Why Bordertown & Co.’s “Wanna Be” Connects

Bordertown & Co. released their new music video for “Wanna Be” today, and while the visuals bring the song to life, it’s the message behind the track that’s making people stop and pay attention. Anyone who’s lived through a relationship that no longer feels right will recognize the feeling at the heart of the song—being stuck somewhere you no longer belong, while knowing exactly what you wish you had instead.

The band has always carried a certain honesty in their writing, but “Wanna Be” puts that honesty front and center. The lyrics don’t dodge the uncomfortable truths people often avoid saying out loud. Instead, they acknowledge the internal tug-of-war that happens when you’re holding onto something out of habit rather than hope. It’s a feeling that’s rarely talked about openly, yet nearly everyone has lived through in one form or another.

Their performance reflects that tension without exaggeration. It’s not dramatized; it’s simply stated in a way that mirrors how real emotional conflict feels—quiet at times, sharp at others, and often heavier than anyone wants to admit. That straightforward delivery is part of what makes the message land so effectively. The song doesn’t romanticize the situation or turn it into a clean narrative. It lets the contradiction breathe.

“Wanna Be” stands out because it doesn’t offer easy answers. It doesn’t end with a promise or a resolution. Instead, it focuses on the moment before anything changes, the moment when someone finally tells the truth, even if they’re not ready to act on it yet. That honesty gives the song a kind of timeless relatability. Whether you’ve stayed too long, left too late, or wished for something you weren’t brave enough to reach for, the emotional terrain is immediately familiar.

As Bordertown & Co. continues to expand into new cities, releases like this show why their audience keeps growing. They’re not just writing songs for the sake of having material to play live. They’re tapping into experiences that people carry quietly, the ones that don’t always fit into neat categories. “Wanna Be” resonates because it speaks to that quieter truth—the one that sits with you long after the conversation

ends.

For listeners who have been through their own version of this story, Bordertown & Co. aren’t telling them how to feel or what to do. They’re simply acknowledging that complicated emotions exist, and sometimes the most meaningful thing a song can do is say what someone else hasn’t been able to.

Today’s release does exactly that.

https://www.bordertownandco.com/