“Bad Habit” is about missed opportunities with relationships and how it’s not always easy to know if someone likes you or not, resulting in regret. The rhythm, instrumentals and relatable lyrics truly make this song a smooth and enjoyable piece.
Steve Lacy is a 24-year-old musician born in Compton, California. Lacy has been interested in music since he was a kid, with the video game Guitar Hero being his favourite and most played game. His professional music career started in 2014 when he joined the R&B band The Internet, which had been around since 2011 in Los Angeles, when he was only 16. Steve made his recorded appearance in the band’s Ego Death album in 2015, which received a Grammy for Best Contemporary Urban Album from the Recording Academy in 2016. Steve also won another grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album for his solo album Apollo XXI released in 2020.
Lacy began his solo singing career in 2015 when he released his first single, “C U Girl.” His career was further boosted by the popularity of his first solo album Steve Lacy’s Demo, made entirely using only his iPhone and Apple’s Garageband. Lacy’s current biggest hit single, “Bad Habit,” was released at the end of June, being Lacy’s 9th single, and has become a huge success worldwide, especially with its extensive promotion on TikTok.
“Bad Habit” encapsulates the feeling everyone had when they missed out on something because of their lack of action. From the beginning, it sweeps the listeners right into the rhythm and lyrics, kicking off with the line “I wish I knew you wanted me,” expressing the song is about a relationship. The singer starts singing in a falsetto range and then modulates to his normal range which is a very unique way to introduce the hook. Later on, he says that things happen for a reason, which everyone tends to feel with missed opportunities. However, he continues to dwell on this person he didn’t get to be with, as anyone does with their past slips, but ends up getting a second chance at the end of the song. He uses a lyrical trick when he sings “Can I bite your tongue like my bad habit?” which is a smart way to repeat the song’s title in a new way.
The synchronized drumming and guitar flows with the vocals smoothly. However, Lacy picks spots in the song to cut the drums and guitar to introduce the song’s hook, making it stand out even more. Later, he cuts the drums and guitar for a section of layered vocals and harmonies. Then, he introduces a soft guitar part in which he sings the lyrics, “You grabbin’ me hard ‘cause you know what you found,” indicating that he knows this person likes him, so it makes sense for them to give him another shot. Finally, he adds an instrumental section with just guitar and softer drums. These different musical sections show Lacy’s abilities as a musician and producer to take a simple chord progression and expand it into so many different parts.
I love the simplicity and relatability of the song. It allows the listener to not only agree with the message but to have hope that better opportunities will come along or the missed connection could come back if it was truly meant to be. Steve Lacy is a fantastic singer-songwriter and producer who provides lyrics that stem from his personal experiences, which makes his songs more admirable and authentic.
