The phrase, “all eyes on me”, means that everyone in the vicinity is looking at the speaker. This can be used in several different ways according to the speaker’s intent. This idiomatic phrase is a classic case of using a literal element, the eyes, for a figurative expression “on me,” where the eyes are not "on" the person in the literal sense, but where it’s understood that the attention of onlookers is focused on the specific individual who is speaking.
One of the most common uses for “all eyes on me” is in the imperative. In modern English, a speaker, usually someone in authority, might say “All eyes on me!”, and command the attention of a room full of people. Teachers frequently use the phrase this way; so do bosses and anyone else in a leadership job role. Many people understand that this is a fairly useful term in any type of public speaking. For example, an entertainer might use it, not authoritatively, but as an implied request, just before he or she does something impressive.
Another way to use the phrase is to say “all eyes were on me.” This shows a reflective assessment of an event, where the phrase is used descriptively. In this case, the speaker is conveying either the actual fact of many people watching him or her, or, alternately, he or she is using the phrase to illustrate the way that he or she felt during an event, meaning that the speaker felt under scrutiny. Frequently, people who use the phrase in this way do so to demonstrate that they are not wholly comfortable with having “all eyes on them”.
Other people who are comfortable with being the center of attention might also use the phrase descriptively or as a request. The idiom can be useful in show business or entertainment in different ways. It has also been used prominently as a title for different works of art or shows.
