On the title track of her latest album, Taylor Swift recalls lying in bed with some unnamed lover and declaring, “Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist.” K-pop superstars Stray Kids would likely agree with that sentiment—they’ve enlisted Puth for their new single “Lose My Breath,” a perky pop tune about the physical side effects of new love.
Written by Puth alongside Jacob Kasher, Johnny Goldstein, Naliya, and Stray Kids’ in-house production team, 3RACHA—which comprises group members Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han—“Lose My Breath” centers on love at first sight. Here’s Bang Chan setting the scene in the opening verse.
It only took me a moment
And now I’m imprisoned to your touch (Woah)
I don’t know where it’s going now
But I know, I need your love
Han grabs the pre-chorus and establishes the love-as-asthma metaphor that runs through much of the song.
Now, I’ll always be here, I won’t ever run
‘Cause you took the air right out of my lungs
Puth takes the chorus and makes new love sound a bit like sheer terror, but in a good way.
Ah, I lose my breath when you’re walkin' in
‘Cause when our eyes lock, it’s like my heart stops
Ah, I lose my breath when you’re walkin’ in
You make my knees drop, it’s like I’m in shock
Hyunjin handles the first part of the second verse and describes feeling totally floored by this person.
Right now, I feel like dying and I’m lying
On the tilings when you walk in the room
Freezing but you’re steaming
Yeah, you catch my breath every time you make a move
On the bridge, Puth begs for a kind of reverse mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Their lips touch, and he has a harder time breathing.
Your lips on my lips make me lose my, ah, ah
Baby, keep ‘em there 'til there’s no air in my chest
I lose my breath
The “Lose My Breath” music video features Stray Kids searching fruitlessly for water, then dancing in the rain and beneath a sky filled with bursting fireworks.
You can read all the lyrics to “Lose My Breath” on Genius now.
