Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you great new songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, Canadian-Moroccan singer-songwriter Faouzia uses precious metals to tell the story of unrequited love in her viral 2019 release, "Tears of Gold." The official YouTube video has been viewed more than 6.8 million times.
Faouzia explained to the music website Genius that since she was six years old she has found herself in a series of one-sided relationships. She would give and give and give and get nothing back. Her mom warned her that she'd be hurt in the end, but Faouzia could never escape the cycle.
As she penned the song, Faouzia needed a visual representation of her emotional pain. The answer: Tears of Gold.
"I wanted it to be a powerful statement," she said. "I didn't just cry for you. It wasn't just water, salts and urea. It was GOLD. I gave my literal ALL to you."
She sings, "Don't you know that I cried tears of gold for you / I sit here poor for you / Collect my pennies and my dimes / That's why you love it when I cry."
In the next line, Faouzia employs a second precious metal: platinum.
She sings, "Platinum love for you / I'd give no less for you / Generosity's my enemy / So I'm broke and your heart's rich / Because of me."
The 19-year-old explained in her Genius interview that she literally Googled the question, "What is the most valuable element," and she came up with platinum as the answer.
"On the whole 'Tears of Gold' thing, I cried for you and also gave you platinum love," she said. "It wasn't just any kind of love. It was platinum."
Born Faouzia Ouihya in 2000 in Casablanca, Morocco, the artist moved to Manitoba, Canada, with her family at the age of five.
Between the ages of 15 and 17, Faouzia won a series of singing and songwriting competitions, eventually leading to a contract with Paradigm Talent Agency. In 2018, French DJ and producer David Guetta invited Faouzia to perform on his studio album, titled 7.
Just recently, 13-year-old Daneliya Tuleshova delivered an impressive cover of Faouzia's "Tears of Gold" on America's Got Talent.
Commenting on the youngster's performance, Faouzia told ET Canada that she had goosebumps the entire time Tuleshova was on stage.
"Her voice and stage presence were AMAZING," Faouzia said. "I can’t wait to see her journey through music.”
Please check out the video of Faouzia performing "Tears of Gold." And, as a bonus, we have a video of Tuleshova's cover, as well. As always, the lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along...
"Tears of Gold"
Written and performed by Faouzia.
Mama always told me that I was too naive
Gave away my trust for pennies
I said, "Don't you worry"
Didn't think that I'd be broken down and crying
Help me
Wrecked? Check
Heart? In debt
All you do is come around
Just came here to collect
Wrecked? Check
Heart? In debt
Don't you know that I cried tears of gold for you
I sit here poor for you
Collect my pennies and my dimes
That's why you love it when I cry
Platinum love for you
I'd give no less for you
Generosity's my enemy
So I'm broke and your heart's rich
Because of me
Know that this is my fault
Gave a little too much
Knew that this was gonna happen
But I'm not gonna lie
You can make me cry
A thousand times
I come running back like
What is going on with my head?
Wrecked? Check
Heart? In debt
All you do is come around
Just came here to collect
Wrecked? Check
Heart? In debt
Don't you know that I cried tears of gold for you
I sit here poor for you
Collect my pennies and my dimes
That's why you love it when I cry
Platinum love for you
I'd give no less for you
Generosity's my enemy
So I'm broke and your heart's rich
Because of me
And the worst part is I'd do it all over again
No, the worst part is I know it's never gonna end
I keep coming right back like a maniac
I keep coming right back like –
Oh, oh
And the worst part is I'd do it all over again
No, the worst part is I know it's never gonna end
I keep coming right back like a maniac
I cried tears of gold for you
I sit here poor for you
Collect my pennies and my dimes
That's why you love it when I cry
Platinum love for you
I'd give no less for you
Generosity's my enemy
So I'm broke and your heart's rich
Because of me
Bonus: Daneliya Tuleshova covers Faouzia's "Tears of Gold"...
Credit: Screen capture via Youtube.com.