[Verse 1]
New plaque on the wall
Still feel like I snuck in the hall
Handshake, fake smile, small talk
In my head, hear the tick of a time bomb
Scroll praise, heart says “that’s luck”
Every win filed under “got stuck”
They clap, I just study they palms
Tryna spot doubt in they charm
Mama say “you worked for this”
Brain say “they just missed”
Every compliment, I twist it
Turn gold words into misprints
Hide fear under big coats
Laugh loud so the crack don’t show
Whole crew say I’m that one
I nod once, but I don’t feel none
[Chorus]
Imposter in my own reflection
Who I gotta be for your affection
I got the crown but I still feel lesser
Every step up feel like I’m faking pressure
Say I’m next up, I still feel behind
Whole world love me, I keep tryna decline
Talkin’ to myself like, “who you tryna impress?”
Imposter in my own success
[Verse 2]
Alarms go off when I enter
Thoughts scream “fraud” at the center
Fans line up for a picture
I pose, but the doubt frame bigger
Late night, can’t sleep, just stare
At the ceiling, at the cracks up there
Count all flaws like sheep in a pen
Every little “almost” replayed again
I learned how to mask all panic
Jokes on cue, that’s my magic
They see “calm,” they see “cool”
They don’t see me rehearsin’ bein’ you
Still scared someone pull the rug
“Caught you, never was enough”
But I’m tired runnin’ from my name
So I write this, bleed through the shame
[Chorus]
Imposter in my own reflection
Who I gotta be for your affection
I got the crown but I still feel lesser
Every step up feel like I’m faking pressure
Say I’m next up, I still feel behind
Whole world love me, I keep tryna decline
Talkin’ to myself like, “who you tryna impress?”
Imposter in my own success
[Bridge]
What if I’m really what they see
And it’s my fear that’s make-believe
What if these hands really built this sky
And every “can’t” was just a lie
[Chorus]
Imposter in my own reflection
Who I gotta be for your affection
I got the crown but I’m done feelin’ lesser
Every breath now, I step into my pressure
If I’m next up, I ain’t stayin’ behind
Whole world watchin’ while I re-define
Talkin’ to myself like, “you don’t gotta impress”
Just be you in your own success