The lyrics to Mickey Guyton's song "Black Like Me" are so personal, she says she didn't even think she'd share it when she wrote the song. The Grammy-nominated song reflects reality, but offers some hope and empowerment during a moving final chorus.

Emma Davidson Dillon, Nathan Chapman and Fraser Churchill helped Guyton write the lyrics to "Black Like Me" for her Bridges EP in 2020. The singer had struggled for years at country radio, beginning with a debut single called "Better Than You Left Me" that was forgotten by programmers as quickly as they hailed it. "Heartbreak Song" followed, becoming her last charting country song to date.

For the better part of five years she has fought to get her music recorded and released with little commercial success. "Nice Things" and "Sister" also went to radio before Guyton opened 2020 with a pair of socially conscious ballads. "What Are You Gonna Tell Her?" explored the mistreatment of women and earned her a performance slot at the 2020 ACM Awards. "Black Like Me" was released in June 2020, while a national conversation about race relations was growing more vital.

The 37-year-old Texas-raised singer will host the ACM Awards in April. "Black Like Me" was not only nominated for a Grammy in 2021, it was chosen for a performance slot.

"This is a huge moment for Black people in country music," the new mother said before the show. "I just feel so honored to stand in these shoes right now."

See the lyrics to Guyton's "Black Like Me" below.

Listen to Mickey Guyton, "Black Like Me"

Mickey Guyton's "Black Like Me" Lyrics:

Little kid in a small town / I did my best just to fit in / Broke my heart on the playground / When they said I was different / Oh now, now I'm all grown up, and nothing has changed / Yeah, it's still the same.

Chorus:
It's a hard life on easy street / Just white painted picket fences far as you can see / If you think we live in the land of the free / You should try to be black like me.

My daddy worked day and night / For an old house and a used car / Just to live that good life / It shouldn't be twice as hard / Oh now, now I'm all grown up and nothing has changed / Yeah, it's still the same.

Repeat Chorus

Oh, I know I'm not the only one, oh yeah / Who feels like I, I don't belong

Repeat Chorus

Oh, and someday we'll all be free / And I'm proud to be, oh, black like me / And I'm proud to be black like me / Proud to be black like me / Black like me.

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