“slower” is about the importance of seizing the moment and taking advantage of every opportunity. Tate urges her love interest to make a move and state his intentions clearly, as she is constantly evolving and changing and has no time to waste. She discussed the importance of honesty and communication in the beginning of a relationship on her 2021 NYLON interview:

I think that happens a lot with people. They’re not ready for commitment, so I feel like you just get led on for months and months and months, and then you’re like, “I’m wasting my time.” That’s kind of what this song was about — I can move on and do things, if you just communicate with me and you’re honest.

With the combination of a synthesizer, drums and Tate’s own vocals, the song creates an atmosphere of anticipation. The beat carried throughout the verses is similar to that of a ticking clock, as Tate waits on her potential lover to make a move. Similarly, the beat in the pre-chorus and chorus becomes confrontational, with Tate becoming more pressing regarding the matter.

Tate wrote this song when she was 14 years old and named it “Ew feelings (Aka slower)” as part of her Create with Tate series. Prior to the official release, she removed the song from all platforms.