The song "Cute Not Hot" by Hovey Benjamin expresses the artist's feelings of insecurity and longing for validation in terms of his physical appearance and sex appeal. He starts by acknowledging that people often find him cute, but he feels frustrated because he desires to be considered hot or sexy. The lyrics highlight the artist's confusion and struggle to understand how to succeed and be recognized in the industry. He questions how he can reach the top without possessing the typical sex appeal that is often associated with success. Despite being seen as adorable, he feels that he lacks the necessary sexual allure. The artist recounts an experience with a person who called him cute, but he interprets it as them not being interested in a romantic or sexual relationship. He mentions the feeling of being seen as a younger brother, despite being older, which further emphasizes his dissatisfaction with being perceived as cute rather than hot or desirable. Hovey Benjamin humorously compares himself to Nick Jonas before he gained muscle and became conventionally attractive. He describes himself as more of a "duckling" than a "swan," further emphasizing his sense of not living up to society's beauty standards. The artist also reflects on his experience with flirting, expressing disappointment when the person he was interested in turned out to be an automated bot rather than a genuine connection. This situation adds to his frustration about lacking sex appeal. Moreover, the song touches on the artist's struggle with fitting in socially, feeling that he was not popular in school due to lacking the necessary social skills. In an attempt to compensate, he sometimes overacts or behaves in foolish ways. Overall, "Cute Not Hot" portrays the artist's yearning for validation in terms of physical appearance and sex appeal, while also highlighting his insecurities and frustrations with not meeting societal standards of attractiveness.
