In this installment of The Mind Vertex 
, we take a dive into the wonderful words of featured singer, Kelsey Bulkin 
.
The track “Divide” by ODESZA appears on their third album A Moment Apart .
We’ll be looking at the lyrical structure and interpreting the meaning through cultural, psychological, and stanza analysis.
Check out the official lyric video from their YouTube channel .
Additionally, verified lyrics can be viewed on genius.com .
Some Background on the Sound
“Divide” is an EDM (electronic dance music) track that skews toward the subgenre, future bass .
The song is stuffed full of shimmery/glittery goodness due to it being released during a time of high future bass popularity (no disrespect to ODESZA, as this whole album is 🔥).
It features thick walls of sound for the choruses with much of the verses comprised of bouncy bass flanked by twinkling, triangle sounds.
Overall, the song has a very whimsical feel to it, especially in the build ups before the bass drops.
The choruses convey Kelsey’s tone and set the mood because of the epic sound of the string sections saturating a danceable, driving bassline.
But how does this all tie into the meaning? What is “Divide” by ODESZA about? What does the title even refer to?
A search of the internet yields opinions that the lyrics are nonsensical or “as EDM lyrics” should be met with low expectations and not be taken seriously.
Maybe a line by line analysis will shed some light!
“Divide” by ODESZA: Lyrics
The song opens with Kelsey belting out, “EVERYBODY“.
It’s a sample that will reprise multiple times throughout the song but has no evident meaning quite yet.
This is followed by some soulful “ooooh ooh ohh oooh”s that are delivered between 2 distinct singing voices.
The voices then briefly go back and forth in an unspoken conversation.
We can now be sure that Kelsey is singing/talking to at least one other person with this cue.
Verse 1
Everybody prays to God by different names,
tell me your version
Kelsey certainly wastes no time in revealing one of the biggest divides amongst us all.
We also get a fast reveal of who the initial “EVERYBODY” was referring to.
On the surface, this line looks pretty straightforward in asking someone specifically about their theistic beliefs.
It doesn’t feel like she would exclude non-believers, atheists , and agnostics from “EVERYBODY”, though.
Seems very unlikely considering that EDM/rave culture often portrays itself as welcoming and all-inclusive (further reading: one , two , three ).
Her statement can applied to nearly everyone else if we take a more figurative view of the concept of “god”.
Religious/theist folks will often refer to their deities as “the creator(s) “, “god is all things “, and “the truth “.
Atheist and agnostic followers-of-science base their ideas about existence and the nature of reality on experimental data, philosophy (such as ), and observation.
They get their truths, not from deities, but through the proposals of hypotheses, testing them, and establishing theorems.
Even those among us that outright reject everything have their own truths that they subscribe to.
Kelsey implies that, in essence, these things are the non-theists “god(s)” that she’s asking about.
It no longer feels like anyone is being excluded in her request.
You don’t have to play it down or fake it.
Don’t give me that bullshit
Discussions about religion, existence, and reality cause people to feel all sorts of different ways .
Sadly, some people have reserved, nervous, or embarrassed reactions when presented with discussions about beliefs .
These apprehensions have been forged into us through millennia of tensions, wars, and outright rejection of other people’s beliefs.
Kelsey leads with reassurance that this can be an honest, open discussion and for this reason, it can be assumed she knows this person somewhat well.
She follows up with a playfully forceful demand that includes a curse word for emphasis.
Curse words are also an excellent way to disarm another person’s emotions, apprehensions, or tensions when used in appropriate situations .
Kelsey’s desire to know the genuine answer to this question, along with her approach, confirms that she is at least good friends with the other person.
Driving in the parking lot in the ‘Cedes with counterfeit leather
Looking like a circus clown gone crazy when we are together
This last part of the verse provides a lot of information though it initially seems like 2 throwaway lines.
The first line sets more of the stage within the song.
Kelsey is telling us this conversation is happening in a moving Mercedes with a decent trim package, apparently.
She uses the simile , “like a circus clown gone crazy” which immediately brings to mind the loud and dazzling outfits , makeup , and body accessories worn by ravers and festival-goers.
The scenario plays out as if they are having this discussion while parking for a show, party, or other event.
Saying “gone crazy” suggests excessive laughter, body movement, and boisterousness (or the use of psychoactives).
Adding “when we are together” implies that this is a regular, enjoyable occurrence with the questioned person.
Lastly on this verse, and going back to the “everybody” portion of this song, we can also consider the bond that artists often feel with their fans, thus allowing Kelsey to comfortably ask every listener these questions.
The stage setting doesn’t even need to change, she’s just talking through the car’s speakers to her fans before a show or festival.
Chorus
Heaven don’t play like violins
Only a single line into the chorus and Kelsey is already dropping some heavy simile-bombs on us.
Violins are beautiful, complex, and sensitive instruments that are typically played in ways that require a lifetime of practice and devotion to master.
Much like religions with denominations , violins offer various “flavors” through different bowing techniques to fit one’s personal appeal.
Ultimately, these differences are all centered around the same basic fundamentals and guidelines that lead to both metaphysical and figurative gatekeeping .
What is being said here is that Heaven is nothing like this.
She is telling us that there is greater flexibility to the afterlife than we are lead to believe.
It is a welcoming utopia that does not discriminate based on birth location.
I been up over mountains
Another quick, loaded statement to follow up.
This is a short effective way to state that she is well-traveled and has had a lot of experiences.
Referencing mountains seems to allude to the trope of meeting some hermit guru that bestowed onto her great insight during her travels.
She’s establishing that she has deeper justification to her assertion that “Heaven don’t play like violins” and it’s not just crazy ramblings.
You’re not a book that I read
Kelsey jumps off similes here to give us a pretty easy metaphor .
People often refer to others as being “readable ” or having varying degrees of “readability ” about them.
In this case, she’s stating that the person listening is one of those less-readable people for her.
This adds to the case for this song simultaneously being a conversation with all listeners under the guise of a single person.
Of course she can’t get a read on fans listening on their stereos!
But I know how you love me
This line is reassurance to the listener that Kelsey knows exactly where she stands with them, regardless of the answers they give or how difficult they are to read.
Simple to apply to a single person that she feels comfortable asking these types of things.
For application to everyone, we have to return to the previously mentioned connection that artists have with their fans.
She knows that any fan hearing these words cares enough about what she has to say, thus she knows how they love her.
They listen.
The line is repeated as the chorus reaches its crescendo , ensuring it is delivered with maximum future bass intensity.
Verse 2
Everybody frames the stars in silhouettes,
a great exhibition
Back to that everybody word again!
The obvious reference here is to that of the constellations .
The metaphor uses silhouettes in an interesting way here due to how both they and constellations are visualized on a flat surface.
Silhouettes are literally defined as two-dimensional representations of the outline of objects, as cutouts or configurational drawings, uniformly filled in with black.
Drawn representations of constellations are similar to silhouettes.
Stellar light sources determine the outlines and the spaces are (mostly) uniform between those bounds.
Constellations are not constant, similar to religious variations by region.
Figures in the Sky has some excellent examples of how the same groups of stars were interpreted by different cultures.
They have been and still are revered by cultures worldwide, in some cases to great fanfare through the annual sharing of wishes or even building placement .
A great exhibition, indeed.
Constellations are a major part of astronomy and astrophysics, where stars live and die in spectacular fashion .
The ultimate fate of some stars is to become black holes , which are silhouettes in a similar fashion to a constellation.
Even if the Fates are wrong… or innocent,
we all want to listen
The Fates, or Moirae , can be taken specifically or generally here.
Their origins within Greek mythology place them firmly within Kelsey’s discussion about gods and beliefs.
Their incorporation into Dante’s Divine Comedy (in two parts, no less!) drew them into mainstream Catholicism, as his poem was treated like divine scripture after it was written.
Broader acceptance of these beings into a major religious pantheon likely influenced societal references to present day.
Kelsey simultaneously acknowledges the concept of the Fates while suggesting that they may be wrong or completely oblivious to their influence and its consequences.
Furthermore, she states that regardless of this, we still want to hear out their predictions.
Our curiosity with Tarot , crystal balls, and astrology is resounding proof that this is the case.
On the science-side of things, aspects of the future are predicted through rigorously tested models and theories.
Any data that causes those predictions or models to come into question are welcomed due to science’s embrace of greater understanding.
Even with the prospect of every discovery being potentially disproved, all ideas are welcome.
But it doesn’t pay to wait for so long
on just a reflection
Kelsey is stating that waiting for any of these derived predictions to come true is not worth it.
“So long” could refer to years, the length of one’s life, or eons depending on what the listener’s beliefs are.
There are no guarantees that we know or can predict anything.
Closing on “just a reflection” is a nod to scrying into mirrors, crystal balls, and other reflective surfaces.
She also invokes the literal definition of giving serious thought or consideration to something.
In this case, reflecting upon one’s fate.
If you want to cash your stake in the answers…
Then ask me the questions
“Cash your stake” is an amalgamation of two common idioms, “stake your claim ” and “cash in “.
People stake claims in their chosen truths and beliefs.
They express those “stakes” through morals, actions, and verbal expression.
In this case, the listener has presented their personal stakes by answering questions.
Kelsey is affording the listener a chance to cash in of their side of the conversation by asking her the same questions.
Chorus
Bridge
Because of you, I can’t relax…
I can’t be still.
Moving too fast…
Tell me what can I do?
The bridge takes a hard turn into stream-of-consciousness-style lyrics that hedge on Kelsey’s emotional state.
The inability to relax or be still indicates the excitement she feels around the listener.
This also works with respect to a larger audience.
Having a fan base certainly seems like something that causes tension and restlessness as a result of excitement.
We get into a bit of a gray-area with the line about moving too fast.
She could be referring to her own apprehension or something said by the listener.
It even comes off a little like wordplay referencing how much she can’t be still.
What is known is that she’s unsure about how to resolve this feeling, at this instant.
I can’t relax if I can’t be still.
Moving too fast…
Am I moving too fast?
A realization!
The inability to relax is because of the lack of stillness.
Then, it’s right back to the same phrase Kelsey was stuck on before.
Only now, she’s questioning whether or not she’s the cause of her conflicting thoughts .
Refrain
But I know how you love me. x2
Everybody
No new ground to break here.
The lyrics reprised here are to help build up and unleash a tidal wave of warm bass drops and glitchy strings.
Outro
Moving too fast, or we moving too slow? x4
Okay, here’s a little bit more context to what Kelsey is mulling over.
Now it seems “moving too fast” was suggested by the other person from the Mercedes.
Conversely, she questions back, “we moving too slow?”
She’s suggesting that by not overcoming this potential “divide” between them, they are delaying whatever harmony awaits them afterwards.
However, in a grander sense, she’s lamenting the speed at which global societies are taking to overcome these differences.
Global tensions suggest that the-powers-that-be lean toward the idea that we are moving too fast or don’t need to move at all.
Whereas, Kelsey believes we’ve existed divided for long enough.