: Morten Harket delivers a haunting, beautiful vocal that stays largely in a lower, more melancholic register, eschewing his signature high falsetto for a more grounded, mature tone.
"Under the Makeup" is the lead single from a-ha 's 2015 comeback album, . The track marked a significant return for the Norwegian trio after their 2010 farewell tour, offering a cinematic, orchestral sound that diverges from their 1980s synth-pop roots. Lyric & Theme Analysis a_ha_under_the_makeup_lyric
The song's lyrics, written by guitarist , explore the universal theme of the loss of love and the desire for genuine vulnerability. : Morten Harket delivers a haunting, beautiful vocal
: The "makeup" serves as a metaphor for the masks people wear in relationships. The narrator expresses a longing to see their partner without these layers—"I want to see you under the makeup"—to rediscover the original connection they once shared. Lyric & Theme Analysis The song's lyrics, written
: Some critics felt the chorus lacked the strong melodic hooks of typical radio-friendly singles, and some perceived it as a "rip-off" or "sister song" to their 1988 hit "Stay On These Roads" .