When Tyla and BLACKPINK’s Lisa both performed at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show in October 2024, who would have thought that just a few months later, they’d reunite — this time for a collab! On Feb. 28, Lisa released Alter Ego, her first full-length solo album, and among its standout tracks is “When I’m With You,” an R&B and pop-infused song featuring none other than Tyla.
Lisa and Tyla already share history, having been featured together in Rolling Stone‘s Musicians on Musicians series in October 2024. Plus, in a 2023 Cosmopolitan interview, Tyla expressed her desire to collaborate with BLACKPINK— now, that dream has officially come true.
Lisa’s album is packed with powerhouse collaborations, from “Born Again,” featuring vocal queens Doja Cat and Raye, to rap icon Megan Thee Stallion on track “Rapunzel.” So “When I’m With You” is no exception.
Now, let’s break down what this track is all about!
Lisa and Tyla take turns singing the first verse of “When I’m With You,” emphasizing their deep love for their respective romantic flings. The pair sings of how their friends worry about how rapidly they fall into their relationships, but the friends don’t know the pull the connection has on them, singing, “My girls told me, ‘Take it slow’ / But they don’t know what I know / Say I need to stay composed / But they don’t know what I know / Told me I should leave you alone /Told me, ‘Stay your ass at home’ / But I don’t mind.”
Tyla takes the lead in the verse’s second half, singing about putting her pride aside for her lover. She teases that she’ll make her so-called one stand last just a little longer. Tyla sings, “Cou-cou-could’ve been a good girl, but I won’t be / I’ma turn one night to a whole week / Look at me now, I’m inside out, so wild/ I’ma let you control me / Gi-gi-give it to me good like you own me / All my pride goes out the window.”
Tyla continues that sentiment in the song’s chorus as she talks about how her partner makes her feel when they’re together. “When I’m with you / When I’m with you / When I’m with you / Oh, yeah, just look how you got me / Got me out of my body.”
Lisa takes on the second verse, rapping, “De-de-de-dealin’, dealin’ with a certified winner /Michelin Star’s how I like my dinner.” She compares her lover to the quality of a Michelin Star dinner, implying that she wants nothing but the best. She goes on, emphasizing how alluring her aura is and how, simply put, she is that girl. She raps, “Said you wanna stick around, go figure / Everybody does, I’m what everybody wants / Everybody sees, I’m on everybody’s screens.”
In the second half of the verse, Lisa raps about not only herself but also her trackmate Tyla and how iconic their collaboration is. “She make everybody jump, I make everybody scream,” she raps. The lyric references Tyla’s single “Jump” from her debut album, Tyla, released in December 2023. Lisa adds, “Tell me this ain’t the baddest back to back you ever seen / I could put you on a map and she could take you overseas.” The verse underscores the two stars’s diversity and global effect.
Towards the end of the verse, Lisa raps about spending time with her lover and her enjoyment of their shifting power dynamic in the relationship, saying, “Quick trip, won’t wait and I’m there for you (Oh) / Good girl, I’ll dare, but I’m bad for you (Hey) / Elevate my space and my bed for you / Anyways, any day, I make plans for you / (I like that) Like it when you tell me what to do / (I like that) Like it when you tell me, ‘Break the rules’ (Oh) / I like that, sat of me when we get together / I’m way better.”
“When I’m With You” concludes towards the song’s bridge as the two sing about how crazy their relationships makes them feel, but at the end of the day, they don’t play about their respective partners. They sing, “I must be out of my, out of my, out of my mind / Can’t tell me nothing ’bout, nothing ’bout, nothing ’bout mine (Oh, nothin’ ’bout mine) / You must be out of your, out of your, out of your mind / Can’t tell me nothing ’bout, nothing ’bout, nothing ’bout mine / I must be out of my, out of my (I must be), out of my mind (I must be) / Can’t tell me nothing ’bout, nothing ’bout, nothing ’bout mine (Mine) / You must be out of your, out of your, out of your mind (Out my mind) / Can’t tell me nothing ’bout, nothing ’bout, nothing ’bout mine.”“When I’m With You” is hands down my favorite song off Alter Ego, and it definitely has me feeling like I’m in my lover girl era!