Alan Walker - Faded Lyrics Meaning

It's about longing for the romanticized love of your youth and coming to question whether it was real.

You were the shadow to my light
Did you feel us?
(We were different but complimentary, like night and day, yin and yang. Did you feel the same?)

Another star
You fade away
(But like the many stars in my sky you faded away)

Afraid our aim is out of sight
Wanna see us, A light
(Our expectations were too high. We were young, chasing a fairy tale)

Where are you now
Was it all in my fantasy
Were you only imaginary
Where are you now
Atlantis
Under the sea
(Atlantis, an ancient paradise that is lost, that everyone searches for, that in reality probably never really existed. Here Atlantis represents the true love that we feel exists but remains lost beneath the surface.)

These shallow waters, never met
What I needed
I'm letting go
A deeper dive
(My shallow life and relationships never satisfied me. I'm moving deeper in search of "Atlantis")

Eternal silence of the sea
I'm breathing
Alive
Where are you now?
(But I find that I'm alone down here. Where are you now that I'm ready for you?)

Under the bright
But faded lights
You set my heart on fire
Where are you now
(We shared an intense moment that I idealize but that moment is fading.)

Where are you now
Where are you now
Atlantis
Under the sea
Under the sea
Where are you now
Another dream
The monsters running wild inside of me
(The loneliness is consuming me as I'm lost searching for Atlantis, but you're nowhere to be found.)

I'm faded
I'm faded
So lost
I'm faded
I'm faded
So lost
I'm faded