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Notes

"PROUD explores the dangerous combination of toxic positive reinforcement and a child's deep need for validation. It tells the story of a kid slowly abandoning themselves in order to do anything to make someone proud". (interview with Numéro Netherlands, April 2025)

Grace talked about the song in interviews with Nylon Magazine, and Billboard, and was quoted in an article in Rolling Stone.

"Proud is the story of the ‘golden child’ archetype. A child who neglects their needs in order to be seen as valued, loved, or mature. As a kid, you have an undying need for validation. In some cases, you abandon yourself, and you aren’t granted what you need mentally. You’re choosing to be strong only because it’s your responsibility to be strong. You’re adopting strength when it’s not appropriate. It was important for me to use phrases like, 'Cause you’re so special’ because they’re weaponised words to control children. Since you’re young, you want to feel strong, mature, and grown up, but no kid should have to do all of those things." (Rolling Stone) "I wanted to talk about subliminal conditioning and how nothing is black and white. What makes something so complicated is when there’s no one to blame — that would be so easy. If you’re getting exposed to millions of people who are saying, 'You’re great at this, you’re doing good,' while your brain is literally forming, of course, there would be repercussions of that. But no one did anything wrong." (Billboard)

" 'Promise I'll be small. I won't take up space at all’' That lyric is really personal for me. It relates to my experience in the industry, too. I always had an odd and unhealthy relationship with my identity. As a little girl, I was scared of growing up. I was terrified of puberty and womanhood. Emotionally, it’s about feeling like there wasn't room for me in the spaces I existed in." (Interview with Vestal Magazine, May 2025)

In an interview with Chris Cantada on his "Once and always a fanboy" podcast, Grace explained that "The song is about taking on weight, and kind of putting yourself through pain or hell or these like exaggerated experiences, to feel like you’re deserving of someone being proud of you. I think that it was a really important song to introduce, "Childstar" because that’s kind of the heart of everything that I wanted to do. When you develop a relationship with validation like that, it really stems into every single side of you. So, there are a lot of different songs that are still based on the mentality of Proud. There is not really a message; it's more just a story."

In an interview with Zach Sang in April 2025, Grace explained: "The song is about not taking up space, being humble … It started with a poem of those positive words I personally felt has aged badly for me, like ‘humble’, ‘grateful’. Grateful was huge because I was very – like America’s sweetheart vibes, and there was a lot of shit going down at home, and I just became famous, so ‘gratitude” is a word that holds a lot of negativity to me because that word tortured me for a long, long time. I had to completely separate myself from emotion, neglect, pain, grief – these terrible, deep feelings I was feeling, because – how dare I have those feelings when people I love in my household are struggling with their life."’

In April 2025, Grace posted a short clip of an early draft of the song on Instagram. The title of the song then was "You're so special*
Source: Grace Vanderwaal



Performances

2024.01.26 Very early draft shared on Instagram in April 2025 (go to the second slot in deck)
2025.03.25 At home 1:15 of song accompanied by "toy piano"
2025.04.03 CHILDSTAR Final Act () Performance video
2025.05.18 The Roxy Childstar Tour

Reviews, Reactions etc.

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Releases

Release Date Record Type Track
2025-03-21ProudSingle1
2025-04-04Child StarLP1

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Humble child, promise I’ll be small
I won’t take up space at all
Remember gratitude, you tell me I’m great when I don’t cry and I never ask for nothing
Ground yourself, remember your place
You don’t have a voice yet, you don’t get to say
Apologise, better self-correct
Promise it’s the best if you never ask for nothing

[Pre-Chorus]
Cause baby, you’re so special
Baby, you’re so special

[Chorus]
Designed and made
Does it impress how well I play?
Did I make you proud?
Did I take your breath away?
Did I make you proud?
And I won’t complain
Bend around the edge like cellophane
Did I make you proud?
Did I take your breath away?
Did I make you proud?
‘Cause baby, I’m so special
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[Verse 2]
Nightmares blend into my daydreams
I’m everything you taught me
I’m everything you wanted me to be
Wanted me to be
Perfection, hide under my blankie for one moment of safety
I’m everything you wanted me to be
Wanted me to be

[Chorus]
Designed and made
Does it impress how well I play?
Did I make you proud?
Did I take your breath away?
Did I make you proud?
And I won’t complain
Bend around the edge like cellophane
Did I make you proud?
Did I take your breath away?
Did I make you proud?
‘Cause baby, I’m so special

[Outro]
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
(Did I make you proud?)
Ah, oh, oh, oh
(Did I make you proud?)
Cause baby, I'm so special

Covers and Remixes

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