Some songs come from what you want to say. Others come from what you feel first—and the words just follow. Coulda Been was one of those records for me. I originally dropped it as a single, but it found its home on my R&B project Grapefruit. And looking back, it was a major step forward in how I approached songwriting.
Before Coulda Been, I had a moment with a record called Satisfied that really opened my eyes to the power of melodic phrasing and motifs. That song showed me that what sticks with people isn’t always what you’re saying—it’s how you’re saying it. The flow of the melody, the pockets, the way it dances around the chords… that’s what makes a record live with somebody. So when it came time to create Coulda Been, I made a conscious decision to flip my process. Instead of leading with lyrics, I let the melody lead the way. I built the emotion first, then filled in the story after.
And speaking of story—that’s where this record really became an outlet for me. I was going through my own relationship ups and downs at the time, trying to process things without putting everything out there too directly. So I used what I like to call the “Bryson Tiller trick.” I remember hearing that he wrote Don’t from the perspective of the “other guy,” and that always stuck with me. It allowed him to be vulnerable without fully exposing himself—keeping that balance of honesty and mystery. That’s something I’ve grown to love as a writer.
So with Coulda Been, I stepped into the shoes of the “other guy.” The side dude. The one saying, “We could’ve been something real if you had just chosen me from the jump.” But at the same time, there’s another layer to it—the realization that if things did go that way, he could easily be the one getting played in the end. That dual perspective is what makes the song hit for me. It’s confident, but reflective. It’s hopeful, but grounded in reality.
And musically? Man… this one just does it for me. The chords are simple but rhythmic, leaving space for the melodies to really breathe and move. The phrasing, the motifs, the way everything flows together—it’s one of those records where everything just clicks. Real smooth, real intentional. Chef’s kiss, for real.
Coulda Been is easily one of my favorite songs because it represents growth—not just as a writer, but as a thinker. It taught me how to step outside of myself, how to tell stories from different angles, and how to trust the music to guide me. And that’s a mindset I still carry with me every time I create.
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