Libianca’s “People” Meaning

According to Libianca, she suffers from a form of bipolar disorder known as cyclothymia. And within the context of this song (“People”), that reality entails two things. First is that sometimes, she can sink into these deep depressions which even the steady consumption of alcohol cannot counteract. 

Second, as far as the title goes, is the fact that you can go through an ordeal such as hers, i.e. suffering internally, yet “people”, i.e. those you come into contact with, “don’t really know” what’s going on in the inside.

Libianca revealed that this outing was directly inspired by what she went through one Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving, as she puts it. 

The lyrics stay true to that narrative, i.e. the songstress suddenly being struck with a depression that booze could not mitigate, even though it was working in that regard the days prior. This led to her going on a private crying spell and then bouncing from the gathering in a way that others did not notice. 

What’s being alluded to in the post-chorus is that there were visible signs something was wrong with Libianca, but her homeys didn’t even bother to really take notice or inquire of her wellbeing. Furthermore, the way she sees it is that her “drinking more alcohol” than usual during the week prior should have been a red flag to her friends.

Conclusion

So more succinctly interpreted, what the vocalist is more or less putting forth here is associates having the tendency to be so caught up in their own, may we say frivolous thing that they are too aloof to recognize when even the person right next to them is suffering. But perhaps we can also conclude by saying that, all things considered as far as “people” are concerned, it may be better to just let them know you aren’t feeling well as opposed to expecting others to figure that out and sympathize on their own.

When did Libianca release “People”?

Libianca and her team made “People” commercially available to the public on 5^th December, 2022.

Credits

The singer co-wrote this track with Orhue Moses Odia. Mage the Producer holds the sole producing credits for “People”.

Chart Performance

“People” met with instant success as soon as it was dropped. For example, it went straight to the top of the UK Afrobeats Chart shortly after release.

Where is Libianca from?

Libianca (whose real name is Libianca Kenzonkinboum Fonji) was born in Minnesota, the United States to Cameroonian parents. When she was four, she and her brother moved to the West African country of Cameroon. At the age of 13, she moved back to America.

Fans Reaction to the Lyrics of “People”

Many listeners feel strongly connected to the emotional lyrics of this song.

For example, one fan (who battled depression for years) said throughout those challenging years, he felt unseen and unheard. Fortunately for him, he was able to surmount the hurdles of those dark times. According to him, he finally feels relieved that Libianca (via “People”) has said everything he had been dealing with throughout those difficult years.

At the end of the day, depression sees no “face or race”, and it can attack anyone at any time. So, it’s always good to check on your loved ones as this little act of compassion can save someone’s life. That is the message Libianca is conveying via this song.