Cher Lloyd's "Human" Might Be Her Best Song Yet

This morning, Cher Lloyd premiered her new song “Human” online, and it might just be the pop singer’s best track yet. “Human,” which is lifted from Lloyd’s upcoming sophomore album, Sorry I’m Late, continues where lead single “Sirens” left off — it’s a decidedly more grown-up sound than we’re used to hearing from Lloyd and her vocals are truly front and center. Lloyd hit an adorably catchy stumbling block on her road to maturity with her last promotional single, “Dirty Love” (I still dug it), but with “Human,” she’s back on track and committed to evolving her sound and providing her fans with a totally new listening experience. Oh, and did I mention how awesome the song is? Because it’s awesome.

On “Human,” Lloyd has finally had enough of pretending that she can do everything and be everything to everyone in her life. She really lets her vulnerability show in the lyrics to the first verse:

Lonely, lonely so you think that you know me

You’re the only one who knows who I am

I decided tonight that I’m breakin’

All the chains on my throne of perfection

Could it be that easy to let it all go?

You just have a moment to ponder Lloyd’s question before the song’s stadium-sized chorus comes crashing in — the thundering drums are reminiscent of Beyoncé’s power ballad, “Halo.” As Lloyd repeats the line, “You know I’m just human, human, human, after all,” your heart breaks. You can almost sense that she feels a little defeated, but later, she finds strength in accepting her limitations and deciding to move on. It’s amazing how so much power can be contained in such a simple phrase.

The bridge is my favorite part of the song. Lately, the trend in pop music has been to have a really simple bridge that reuses lyrics from the song’s verses or chorus, but presents them in a slightly different way (see: Katy Perry’s “Roar”). That’s boring. The bridge is supposed to be the emotional climax of the song, the turning point. I want sparks to fly! I want someone to really raise the stakes! And that’s exactly what Lloyd does:

You know I’m just tired of the weight of the world on my shoulders

Babe you know I’m sick of always carrying it for you

Used to be superwoman, now that’s over, over

I’m a lover, I’m a lover, baby I’m a soldier

Doesn’t mean that I can be everything for you

Used to be a superwoman, now that’s over, over

Wow. To be honest, I had no idea that Lloyd had this in her. Pop stars have long been telling listeners that it’s OK to be vulnerable and imperfect (especially recently), but rarely has the message come through so simply and so elegantly. “You know I’m just human, after all."

Listen to "Human" via MTV below. The song should be available on iTunes and Spotify soon. Sorry I’m Late will be released on May 27 via Epic Records.