by Olivia Dean · 2024
The song “The Hardest Part” by Olivia Dean is about outgrowing a past relationship and realizing that both she and her feelings have changed, making it impossible to return to what once was, even though her former partner still hopes things will go back to the way they were.
This song has been Shazamed over 392,785 times. As of this writing, The Hardest Part is ranked 32
‘The Hardest Part’ is a song by Olivia Dean that tells a story about heartbreak, growing up, and moving on from someone you once loved. We’re going to talk about what the lyrics really mean and why so many people connect with this song. ⬇️
️ The atmosphere of the song is bittersweet, soaked in gentle nostalgia and honest sorrow. Olivia’s voice drifts over soft, vintage-inspired instrumentals, painting a picture of someone standing at the edge of an ending, quietly brave yet undeniably changed.
The chorus hits like a wave—“even if I could, wouldn’t go back where we started”—a raw confession that sometimes, the hardest part isn’t letting go, but accepting that you’ve outgrown what used to feel like home. We hear her admit that the person waiting for her is hoping she’ll return, but she can’t because she’s not the same girl anymore. There’s a tangle of regret and relief here; we sense the ache of leaving, but also the truth that what she’s searching for simply isn’t there, not now, not ever.
In the verses, we see the subtle unraveling of old ties and the slow blooming of independence—lines like “your opinions would define me, this time I made some for myself” pulse with newfound self-respect. She sings about growing into someone unrecognizable to her partner, and we feel the sting of lost connection, the sharp edge of realizing someone had their chance to love you, and chose not to. There’s a quiet defiance as she repeats, almost like a mantra, “I ain’t there no more,” punctuating her transformation.
Then comes the bridge, that flicker of clarity: “You say I’m different now, like that’s so strange / But I was only eighteen / You shoulda known that I was always gonna change.” Here, Olivia lays bare the inevitability of change, almost scolding the other person for expecting her to stay frozen in time—a little wisdom tucked inside the hurt.
✨ Growth sometimes feels like loss, but Olivia Dean’s “The Hardest Part” is a shimmering reminder that the bravest thing we can do is honor who we’ve become, even if it means walking away from who we used to be.
Writer(s) of The Hardest Part:
