Flesh

Album: Wildheart (2015)
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Songfacts®:

  • In this steamy track, Miguel wants his listeners to get to know him. Really get to know him. "In 'Flesh,' I'm trying to describe my character and her character in the throes [of sex]. I'm trying to bring you into my world," he explained to Entertainment Weekly.
  • The lyrics mostly describe the intense physical act, but the singer says he more concerned with intimacy. "Sex is such a spiritual thing to me. I often sing about it in terms of the emotion behind the action."
  • Miguel gives credit to the risk-taking artists who came before him for paving the way for bolder music, particularly one with a penchant for purple. "There's no way Prince could not be a musical influence of mine. I grew up not only looking up to him as a musician but as an icon, someone who was pushing the boundaries in his art. For me, every song is an extension of how I perceive the world. This song is a description of that dynamic."
  • Asked by Spin if it's challenging to write about sex gracefully, Miguel replied: "I don't know. I just write about it. Sometimes it's vulnerable. Sometimes it's crass. Sometimes it's sensual. You're giving your body to someone else and that's deep. There's a lot of emotion to be explored. I like the whole range."

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