Opera Singer Reacts: A Beautiful Song (NieR: Automata OST)

This is my reaction to the music of this incredible boss fight with Simone, the opera singer, from NieR: Automata. I discuss the business of opera, the psychology of an opera singer, and then breakdown the music from an emotional perspective based on my opinions away from the original source material.
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Composer: Keiichi Okabe
Singers: Emi Evans and J'Nique Nicole
Game: NieR: Automata

[@hannahhorst4059]

It's so sad how many ppl never played route B and C. they never found out who simone really was and why her appearance is like that. and imo the "chaos language" is such a great medium to just express the raw emotions of the performer, there is no need for translating cause everyone understands it.

[@Darca1n]

Even before route B and C, the enemy database entries you get pretty heavily hint at who she is and why, so you don't even need to go that far for that either.

[@dreamimgflowerd976]

Jean Claude was such an asshole. XD

[@Lasurius]

Just finished 2B's perspective and started playing with 9S. I did not expect it to be soooo good and different at the same time. :)

[@patches7308]

I hated playing 9s but it was still great

[@cemeron112]

I played all route 😢😊😂❤❤❤

[@qaztim11]

the section of the fight where simone is screaming "look at me" and the camera does everything it can to not show her is chefs kiss. YOko Taro and the Nier team dont miss

[@mininabs]

"He won't look my way" just hits differently and so many people never did Route B to discover who Simone really was and why she was adorned the way she was. Another tragic story for a game full of tragic stories. Also, your discussion at the beginning of the video really hits hard as someone who wanted to go into Opera as a career, but decided not to for a miriad of reasons. One of the main reasons was learning about Jerry Hadley (fellow tenor) and his career downturn. Nier:Automata I think allows us to understand the world of constant pursuit of perfection and beauty for external validation, resulting in a tearing of our psyche. I went through my own journey of having to redefine my identity away from being "a singer" when I left my college choir my senior year. I went to therapy for a couple years in order to break that mentality of perfection that so many singers have ingrained into them. Unlike Simone, I've been able to move on and form a new identity that has a healthier relationship with music now, but Simone's obsession with beauty is a strong parallel to a lot of singer's identities, especially those that pursue it as a career. Lastly, if you're taking any suggestions, I would look into the game Hollow Knight, it is an indie game that really excelled. Made by Team Cherry (3 person team), it really excelled in combat and story, but also has an amazing OST that is largely instrumental. Fairly short pieces, especially the boss ones. I recommend Mantis Lords (boss), Hornet (boss), King Grimm/Nightmare King Grimm (boss), and Greenpath (area music).

[@onemoregodrejected9369]

what kind of animal doesnt play full route B? No, im wrong, even animals have more sensivity to beauty. I bet they skip dialogues as well

[@skeletor959]

One of the greatest travesties is how many people I talk to who refuse to play beyond route A since “it feels too samey” and they didn’t want to play as someone other than 2B

[@vitriolicAmaranth]

Spoilers starting in the second paragraph. If you know history and modern philosophy you're given enough info that it's obvious who she is even in route A IIRC. There are a lot of Yoko Taro's classic tearjerkers as mini-stories in Automata but the subtext of the main story is entirely concerned with historical philosophers and modern philosophy, with a lot of beats (eg Kant being the slain child-king) that show a remarkably nuanced understanding of that history, where you would usually expect a videogame writer/director/developer to decide to include these subjects because they'd be "cool" and make the game "deep" and then have very hamfisted stories about them based on information you can get from the openings of their wikipedia articles. The fact that Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre have a love story that actually does not reflect their real-life relationship at all is another instance of that, and plays off of Sartre's own philosophy, as it demonstrates active defiance of readily-available facts (which is basically the opposite of simply playing off of whatever information is readily-available to a layperson) while also giving the essence of historical events precedence over their substance or reality. As a side-note, in other parts of the game there are references to ancient Chinese philosophy outside of the usual trichotomy of Confucius, Laotzi and Buddha, which is appreciable in its own right even barring any metaphorical elaboration.

[@JJKMagic]

@@onemoregodrejected9369 Many, many people do. Funny thing that many people still love the game after only playing A.... as if they even have a sliver of understanding what Automata is really about xD

[@onemoregodrejected9369]

@@JJKMagic A-B is the prologue/loredymp

[@Bananaman74799]

Something that I really like is how J’nique’s voice feels and sounds like Simone while Emi sounds more like a narrator to Simone’s story.

[@MarcoMeatball]

That’s some insight right there. Didn’t even think about that.

[@alderblanco2362]

Yes, this is exactly how I felt. Emi is singing a beautiful song. J'nique is pushing out her feelings.

[@Official_MikeyT]

Emi and J'nique make for one hell of a team!

[@ArynosValinir]

In my opinion, I honestly feel it is the opposite: Emi is singing for Simone, the sound is as similar to the sounds you hear Simone make as the fight begins and as it goes on, reflected back by the chorus of YorHa units she has surrounded herself with. It is a softer and beautiful melody to show her anguish in being the one thing she feels she NEEDS to be to become what will achieve the goal of what gives her humanity. Beautiful. J'nique however feels powerful and firm, the narrator of the tale whom tells us more after Simone has sung her part to tell her story. The voice that reveals the dark path this tale has turned and how horrid and tragic it will continue to be as that once innocent and desperate strive to become beautiful has unknowingly and tragically become something terribly wrought.. and will sorrowfully only grow worse..

[@Angeruboy]

I think they are playing both the character and the narrator at the same time, like when we act some way externally vs how we feel internally, is Simone's Beauty fake and the truth of her lies within her pain? Is her pain (feeling ugly) fake if she can ignore it to achieve that level of beauty? She feels greatly torn apart, but Simone is both the Beauty and the Pain.

[@paramedic2172]

In Nier Automata many of the important characters are named after philosophers, and Simone, the opera singer, is no exception. She is named after Simone de Beauvoir, a feminist philosopher who said "One does not born a woman, but becomes one", referring to the preasure a woman can recieve from society for her to be a "good woman". In the game, Simone incarnates that very theory. She wanted the attention of someone and, in order to get it, she kills other machines and use their pieces to create a "beautiful" body. If you get a closer look, you still can see the original spherical head of Simone, just bellow the fake head (it looks like the head of the regular machines you fight since the beginning of the game).

[@HenSt-gz7qj]

and the further she pursue "beauty", the more she kills, including herself.

[@jb9192]

This is the best and my favorite explanation of her story. Thank you so much for this description!

[@PanzikTheBest]

Fun fact related to the "lyrics" of this song, being the language used in the soundtrack a mix of a lot of European languages (they thought that in a distant future different languages would have mixed together) you can actually hear different tones and sounds from french, spanish, english, italian and so on. During the chorus of this song the song goes with something that can be related to italian and It says "Fa male qui nel cuore" and you can translate It as "It hurts here in the heart" and i think it belongs perfectly with the meaning of the entire song.

[@drfeelgood3846]

thats a really interesting fact, i always felt the nier language was kind of gibberish, just a fictional language to mimic the idea of a dead tongue, lost in time, but what yu said makes a lot of sense

[@ChiiSan09]

thats why you can pick out bits and pieces that are from different languages, like "minionese" its a blended language of real languages. i can pick out bits of french and german in some of the songs alongside Italian and Spanish.

[@CursedHatter]

@@drfeelgood3846 the language name is called chaos language

[@HenSt-gz7qj]

also heard a few latin words, like Vertuli (spin around / turn around ?)

[@mauMilkia]

When I first encountered this boss, the opening hit me like a ton of bricks. It was so memorable and will always be a reason why I love automata’s music specifically. My thoughts at the time were about the boss’s mechanics and how she was putting on a theatrical performance whilst sounding so dreadful like she WANTS to be seen and acknowledged. This boss is acting out of desperation and I’m just beating her down even more after she’s weeping to us about her struggles. I didn’t even know the whole story but I could tell from her entrance and performance. It was so powerful and raw. My heart yearns for her salvation. Thank you for this!

[@MarcoMeatball]

Like she didn’t want any of this at all. Beautiful. Great perspective.

[@samueldaniels8415]

Have you taken a listen to 壊レタ世界ノ歌 (the Japanese version of Weight of the World)? Marina Kawano actually started crying during the recording but kept going which in the end lead to the decision of making this take the official version. Having read up on it again I actually noticed that the different versions of the song (English, Japanese, Chaos Language) are not translations of each other but differ depending on the ending you get. The English version (and its lyrics) is more light hearted which kinda makes sense considering the English title is "The Weight of the World" and the Japanese title translates to "Song of the Broken World".

[@MarcoMeatball]

wow I did not know that. I will absolutely listen to this. Thank you Samuel.

[@krisztiannemeth6875]

@@MarcoMeatball Yes you absolutely should look up the subtitles. The japanese version is a desperate plead. Its very different.

[@Matt-bg5wg]

Each vocalist represents a different character from the game in the song. So their verses in their native language is unique to them (and their character). I believe the Japanese vocalist is singing about 2B

[@krisztiannemeth6875]

@@Matt-bg5wg more like as 2B

[@wanabid98]

@@Matt-bg5wg en as 2B jp As 9S and chaos as A2 i believe.

[@rexaliv8798]

"Fa male qui nel cuore" (Italian for "it hurts here in the heart") is something I just can't unhear since I noticed it in this song

[@MarcoMeatball]

Very true!!!!!

[@trdl23]

Came here to see a reaction to a song I like from a classical singer Stayed while crying as he goes over all the insecurities that made me stop trying to become an opera singer myself and not even able to sing anymore now

[@MarcoMeatball]

Big hug friend, big hug. This comment stuck with me all day.

[@-libertyprimev1-902]

Something interesting about A Beautiful Song that needs a little context, most if not all Tracks in Nier Automata have 3 Versions (1 Instrumental, 1 Vocals, 1 8-Bit) all playing on top of each other in unison but with only 1 hearable at a time, this is how they get such seamless transitions between them as fights progress or you enter Hacking Mode. A Beautiful Song however actually has a 4th Track that is a supped up version of the Instruments with these Phenomenal Bell Chimes, it is Extremely easy to miss and many don't even know it exists because it Only Plays when the Boss uses a particular attack at just the right time to line up with the Track.

[@ElReyZero]

In reality the game only has 2 versions, the instrumental one and the vocals. If you try looking for the 8Bit ones through the game files, there's nothing. The geniuses behind the game programmed it in a way where it converts the instrumental version to 8Bit in real time while you're playing. Mad respect to all the producers and developers of NieR!

[@borakeskin7872]

@@ElReyZero holy shit

[@Browly101]

Funny fact you can hear the 4th version on the A2/9S transmission boss fight

[@yogachandra2026]

@@ElReyZero it surprised me

[@MaxAveris]

Emi Evans has one of the most beautiful voices i've heard, so underrated

[@Kurumi_Kazuha]

Underrated? do you live in the same universe as I do? eveyrone loves her voice and admire her lol

[@MaxAveris]

@@Kurumi_Kazuha Underrated in terms of Popularity i mean. Outside of the video game community, she really isnt that known and not getting the recognition she deserve.

[@Angel333xx]

@@MaxAveris this is true

[@blubberfeet5430]

Operas best boy has returned and with one of the best songs of nier automata! Great day!

[@MarcoMeatball]

lmfaooooooooooo thanks blub...blubber feet. :D

[@futanahriadventures]

That was some nice perspective from the opera world, something most of us can only look and wonder how it actually is. About the whole setting of this song, the Boss “Simone” loved another robot called Jean-Paul (the “manager” you mentionted, although not her manager lol). She wanted to be beautiful to gain his affection, although none of her attempts worked out (because Jean-Paul wasnt really into romance and stuff, he was devoted to philosophy, and usually missed out any kind of attempt, not only from her, but from most of his fans as well). Simone despairs into this obsession, trying to be beautiful, putting other machine parts on her own body and even starts to “eat other androids” (because of a rumor) and slowly becames enraged, even to other machines. When you fight her, most of the time, she is crying for someone to look at her, so she can feel beautiful (this is more explicit on Route B, where you can control 9s). Funny enough, their names are based on a real married couple of philosophers. Quick edit: a recent song that reminds me of this one, both in setting and feeling, is La Signora battle theme (all phases) from Genshin Impact.

[@SscripterR]

Fun fact. The song was written in a chaos language. A language that was meant to sound like a language that would naturally evolve from modern day languages. You mentioned that certain part of the song is an outcry. You see lyrics that I and many multilingual people hear in that moment is something akin to "fa male il mio cuore" which means basically "it makes my heart hurt". When you think about what you hear in that song you can reach many interesting points which makes that soundtrack truly special.

[@EduuGhost]

Hey guys! You should listen to this song in the in-game fight too! As Simone herself sings and laughs with intense emotion in it! Besides the incredible dynamics in the bells and the 8bit version too! Just search for it! also...Oh wow, I didn't expect the discussion about the life of an opera singer, but it was incredibly profound... And it gave so much more meaning to the Simone boss fight... Just, wow, I'll think about this every time I fight her from now on... I love the depth in your videos, Marco!

[@MarcoMeatball]

Thank you!!! Glad you appreciate the perspective! I watched the fight several times. It’s so intense! And sad! The 8bit is wild and so cool too

[@aaron4832]

I felt like the melody that J'nique Nicole sings before the instrumental bridge in this track sounds more like she is asking questions, perhaps of herself. It's very visceral and powerful though. And after your explanation of your perspective I have found myself listening to it in a different context. Have you heard Somnus from Final Fantasy XV? I feel like it has a similar feel to it.

[@MarcoMeatball]

I LOVE Somnus. I like your thought on asking questions!

[@uyuty600]

NieR: Automata Voice of No Return It's my favorite it's a quite romantic mix of languages and the song of popola popola and devola is a la Celtic magic

[@MarcoMeatball]

Yup! I gotta listen to those.

[@ShaesKyu]

Faltering Prayer (Dawn Breeze) is also such a good piece from NieR Automata. But Shadowlord from NieR Replicant ver. 1.22… has got to be my favorite in the series

[@dreamimgflowerd976]

@@MarcoMeatball Popopla and Devola's sing is the song of the ancients originally from Nier replicant. I love it.

[@J-Unit90]

Thank you so much for being vulnerable and sharing your experiences in talking through this piece. It’s just so valuable to share our stories when we talk about music because it helps us understand why certain pieces affect us so much.

[@24fretsoffury]

Simone just wanted Jean-Paul to notice her. The route B backstory is heartbreaking (like most of the game past route A) and helps reinforce the notion that the Machine Lifeforms are no different than the androids and prior humans. She so badly wanted his attention that it drove her away from her people, and they were afraid of her, getting the exact opposite of what she wanted. She didn’t know what to do, she just lashes out in anger against the two androids. “Won’t somebody notice me?”

[@zetsumeinaito]

This song still hits 5 years later. Keiichi is a godly composer, Emi really knows how to craft song lyrics to incite emotions without actual words, and J'Nique really belted it out. I know this song is about a one sided love in game. Without that context it feels like it's about not being able to get what one wants and lamenting over it. It's generalizes it a bit, but without language it can just fit so many things other than JUST a one sided love song. It has a very "I'm not good enough, and I may NEVER be good enough" vibe to the song, and it resonates with me.

[@crimsonfoxonusae4472]

That song to me always asked to be noticed, unlike other NIER songs it's much more violent and visceral in the emotions. It WANTS to be noticed and it lets you know with the beginning word, her second part while beautiful feels melancholic and when you're just about to fall into that feeling she shakes you up once more. Don't focus on your feelings focus on hers. It doesn't ask for your attention it begs and demands it.

[@berserkharrington7159]

If I remember correctly, J'nique Nicole, the alto, is an RnB singer and I read somewhere that she didn't expect to sing like that.

[@zenverak]

Really glad that they sang this when they did the NieR concert. Was great to hear her sing like this.

[@etoile7402]

this song is what made me play Nier Automata-I was listening some game soundtracks while doing chores and youtube randomly played it for me, I was super compelled by it and, I just knew-I have to play this game. One of my favorite games ever, A Beautiful Song is still my favorite in all Nier soundtrack. It speaks to me in a lot of levels, I was raised as a professional ballerina, did it for 15 years. Being “beautiful” is what we all seek to achieve. I eventually decided I didn’t want to do it for a living, it just takes a lot from you and you have to be willing to give it-and I didn’t have it what it wanted me to give by the time I quitted. I eventually pursued a different major in college. This song for me is representative of the stage life and the other side that the audience doesn’t see. Amazing video as always, thank you so much! 💜💕

[@MrJpc1234]

Thankyou so much I love listening to interpretations of songs that can provide a new perspective

[@sylvieclos]

I really love how you reacted to this and hearing how you felt this song created such a parallel to your personal experience. I never really thought of things from that angle outside of just a broader sense of symbolism. Thank you for sharing this! It was delightful to watch and listen to!

[@moruwaii]

I was convinced to play Nier Automata just by the soundtrack of this boss fight. the first time I saw Simone open her arms and letting out that high note/scream gave me goosebumps all over when i was searching examples of the gameplay. she's my favorite boss fight ever.

[@DJayDead]

First video I’ve seen of you and must say. Reaction aside, that sample of you performing. Whoooo. I got goosebumps man. Absolutely beautiful voice! Well done. Very informative as well. Thank you for this.

[@gorzillak2793]

Thank you for your insight. Never heard any opera artists mentioned that before , so I did learnt a lot from your video. Thank you thank you. I love the Nier Automata soundtracks too. It is one of my all time fav, seems there is so much hard work for thoughts and emotions putting into it.

[@metalarc1618]

This was so interesting hearing about this song from the perspective of an opera singer. It adds a whole other layer to something I felt intrinsically but couldn't quite put into words.

[@raviole]

I think you'll appreciate "Mourning" from Automata. Honestly one of my favorites from Automata

[@Saya-ng1sl]

And the fact it only plays for one time in the game after a specific side quest, I can’t believe how hard keiichi okabe went for this game.

[@Saphirasfeuer]

@@Saya-ng1sl Actually, that's not true. When you're inside 9S as A2, Mourning is also playing as you slowly make your way to save him.

[@Saya-ng1sl]

@@Saphirasfeuer oh you’re right, it’s been so long since I’ve played thanks for the reminder

[@UberNoodle]

One of the most emotional original scores I've ever heard in any media. And if you can watch any of the full concert performances of it. It's incredible. There's an amazing Blu-ray.

[@zangy3748]

Your insight on the whole opera scene made me like this piece of music even more. I can relate to the desire to make something out of yourself and getting noticed by others to feel accomplished. When I had to leave school as a 16 year old due to psychological reasons I feared for many years that I'll never make it to something and I'm still not entirely over it. That all these emotions are entailed in this piece of music shows how human the whole story of NieR Automata actually is despite humanity being extinct by the time the game takes place. It's just an amazing piece and I'm glad you gave your side of view to this by actually explaining the side of Simone in this music

[@MarcoMeatball]

❤️ thank you. Big hug!

[@GeneralGroggy]

Her name is Simone and this boss fight is the exact moment I fell in love with this game. The moment you fall into the arena and she does her intro gave me goosebumps. The way she fights with the music. She is in my top 5 boss fight of all time.

[@TheFoxofKnowledge]

Such an amazing insight and analysis of one of the most tragic yet beautiful bosses in Nier: Automata - Keep up the amazing work

[@neatguy5442]

You can really hear and feel the pain that the singers want to get across to you. You can feel and almost touch the pain Simone is feeling as 2b and 9s fight her. The grief and suffering is tangible and it makes you feel bad for fighting her, and makes you feel like what you are doing is wrong and it makes you want to help her.

[@Vayevn]

I find that really interesting when you talk about your former carrier. Giving context, history, feels about what you went through. I find that wonderfull when artists talk about themself. That humanize people behind the fantasms. That trully give uniqueness to the analysis of musics I think

[@WestCero]

Something Nier really showed me is that TRULY excellent music shows you the emotion transcendant of the language. Most of the music isnt in a real world language yet you get it anyway.

[@feuryie]

it's interesting you apply that meaning to the song in relation to opera as story says it's because she used to be 'beautiful' to a certain being who has since moved on from her and she's trying to reclaim that desire even as her body continues to break down. this was actually one of the first songs that most appealed to me and drew me to the score of automata. it is powerful and intense.

[@TheGamerThatKills]

Congrats on 1k! Nier really does have a lot of excellent tracks, this is definitely one of the ones that's up there for me, personally. Would love to hear your thoughts on the Godskin apostles track from Elden ring, it's amazing

[@agetoki7557]

Thank you for your continued insight to these amazing songs. My favorite place from Neir Replicant is The Ultimate Weapon. I would love to see your reaction that piece.

[@yinye7525]

Thank you so much for your insights from a professional opera singer's experience that we, Automata fans, may not have been aware of. Despite that, this boss fight is one of the most memorable ever due to being unexpected, unique and emotional - in my 30+ years of gaming.

[@TunezCottage]

I'm so glad I found this channel. Amazing content.

[@MarcoMeatball]

Wow thank you!

[@yekcvke9213]

Your content is amazing! I always love how you break down these songs and even notice stuff that I never picked out from the music or bring out exactly *why* the music feels so impactful. If you're looking for something similar, NieR: Replicant's (ver 1.22) song "Fleeting Words" hits a very similar feeling of anguish, but for different reasons. If you can, the "Another Edit Version" from the Weiss Edition of the soundtrack does a good job of tying the four or so different versions you encounter in the main game. Keep up the good work, man!

[@Yilue]

What a beutiful song. Literally. Felt like I had to say that lol but this game is another one of those games where the music just sticks with you forever.

[@obinator3486]

Getting to listen to your personal thoughts on this beautiful piece was a really profound experience. Thank you!

[@MarcoMeatball]

[@havenschade8174]

I literally just saw your other video on kainè salvation and one of the comments was this song, I go to your channel and this was the first thing posted 21 hours ago, perfect timing i guess

[@kironoschannel]

I highly recommend checking out "Copied Factory" from Final Fantasy 14 from the Nier Automata crossover. It takes a very emotional credits track from Automata and turns it a powerful driving piece for a boss battle.

[@iaxacs3801]

Gonna add the other 2 raids they did as well. The remix of Kaine's Salvation in the final fight is easily one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've heard had the pleasure to find.

[@itsdokko2990]

The NieR: Automata OST always has been able to hit my emotional chords, but i did not understand why, until now. I'm not an aspiring Opera singer, nor a singer at all, even though i'd like to see if i have some sort of "talent" i didn't knew i had, yet, what you explained before diving into the song itself, really hit deep, and now i see why this song resonates with me. Lately, i have struggled with the feelings of being worthless / amounting to nothing, that no matter what i did, i didn't move forward. What Simone felt during her struggle to look beautiful feels like what i've felt, the struggle to feel validated and worthy. I'm getting help as of now, and i have improved, i guess. _Goddamnit Yoko Taro, why do you have to make me cry?_

[@hansfriedemann4194]

I love your content! Awesome!

[@amigoimaginario8038]

great video! now I understand a bit more deeper about boss Simone.

[@reinux]

I studied violin performance at UBC for a year before my dad died and I had to drop out. The hallways were constantly filled with opera warmups coming from the practice rooms. I'd never really put two-and-two together between Simone and opera as a career until you described it that way. Though in retrospect, the problems and conflicts I had at the time were probably similar in a lot of ways.

[@randomsinister13]

This song and Sound of the End are my faves! Although something about Sound of the End just makes me feel so epic! You should definitely react to that one!

[@sliceoflife3611]

HOLY SHIT !!!! I been longing to hear someone to talk about this

[@Ahsoka_Hyrule]

This has to be one of, if not THE BEST analysis you’ve done. Your insight on all these songs is incredible! If you ever run out of opera songs to look at, I highly recommend Alexia Type I & II from Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, Banson’s Aria from Henry Hatsworth, and the opera songs from Parasite Eve.

[@lumi4280]

This piece gives me the feeling of someone being lost in a desert - storming sand all around, and for just a few moments you can hear this voice shining through trying to guide you to safety and giving you hope, but the deserts sweltering sun is relentless and keeps tiring you out.

[@SyllaAria]

I'm still on Ending A and have yet to see this play out in other endings, but this was such a powerful boss fight! I loved it a lot. This song is so incredible.

[@scout920]

I feel you got the feeling of it right the first time i heard it in the game. i felt it was a cry, and on the second time, when i saw the backstory, the song really is a cry of despair and longing

[@kaylangarbutt3372]

6:50 omg you explained basically the whole plot (reason for her strife) of that boss fight using your own words and analogies, through the opening sequence alone.. wow you are amazing! That's talent! edit: 13:02 you have done it again! You've explained the boss' whole motive from the music alone.

[@MarcoMeatball]

I’ve played this game ❤️

[@FabbyRaptor]

I love the entire soundtrack for the amount of emotion you can feel from it. I really feel like this is what makes Nier Automata so different, other games sound tracks just sound like background, Nier uses it to make you really feel the story, instead of being told the story.

[@CarloftheBells]

Your analysis hit me like a truck... I've almost completely given up on being an opera singer- at least in the traditional sense. I hadn't even stepped foot within the industry out of intense anxiety and fear, and not long after HS I realized it just wasn't something that I could do. But I still have the ability to sing, and while the operatic stage is outside of reach due to insecurity and health issues, I choose to keep singing at least for my own enjoyment and to share my adoration for music in general. It took some time to be content with this, but I think I'm okay now.

[@TheRodriguezFilms]

Congrats on 1K!

[@MarcoMeatball]

AHHHHH THANK YOU!!!

[@quintonworden6318]

It's been a few years since I have touched this game but I still listen to the OST pretty regularly. I don't think any game has given me quite the deep emotional response quite like it, from spending hours fishing and just listening to the relaxing open world songs to these tragic and heavy pieces. It truly is an incredible work of art in video game form. Also, thank you for openly sharing a bit of your personal story from your time singing. I played in orchestra from a young age and studied violin performance for a while at university before giving up on pursuing it professionally. The pressure we can put on ourselves to perform really can get toxic at times.

[@MarcoMeatball]

My pleasure - thanks for being open to hearing my story. I know you know how it is. Means a lot to be heard.

[@zinc2zinc2]

Never even played the game, but this song is so beautiful and caught my attention right away when the game was released. I still come back to it.

[@mister_anomaly]

This will forever be my favorite boss theme and boss fight in any game. This song is so glamorous, so tragic, guttural, it encapsulates Simone's story so perfectly.

[@MizzterFu]

Interpretation Intro This is not love, this is madness Beautiful rose turned to ashes Please stop Verse Now I’m, filled with all this beauty Surely, now I am worthy Please love me Doing this for you And you still won’t look at me Chorus Born with beauty Love does know you If you would just look inside She’s too far gone She dimmed her light Tearing herself, that’s beauty Verse Now I can see that I destroyed what was, Who i am or who I’ll be ‘S unknown I can’t stop Now I am someone else Thought I could become worthy But you still won’t look at me Please Look!

[@obversedd]

This game has such an amazing soundtrack that evokes so many emotions when playing. I never understood the meaning behind this song until I started playing route B of the game and saw Simone’s backstory. She wanted this other robot to look at her, so she had to “become more beautiful!” She let this thirst for beauty control her to the point she couldn’t recognize herself anymore. She would do anything for him to just look at her, yet she repeatedly stated, “he won’t look at me.” I never thought I’d get in the feels over a game about robots and androids, but it’s so philosophical. It really makes you think about what it means to be a human. I have yet to get the other endings (B, C, D, and E), but I’m sure they’ll be heart-wrenching nonetheless. Needless to say, this game is amazing and it’s sad it gone under the radar when it comes to publicity/sales.

[@Pompadourius]

As somebody who's beaten Automata and has it in my top 5 games forever, you're definitely gonna love what's waiting for you if you do the other endings. The quality of writing never lets up or drops the ball, imo.

[@negativeinfinity4387]

Prepare for emotions. A lot of them.

[@obversedd]

@@negativeinfinity4387 having now completed all of the main endings… I can see where you’re coming from. It was a lot to take in and there’s still so much I don’t understand. Needless to say, this game is amazing and I believe it’s a true masterpiece. I’ve never been so captivated by a title in my life, especially since I was so drawn to continue playing.

[@obversedd]

@@Pompadourius I agree. I just got the main endings today and it put me deep into my feels. The story of this game is so heartbreaking, but I’m glad the ending was hopeful. I can’t believe a game about androids and robots could be so philosophical. I’m gonna go back and try to complete all the side quests so I can get a better idea of the story. I still feel like there’s some missing because I didn’t collect everything.

[@notqrow3654]

@@obversedd The side quests in this game are just as deep and sometimes under appreciated. Especially with how dark and deep some of them can get.

[@Fwolfblack1738]

This was broken down in the most perfect way, none of us ever want to truly feel like we are fading away, as a bass player (classically trained) I have your back, bravo.. Just bravo 🌹

[@MarcoMeatball]

❤️ thank you very much.

[@buslgal3385]

I’m a highschooler who sings in choir and I feel I’m able to understand a lot of the feelings here. I take my singing very seriously and I put a lot of effort into it. So when we do concerts I get this feeling of anxiety and the need to sing beautifully. My feelings aren’t going to be as strong as an opera singer, but I’m glad I am able to understand it even a little bit. The nier games are my favorite games and this gave me a new insight on the game & on what music means to people that is more impactful to my life now than ever. thank you for making videos I love them all! Side note: I love your little totoro plush it is very cute :)

[@MarcoMeatball]

Thank you for sharing this! And thank you for the compliment on the plushee :)

[@ogonzalez611]

i like this boss fight fight and song but the more times you play through it the more details of the boss story will show through and I really like how it showed and now for the Wind band performance (or my rant of the brass sections only) I love how they came in with a big boom and the the tubas and maybe the bass bones creating a big foundation that can make me get chills and French horns being somewhere in the middle of the background or the Melody and the trumpets are in all high and mighty and its acting as a sun or light for the beautiful side and that is my rant.

[@ryan1000011]

Certain attacks or movements by the boss actually sync up with the music Makes it feel like a dance you have to know the steps to

[@AgentSapphire]

6:46 Yeah... Basically exactly yeah. This really is an exquisite song with so many wonderful layers. What you talk about is exactly what is going on in the game itself.

[@CrazyFarseer]

Your beginning preamble could be the entire analysis of Simone's fight and character, honestly. That's a raw story of yours, pulling back the curtains on what it means to be an opera singer, that hits harder than the game does, I think. That life sounds so unhealthy, like a beautiful mask propped up on a scaffold of stress and anxiety. Thank you for sharing your experience.

[@maaariiiaaa97]

Great video as always! Your perspective really elevates this song, which I've always considered as the moment that made me realize that this game was going to be life-changing for me, so thank you for sharing it! I've been wondering, are you familiar with Drakengard's OST? If so, what are your thoughts on it? The first game especially has such a different sound, since Keiichi Okabe and his team weren't working with the series yet and I feel like it actively tries to be as unpleasant as possible. The dissonance and constant deliberate repetition makes it very hypnotic to me.

[@MarcoMeatball]

I’ve never heard any of it so I guess I’ll have to sit down with it. And thank you for your kind words!

[@delta-a17]

I played the game up to this boss in one go, during that fight is when I realized that this game was something special. I was really hooked on it from then on.

[@Spyduck]

I really like your background analogy because it actually gives proper expression to what is being sung. Granted, because the song is actually made from conlang (constructed language), many people who try to analyse the "lyric" just make little to no sense at all, because there's no official translation for it. The only thing that is relevant, is the tone of the music and singing, the instruments and the category it belongs to (being opera)

[@echolexida7568]

A Beautiful Song. It has made me tear up many times on many occasions due to how powerful and desperate the singing can go. It doesn't sounds like any boss music, it sounds like a desperate fight, not for you, but for the boss

[@kingshrimp9321]

The first time I heard the song I knew it was gonna be my favourite soundtrack in the game, and it still is

[@Saphirasfeuer]

On your topic of fictional language, it is really interesting because of course, it is fictional, it's chaos language. And yet, I've listened to these scores SO MANY times that i can sing along every single piece. A Beautiful Song is for the longest time in the top 5 of fav nier tracks and i am loving this series!

[@MuteMusicalMorgan]

Simones story of her obsession with beauty and mangling other machines to adorn her- it feels like a more tragic and mechanical version of the theme from Repo: the Genetic Opera. The Largo triplets have an addiction to plastic surgery, constantly trying on new faces in order to finally feel attractive.

[@rolotv2727]

I really like your chit-chat, please do Amusement Park OST next! ^

[@Browniedays]

This song is what inspired me to take singing classes, I wish to be able to sing this song so much!

[@Yevon]

The in game version hits different with the large bell they incorporate that syncs with not only the music but each of the bosses attacks. dodging said attacks really makes you feel the weight of the song :')

[@elementalterror]

The take of somebody who knows their stuff about music and the intricacies that go along with it, is an interesting take. For a person who just played the game and didn't know anything about it. Most of the songs where a "Huh, neat, beautiful." But they missed their deeper meanings. The retrospective being guided by a person with actual knowledge is a fresh and interesting take

[@MarcoMeatball]

Hey!!!! Thank you! I’m so glad you feel this way. ❤️

[@elementalterror]

@@MarcoMeatball A thing i really enjoy about the NieR series, is that a lot of the tracks have different edits that change the thematics of the songs based on the surrounding happenings. Grandma - from NieR Replicant ver 1.224 comes to mind. You've got the track Grandma - Reunion. Where instead of just Emi, It's goes from a personal song, to an orchestral feel. There's a lot of knowledge to unpack that i would've missed otherwise without the knowledge, it's nice to learn more about it then a surface level

[@MarcoMeatball]

@@elementalterror you’re right and each variation is enhanced. It’s hard to discuss all of them in one video. I may go live once I hit 1k subs and schedule an evening to listen and chat about the varying tracks and their changes. They’re fun to listen to.

[@APrinnyDood]

i fell in love when this song started, then I was blown away when I noticed all the lasers, missiles, ect. Simone is firing were in sync with the song as she is literally dancing. I know there's no way the anime adaptation will be on par with this, but im still curious to see if it tries to do justice to the blending of music and gameplay elements

[@_Fr49f13nd]

Since I found your KZbin yesterday I was wondering what could've happened to have made you stop singing opera. From the various clips you include in the reaction videos, you're very skilled. It's a simple reason but no less significant. Thanks for sharing.

[@MarcoMeatball]

I should make a video. Thank you.

[@lordmarvin7177]

It still hurts here in my heart

[@fernandoabrantes6260]

You are very strong Marco!

[@playedit0ut290]

One of the best fame soundtracks that gets you hyped up in just 3 seconds.

[@nahuel3433]

Every time I see a reaction to this song I lament the lack of the bell chimes the boss produces during the fight.

[@jialunluo42]

i love that totoro in the background XD

[@V-V1875-h]

Broken machine is tragic, you can see it when you play as 9s

[@valendrya3260]

I really love Nier Automata I'm really glad I found out about it my favorite track's are the copied city and Dependent Weakling I also recently found out about a track in the soundtrack called the colors of depression I think and it's pretty good

[@zurtleman2000]

Your opening comments (as well as throughout) remind me of an anecdote told by Stephen Sondheim. He was having lunch with Billy Wilder and mentioned wanting to make a musical out of his movie Sunset Boulevard. In the middle of his pitch, Wilder says: “Stephen, the movie is about a fallen queen. That’s not a musical-that’s an opera.” Sondheim conceded he was right. And eventually, that’s what it became. And the subject of that movie/opera is exactly what you are talking about re: the opera singer/performer life. Also, opera as all the arts? Spoken like a true Wagnerian 😎.

[@angel__king]

The best part of this fight is the music is in sync with her attacks so it ends up becoming a literal “dance with death”. Also my fav song from this game has gotta be “Kaine: Salvation” to me it feels like a heartache

[@ilyadimitrovas2492]

You should definitely check out Grandma in the Nier franchise! The Grissini Project has an orchestral cover and the original soundtrack is just as impressive. It never fails to give me goosebumps.

[@thomaspriyanto9929]

You can express the music into words very very well...

[@GustavoSilva-ny8jc]

I truly wish you had read the lyrics along, it's PERFECT, especially if you know the her plot beforehand.

[@Gloomshroom_1221]

Should give “god shattering star” a listen from fire emblem 3 houses

[@intellectualhybrid2]

That is one cool title for a song

[@afiqnazmi98]

I'm commenting this before I finish the video. I just wanna let out my thought a bit regarding this song before I hear your analysis. 9:01 feels like the songstress is crying "No, don't go. Don't leave me. Look at me! I'm trying my best here! Please..." It's painful. Such sorrow. Such lonliness. Yet, no one is looking at her. Everyone is turning their back on her...