What is the meaning of the Joji song “Love You Less”? Explore the lyrics, the shoegaze-inspired sound, and the psychology of emotional resignation.
Joji’s new album is just around the corner: “Piss in the Wind” is set for release on February 6, and fans are ecstatic. The new singles are showcasing several innovations, and the track released as 2026 began, “Love You Less,” is creating a massive buzz across the internet. It is being described as “Joji’s shoegaze turn,” and it indeed displays a spirit and sound that is new for the Japanese-Australian artist.
The sad and melancholic mood is a Joji trademark (ever since the huge success of “Glimpse Of Us“ in 2022), but the fact that Joji has embraced a sound for “Love You Less” that is historically centered on such emotions is significant. It’s almost as if Joji has definitively accepted his melancholic nature, displaying it as a core part of himself.
We must therefore analyze the lyrics of “Love You Less” and discover what meaning it aims to convey: in what direction is Joji’s introspection pointing for his 2026 album?
Love You Less: the Meaning of the Lyrics and the Guilt of Intensity
“Love You Less” is a song about the psychological mechanics and feelings experienced in an unrequited romantic relationship. It’s a state of mind that everyone has felt at least once in their life: loving someone madly, feeling a desperate need for them—like an addiction we cannot break free from—while simultaneously recognizing that the other person doesn’t feel that same necessity. It’s the desire to always be close to them while they live their life much more autonomously.
These situations are often deeply painful. Joji describes them perfectly in the lyrics of “Love You Less”:
Keep gettin’ less of you
When I give you the best of me
Maybe my love is just too much
Can’t get enough of you, no, no
But you won’t set me free
One of the most powerful points in the lyrics is the idea of “loving too much.” “Maybe My Love is just too much,” as if to say, “I am the problem.” Is it our fault if we feel such strong emotions that push us into the other person’s arms so intrusively? Is this why our relationship isn’t working?
Blaming oneself for things that go wrong is a typical psychological reflex for those with a pessimistic mindset. In “Love You Less,” Joji asks exactly this: would things work better between us if I loved you less?
I’m obsessed, you’re not sure
If I love you less, will you love me more?
I pull back, you come forward
If I love you less, will you love me more?
The Sound of Resignation: Joji’s Shoegaze Turn Explained
Fans are losing their minds over the sonic shift marked by the arrival of “Love You Less.” They’re calling it Joji’s shoegaze turn, and indeed, the use of guitars in the track mirrors that style perfectly.
Shoegaze is an indie rock subgenre that peaked in popularity between the late ’80s and early ’90s, driven by artists like Ride, My Bloody Valentine, and Slowdive. The name itself says it all: music performed with an overwhelming wall of guitars, played while the musicians stare down at the floor—at their shoes. It’s a sign that the battle we are fighting is too hard, and the weight of our emotions is overpowering us.
Joji interprets this sound flawlessly. His voice seems to drown within the guitars, almost expressing a form of “resignation to the fight.” As an artist, Joji seems to fully embrace the archetype of the afflicted and overwhelmed creator: his music speaks to those who feel emotions as a heavy burden, one that makes us ineffective in romantic relationships.
This is why “Love You Less” is rapidly becoming one of Joji’s signature songs: both the sound and the lyrics convey an emblematic meaning that reflects his artistic identity. Fans see themselves in the emotions Joji expresses—everything feels too heavy to handle, and there is no instruction manual, no practical guide on how to live love in a healthy way.
Tryna carry this love and it’s heavy
Joji’s “Love You Less” feels deeply like resignation. The weight of love is too great for us, and we are on the verge of giving up. Will messages of hope arrive in the upcoming album “Piss In The Wind,” or will we have to accept that this sadness is now a permanent part of us? Whatever the next stage of our emotional evolution may be, one thing is certain: from this day forward, whenever we feel overwhelmed by love, “Love You Less” will offer us catharsis and the comfort of being fully understood.
