Breathe

**Breathe** is the 3rd song off of the soundtrack.

## Writing Process

* When Eden Espinosa was Nina in 2005, Breathe didn't exist yet, but Lin "did write this CRAZY high Finale section where Nina's on the plane back (!)"

## Filming

* Leslie Grace was spotted filming the “Breathe” scene on June 28

## Gallery

1/4
## Lyrics

[PIRAGUA GUY]
Sigue andando el camino por toda su vida
Respira...

[NINA]
Breathe

[COMMUNITY]
Y si pierdes mis huellas que dios te bendiga
Respira

[NINA]
This is my street
I smile at the faces
I’ve known all my life
They regard me with pride
And everyone’s sweet
They say, “You’re going places!’
So how can I say that while I was away
I had so much to hide!

“Hey guys, it’s me!
The biggest disappointment you know.”
The kid couldn’t hack it
She’s back and she’s walkin’ real slow
Welcome home
Just breathe...

[NINA]
Just breathe—

[COMMUNITY]
Sigue andando el camino por toda su vida
Respira—

Y si pierdes mis huellas que dios te bendiga
Respira—

[NINA]
As the radio plays old forgotten boleros
I think of the days when this city was mine
I remember the praise

[NINA]
“Ay, te adoro, te quiero,”
The neighborhood waved, and
Said, “Nina, be brave and
You’re gonna be fine!”
And maybe it’s me
But it all seems like lifetimes ago

[COMMUNITY]
Te adoro

Te quiero
Respira!

Respira!

[NINA]
So what do I say to these faces that I used to know?
“Hey, I’m home?”

[NEIGHBOR LADY]
Mira Nina

[NINA]
Hey…

[COMMUNITY]
No me preocupo por ella

[NINA]
They’re not worried about me

[COMMUNITY]
Mira, allí esta nuestra estrella!

[NINA]
They are all counting on me to succeed

[COMMUNITY]
Ella sí da la talla!

[NINA]
I am the one who made it out!
The one who always made the grade
But maybe I should have just stayed home…

When I was a child I stayed wide awake
Climbed to the highest place
On every fire escape
Restless to climb

I got every scholarship
Saved every dollar
The first to go to college
How do I tell them why
I’m coming back home?
With my eyes on the horizon

[COMMUNITY]
Ah! Ah, aah…
Mira Nina
Respira…
Respira…
Ah!

[NINA]
Just me and the GWB, asking, “Gee Nina, what’ll you be?"

Straighten the spine
Smile for the neighbors
Everything’s fine
Everything’s cool
The standard reply:
“Lots of tests, lots of papers.”
Smile, wave goodbye
And pray to the sky, oh, god…
And how do I dare to say?

[COMMUNITY]
Nina…

[NINA]
Can I go in there and say

[COMMUNITY]
Nina…

[NINA]
“I know that I’m letting you down…”

[Kevin Rusario]
Nina…

[NINA]
Just breathe...

## Tweets

* When you write the lyric

“restless to climb” as a kid
It’s gonna come back around

## Trivia

* In the original musical soundtrack, Nina sings "What will my parents say?" and in the movie it is changed to "And how do I dare to say?".  This is likely because Nina's mom was cut from the movie. The director Quiara Alegría Hudes stated that this change made the parallel between Nina's and Usnavi's narratives stronger.

## References

1. ↑ https://twitter.com/Lin\_Manuel/status/368152031552233472
2. ↑ https://twitter.com/intheheightsfan/status/1147146590538350592
3. ↑ https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-breathe-lyrics
4. ↑ https://twitter.com/lesliegrace/status/1136084073062027266
5. ↑ https://twitter.com/Lin\_Manuel/status/1138080926473359361
6. ↑ https://genius.com/In-the-heights-original-broadway-company-and-mandy-gonzalez-breathe-lyrics
7. ↑ https://screenrant.com/in-heights-movie-musical-nina-mother-camila-cut/