Seen Lyrics — The Devil Wears Prada

NIGEL:
Growing up gay in Kalamazoo was not a walk in the park
Between bullies at school and brothers at home,
Let?s just say it was dark
I literally hid in a closet
So they wouldn't see me cry

Then one day on a rack at a corner store
A magazine caught my eye
The girl on the cover looked back at me as if to say,
Hey, I know who you?ll be
I read the whole issue right there
By the clerk when my runway in hand,
My heart went to work

(Chorus:)
Seen, suddenly seen,
In every page of that magazine
A part of me nobody recognized, yes,
Reflected in the Yves Saint Laurent silhouette
Seen, suddenly seen,
As more than a shy and awkward teen
Runway gave me a glimpse of a world
Where someday I could be seen

I studied designers in detail,
Kept clippings under my bed
I pretended to play with my GI Joes
But made them new clothes instead
At 18, I ran to Manhattan,
Got hired at a runway like you

Miranda looked over a layout I'd made
And said, "Nigel, that'll do"

Thirty years later I?m working among
The legends I lived for when I was young
Got a job, my dreams,
A partner I love and a life
That fits like a Lagerfeld glove

(Chorus:)
Seen, finally seen,
Now I?m part of that magazine
Dressing up icons the way I know how
No hiding in closets,
I create them now
Seen, finally seen,
Crowned as prince by the fashion queen
Runway lets me express to the world
The way I want to be seen

So sure there's an ugly side to this business
Can be cutthroat, often extreme
But it?s worth all the stress,
It's worth every cost
If a copy of Runway finds a boy who feels lost

(Chorus:)
And he feels seen, suddenly seen
If he could learn from this magazine
That being a queer kid?s not some kind of crime
In fact, it's pretty fucking sublime

Seen, suddenly seen
Can you imagine what that could mean?
Fashion opens your eyes to the world
I want him to see what I?ve seen
I want you to see what I've seen
Last Update: March, 04th 2026