London-based Celine Love takes a hard look at the industry around her on “Black Limousine”, and she doesn’t sugarcoat it. The song leans into her background in soul, RnB, and folk, while also reflecting the time she spent studying in Berlin. That mix gives her the space to tell this story with feeling and focus, without losing sight of the bigger picture.
At first, the track feels like a personal confession. She opens with the striking line, “I sold my soul to the highest bidder,” painting a bleak image of compromise and regret tied to “money and power.” It sounds like heartbreak. But as the second verse unfolds and the lyric shifts to “I sold a song to the highest bidder,” the real subject becomes clear. This isn’t about a relationship between two people. It’s about the music industry and the pressure to treat art like a transaction. That subtle change hits hard. It reframes everything.
The acoustic foundation keeps the spotlight on her voice, which gradually builds in intensity as the song moves forward. She starts soft, almost reflective, then lets the emotion rise. You can hear the frustration underneath the restraint. It feels controlled but close to the edge.
Love wrote “Black Limousine” during her first year studying songwriting in Berlin, a period that reshaped how she viewed the business. Watching conversations revolve around numbers, status, and “playing the game” left her questioning how to protect her passion. The song isn’t drawn from lived compromise, but from the fear of losing herself in that world. It’s a warning more than a confession.
And that’s what makes it resonate. Even beyond the industry context, it speaks to anyone who’s worried about becoming someone they barely recognize.
