Meaning of “Delresto (Echoes)” by Travis Scott & Beyonce (ft. Bon Iver)
“Delresto (Echoes)” was released on 28 July 2023, on the same day as the album it is featured on, which is Travis Scott’s “Utopia”. However, “Delresto” concurrently serves as the LP’s second single. This track finds Travis teaming up with Beyoncé, marking the first time he’s worked with the Queen B.
Scott also never collaborated with Bon Iver before, at least not prior to “Utopia” as there’s another song on the album, “My Eyes”, in which Justin Vernon pops up.
Justin Vernon is the brains and primary talent behind Bon Iver. Relatedly, he’s credited as both a writer and producer of “Delresto”, as are the following:
- Travis Scott
- Beyoncé
- Allen Ritter
- Hit-Boy
- James Blake
- Mike Dean
Also to note, both Travis and Beyoncé are from Houston, Texas. And the labels behind this track are Epic and Cactus Jack, the latter of which was founded by Scott in 2017.
The Lyrics of “Delresto (Echoes)”
One of the first things that pops out about this track, from a lyrical perspective, is that it doesn’t feature Travis Scott talking about guns, b**ches and utilizing NSFW terminology, as is his norm. And between him, Beyoncé and Bon Iver, there is a lot being relayed back and forth. Or put otherwise, the lyrics of this “Delresto” are very poetic, i.e. not being direct.
But once you wade through all of the metaphors or what have you, what it reads like, most simply interpreted, is a love song. The way Beyoncé sets off the first verse is along the lines of engaging in wealth-based braggadocio, but the rest of the storyline does not adhere to that standard.
Instead, whereas it’s not abundantly clear what “the echoes” are supposed to represent, it is apparently that sensation that the vocalists are striving for (in some context). And the bridge is where it is established or at least hinted that this piece is romantic in nature.
So with that in mind, the other parts of the song read as if the two lovers, i.e. Travis and Beyoncé, are having a difficult time actually hooking up with each – or something like that. In some context that is what “the echoes” are rather alluding to, seemingly being symbolic of the obstacles the pair face in their relationship.
And as for the title, it is a matter of debate as to what it’s supposed to mean. According to one dictionary site called WordSense, “delresto” is an Italian adverb meaning ‘however’. But it should also be noted that “resto” alone is actually an English term (according to Wiktionary) meaning ‘restaurant’, and Travis does mention “the restaurant” in the second verse.
“The let go (Walk)
The let go (Walk)
That I wait for (Walk)
I’ll wait for (Walk)”
NOTE
The original version of “Delresto (Echoes)”, which was reportedly recorded in Mexico at the end of 2020, is devoid of Beyoncé and features Kanye West and James Blake.
