The Truth Hurts – Avalon Sings It Anyway

Alt-pop newcomer avalon is quickly becoming one of the most compelling new voices in emotional, cinematic pop. Following the viral momentum of “sydney,” she returns with “how to lie”, a track written in real time during heartbreak, capturing every raw breath, tear, and trembling confession.

The new single continues to shape her signature universe of vulnerability, where diaristic storytelling meets atmospheric production and unfiltered honesty. We caught up with avalon to talk through the moment that inspired the song, why she kept the tear-soaked vocal take, and what she hopes listeners feel when they hear it.

Your new single “how to lie” feels incredibly intimate — like we’re hearing heartbreak as it happens. Can you walk us through the moment that inspired the song?

I wrote the song almost two years ago. I was talking to someone I really liked, and during a session, they called me. As the conversation went on, I realized I was getting dumped. I literally opened my Notes app while still on the phone and started writing poems while crying. Then I went back into the studio and sang those words with tears in my eyes and a runny nose. It was so real and raw.

The final vocal is that exact take from that moment. Why did you choose to keep it?

Because that’s exactly how it felt. It didn’t make sense to re-record something that was already so honest. During that period, I kept listening back to the song and feeling really understood by it. When I teased it online, people said they could “feel the emotion,” and that gave me goosebumps. That’s how it was recorded — straight from my heart breaking.

Even though it came from a breakup, the song feels bigger than that — almost like an anthem for people who love deeply. Was that intentional?

It definitely became that. “how to lie” is about giving so much of yourself and feeling unseen in return. It’s for people who love hard and love fast. That can be draining and lonely. I want people to know they’re not alone. I see you, I hear you, and I wrote this song for you.

Your songwriting often feels like someone reading a journal out loud. Has vulnerability always been central to your music?

Yes. Music is the only way I truly feel heard or seen. I’ve been writing since I was 14, producing little demos in my room and sharing them online. Being honest is the only way I know how to create. It helps heal — both me and, hopefully, the people listening.

Your influences range from Billie Holiday to Tyler, The Creator. How do those worlds collide in your sound?

I grew up around a lot of creativity — my mom runs Millennium Dance Complex — so I was surrounded by all kinds of art. I love jazz legends like Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, but I also love the left-of-center worlds that Tyler, Jon Bellion, and Billie Eilish build. I think my music blends those things: organic and cinematic, but also modern and personal.

Fans often talk about how deeply connected they feel to you. How important is that relationship?

It means everything. I try to make space for my listeners through pen-pal emails, group chats, sharing demos — things that feel real. If I’m asking people to sit with my emotions, I want to show up for theirs too.

“how to lie” captures such a specific moment in time. What do you hope people carry with them after hearing it?

I hope they feel seen. I hope it gives them language for something they didn’t know how to express. And I hope it brings comfort to anyone who’s ever loved someone who couldn’t love them back in the same way.

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Listen to "how to lie" below.