What’s Play Pretend about?

So - let me be real with you. I’m going to write all of these as a stream of conciousness so, bear with me!

In a nutshell, it’s about losing yourself in a relationship. Or pretending to be someone you’re not in order to keep the peace, til you realise you’ve made multiple adjustments to who you really are and you barely recognise yourself anymore. But you’re so invested, you’re willing to be who ever that person wants you to be.

SNAP OUT OF IT, BABES!

Something I’ve been reading written in my notes over and over is “some people will be determined to misunderstand you”, and I swear it’s true. Whom ever you pretend to be will never be ‘right’. And how ever much you try to explain, they will be determined to midunderstand, undermine or disagree with you. That’s part of the loop to keep you under control.

I wrote Play Pretend in October 2024 - honestly, I wrote it after writing about fifteen other songs and feeling like there was a gap in the story. How did I end up where I was?

Together with the next single, Hunter Gathered, it tells a story of coercive control. A story of how you fall into the trap, the isolation and the depression that comes with narcisstic manipulation, abuse and discard. And how it comes to feel like the new normal - that state of anxiety and never feeling enough.

But hey, Play Pretend sounds fun 🤡. That’s how they hook ya haha. You know what’s more fun? BEING YOU, being free, thinking for yourself, and owning it. I think you’re perfect as you are.

I love you all, can’t wait for you to hear it.

x
V