<![CDATA[Music often serves as a medium for expressing human emotional experiences, one of which is the emotion of loss. The main focus of this study is on the psychological struggles of individuals experiencing emotional distress, loneliness, and a loss of mental stability due to coming from a broken home—a concept that differs from the general understanding of loss. This study aims to analyze the representation of the emotion of loss in the lyrics of the song “Tolong Aku” by Private Number using Roland Barthes’s semiotic analysis. The research method employed is a descriptive qualitative approach, with the song lyrics serving as the unit of analysis. Data collection was conducted through non-participant observation and documentary analysis, which were then analyzed through three levels of meaning: denotation, connotation, and myth. The results indicate that at the denotative level, the song’s lyrics depict sadness, longing for the past, fear, and the hope of once again experiencing the warmth of family. At the connotative level, this sense of loss is interpreted as the loss of a sense of security, affection, and emotional stability resulting from family dysfunction. Meanwhile, on a mythical level, this song challenges the idealized view that home is always the safest place, by revealing the reality that home can actually be a source of anxiety and trauma for some people. In conclusion, the song “Tolong Aku” is not merely a medium for expressing personal sorrow, but profoundly represents the psychological impact of family dysfunction through a system of signs that constructs social and cultural meaning.]]>
