THE REPRESENTATION OF EMOTIONAL VULNERABILITY IN CALLA SONG BY WAVE TO EARTH: A SEMIOTIC STUDY OF ROLAND BARTHES

Abstract

This study analyzes the semiotic meanings of the song "Calla" by Wave to Earth through Roland Barthes’ framework of denotation, connotation, and myth. The song portrays emotional intimacy, vulnerability, and healing using natural imagery such as rain, sunlight, clouds, and flowers. It raises a research problem regarding how linguistic signs in the lyrics represent love as a protective and transforming force within cultural contexts. The theoretical foundation is grounded in Barthes' semiotic theory, which uncovers multiple layers of meaning from literal narrative to deeper emotional and ideological associations. A qualitative descriptive method is applied by analyzing selected lyrics as textual data, carefully interpreting symbolic expressions of emotional vulnerability, hope, and resilience. Findings reveal that denotatively, the song captures moments of togetherness and care, while at the connotative level, natural metaphors like "raindrops shine like stars" symbolize emotional openness and release. Mythologically, the song constructs dominant ideologies portraying love as healing power, nature reflecting human emotions, vulnerability as beauty, and resilience as a process of ongoing growth. Overall, "Calla" serves as a poetic reflection on emotional recovery and human intimacy, demonstrating how music functions as a culturally rich system of signs that communicate universal feelings through specific symbolic language. This analysis contributes to the understanding of contemporary pop music as a medium for expressing complex emotional and cultural meanings.​​