God, most simply put, as an authority figure who inhibited free will. Therefore Satan, who rather encouraged Adam and Eve to eat the fruit, is more akin to a hero from their perspective. And so would be Eve, who ate the fruit first. 

And that brand of Luciferianism which focuses specifically on Eve, as does the lyrics of this song, is apparently called Satanic feminism or something of the sort.

Aurora, the Priestess

So it can be said that Aurora herself is a priestess of that doctrine. And she presents it as revolving around two fundamental principles. First is that she does not agree with established mainstream religions which, most simply put, propagate the notion that we must repent.  

The vocalist rather feels that such institutions are unfairly judging people or sitting on our happiness, as some may put it. 

So furthermore, as far as the title goes, what Aurora is seemingly asserting is that the pressure to adhere to such a level of discipline and morality, as required by mainstream religious bodies, is rather what’s causing people to spaz or “live like heathens”.  

Or perhaps put more bluntly, such individuals are dispositioned to consider moral-based rules as being restrictive. And since these types of statutes tend to be part and parcel of mainstream religion, then they rather embrace heathenism. Heathenism can be defined as a direct rejection, if you will, of such principles and belief systems.

Takeaway

So even though Aurora may not forthrightly promote Luciferianism in this piece, the lyrics do read as if she is offering us something like a religious alternative to the mainstream. And that would be, instead of following such belief systems like Christianity, to rather worship the aforementioned female entity. 

Put simply, said being does not require any type of extraordinary self-control or virtue from its believers. Instead, as presented in the bridge, “if you give your heart to her”, then “her love is [also] yours” in return. 

And to note, Aurora has elucidated that said entity is not only meant to serve as a shoutout to Eve. According to her, it is also a tribute to other such women who in her mind have sacrificed, if you will, in the name of ‘granting us freedom in this world’.

And conclusively, many pop artists these days imbue their songs or associated imagery with what some may define as espousements of heathenism and paganism. But Aurora appears to be one who is a bit more straightforward than her contemporaries in that regard.

Release of “Heathens”

On 3 December 2021, “Heathens” became a single issued from the project “The Gods We Can Touch”. The project in question is Aurora’s third album.

Both “Heathens” and “The Gods We Can Touch” are sponsored by Decca Records and Glassnote Records. 

Other singles from this project include the following:

• “Exist for Love”
• “Cure for Me”
• “Giving in to the Love”

Did Aurora write “Heathens”?

Aurora, a vocalist from Norway, wrote and produced this song with Magnus Skylstad. And a third composer, Odd Martin, is also credited, exclusively in a songwriting capacity.