After the Storm

### Writer(s)

Kali Uchis • Tyler, The Creator • Bootsy Collins • Matthew Tavares • Alex Sowinski • Chester Hansen • Leland Whitty

### From

Isolation

"**After The Storm**" is the thirteenth track and fourth single from Kali Uchis' debut album *Isolation*. It was released on January 12, 2018, through Virgin EMI and Interscope. The track features Tyler, The Creator & Bootsy Collins.

The song is a delicate, dreamy and sexy empowering song. It shows Kali Uchis' strength and ambition and references several times songs from Tyler, The Creator’s album, *Flower Boy*, on which the singer was featured.

## Background and release

On February 3, 2015, Uchis stated in an interview with Billboard that she wanted to work with Bootsy Collins, "I followed him on Twitter and he still hasn't followed me back, so I'm just waiting for him to follow me". Bootsy Collins responded to Kali Uchis' interview days after the publication via Twitter. Both Uchis and Collins worked on music in Collins' ranch in Ohio.

Uchis appears on Collins' song "Worth My While" from his album *World Wide Funk*, released in October 2017.

The single was released for digital download on January 12, 2018.

## Music video

The song's music video, directed by Nadia Lee Cohen, was released on January 25, 2018. The video features scenes with Tyler, The Creator as a plant, and Bootsy Collins in animated form.

In a review of Uchis' video, The Verge's Kaitlyn Tiffany describes the video as a "radically lemon-yellow ensemble". Vogue writer Rachel Hahn describes Uchis' outfit as a "bright blue lounge set fit for a '50s housewife".

## Live performances

On March 15, 2018, Kali Uchis performed "After The Storm" with Tyler, The Creator and The Roots for her television debut on *The Tonight Show*. On April 15, 2018, Uchis performed the song during her set at Coachella with Tyler, The Creator.

## Lyrics

**[Intro: Bootsy Collins]**

Ah, whatever goes around

Eventually comes back to you

So you gotta be careful, baby

And look both ways before you cross my mind

**[Verse 1: Kali Uchis & Bootsy Collins]**

Did you ever wonder, yeah, do you ever wonder?

What he might be going through on his own, and

The demons that he's facing alone

(Sometimes it hurts, baby)

I hate that sometimes I can't go home

And it just ain't the same on the phone, no

But everybody's gotta go on, don't they?

Yes, we do, baby

**[Pre-Chorus: Kali Uchis & Bootsy Collins]**

So if you need a hero (If you need a hero)

Just look in the mirror (Just look in the mirror)

No one's gonna save you now

So you better save yourself

And everybody's hurting

Everybody's going through it

But you just can't give up now

'Cause you gotta save yourself

Yeah, gotta hang on, baby

**[Chorus: Kali Uchis]**

The sun'll come out

Nothing good ever comes easy

I know times are rough

But winners don't quit, so don't you give up

The sun'll come out

But we've been struggling endlessly

Someday we'll find the love

'Cause after the storm's when the flowers bloom

**[Verse 2: Tyler, The Creator]**

Kali, what you mean? I take it offensive

'Cause I'm the hottest flower boy that popped up on the scene

Feeling better, better than ever

'Cause your umbrella, -brella (-brel-la)

Sun is beaming on me like headlights beaming on Bambi

Now let's pretend the street is the room and you are a Camry

'Cause you drive me candy, the Tito to my Randy

Now let's produce some thrillers, my chocolate wit' yo' vanilla, uh

**[Chorus: Kali Uchis]**

The sun'll come out

Nothing good ever comes easy

I know times are rough

But winners don't quit, so don't you give up

The sun'll come out

But we've been struggling endlessly

Someday we'll find the love

'Cause after the storm—

**[Bridge: Kali Uchis]**

I know it's hard

But did you even really try?

Maybe you could understand

When all you had to do was ask

And just open your mind

When everything is passing by

And all you had to do was try

Yeah, all you had to do was try

**[Outro: Bootsy Collins & Kali Uchis]**

Try, try, try, try, try

And all you had to do was try

Try, try, try, try