‘Formidable’ Embodies Love and Passion Like No Other

This overlooked Twenty-One Pilots song brings powerful emotions and undeniable love

WILL DUMOND

“You are formidable to me, ‘cause you seem to know it, where you wanna go. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’ll follow you,” sings lead singer of Twenty One Pilots, Tyler Joseph. These words may not mean much to someone listening to the song for the first time, but the deeper meaning of this Beatles-esque tune shows a whole different side to the piece.

From the first time hearing the song, lines in the song like “But I just can’t believe that I’m for you,” and “I’m just worried my loyalty will bore you,” indicate a song directed at Tyler’s wife, Jenna. Fans see Jenna as Joseph’s biggest fan and number one supporter, so it isn’t that wild to be hearing a love song about her.

At the same time, there are other parts of the song that show a different side of Tyler. The verse “Fast-forward thirteen years now,” diverges from the love song idea. Tyler’s music career began thirteen years ago in 2008, while his relationship with Jenna began in 2013. This leads listeners to believe that this song has more than meets the eye.

So what does it all mean? This song is a combination of the passion Tyler Joseph has for his wife along with his awe for his music and his fear of losing it. Covering two different themes can be a struggle for a songwriter to make a passionate song that can keep a listener engaged, but Joseph does this beautifully. Tyler and band member Josh Dun have stemmed from a place where they were depressed and made music for comfort to feel good songs and radio hits that anyone can enjoy. The Twenty One Pilots fan base shows massive support for Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun which keeps the duo creating music for them, no matter the theme. All students should have the type of passion that Twenty One Pilots have to truly find a happier state of mind.