Get the lyrics to Kelsea Ballerini’s “Emerald City.” Learn the words for karaoke and understand the song’s theme of envy and insecurity.
The lyrics for Kelsea Ballerini’s “Emerald City” present a candid exploration of jealousy and self-doubt within a relationship. Ballerini, known for her confessional songwriting style, uses the color green as a central metaphor for envy. The lyrics detail the internal conflict of feeling secure in a relationship while simultaneously being haunted by a partner’s past.
Lines like “If I got you, why does she still get me?” capture the song’s core tension between possession and insecurity. The title phrase “Emerald City” acts as a plea for reassurance, a desire to be seen as the ultimate prize despite feelings of inadequacy. The bridge expands the emotional scope, with the narrator asserting “I’m not crazy, I’m just a girl, kinda jealous, kinda insecure,” normalizing these complex emotions.
kelsea ballerini mount pleasant
This section adds depth by acknowledging the past’s hold and the hope for a future where it “won’t phase me.” The lyrical structure, with its repetitive post-chorus of “true color comes out,” makes the song highly memorable for singalongs.
The outro brings the narrative full circle, returning to the initial image of eye color, which solidifies the song’s thematic cohesion. These lyrics offer a relatable and emotionally nuanced piece for listeners to connect with during karaoke or personal listening.
Produced by Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym, Jordan Reynolds
November 14, 2025
1 song, 2 minutes
℗ 2025 Black River Entertainment
Lyrics
[Intro]
True color comes out (Out, out, out)
[Verse 1]
Always liked the color of my eyes ’til I knew she had brown
I’m green
Always liked my naïve innocence ’til I learned she got around
I’m green
[Chorus]
If I got you, why does she still get me?
I hate to say it, but damn, she’s pretty
Never known this shade of envy
Just tell me I’m your Emerald City
[Post-Chorus]
True color comes out (Out, out, out)
[Verse 2]
If she texts in the middle of the night when we’re laying in the bed
Is it green?
Wish I was cool like a shade of blue but her lips are red
And I’m green
[Chorus]
If I got you, why does she still get me?
I hate to say it, but damn, she’s pretty
Never known this shade of envy
Just tell me I’m your Emerald City
[Bridge]
I’m not crazy (Not crazy)
I’m just a girl, kinda jealous, kinda insecure
And I hate how (I hate how) it takes me
Down an old road where she used to be yours
And it’s tough to admit it, but it might break me
Let me know you hate to see me hurt
‘Til one day (One day), it won’t phase me (Won’t phase me)
Thinking about you, thinking about her
I’m good as gold, but when she’s around
My true color comes out (Out, out)
[Chorus]
If I got you, then baby, kiss me (Kiss me)
Tell me that you think I’m so damn pretty
Double down that you’ll end up with me (That you’ll end up with me)
Just tell me I’m your Emerald City (I’m good as gold, but when she’s around)
(My true color comes out)
[Outro]
I always liked the color of my eyes
(My true color comes out)
