Sometimes, a song takes you places you didn’t expect to go. That’s exactly what happened with Vicious Cycle. I set out to write a good ol’ party anthem—something fun, light, and not weighed down by heavy themes. At the time, I’d been diving deep into some pretty serious stuff in my songwriting, and I just wanted a break.
It started off strong: “I woke up dealing with a hangover…” Solid opening, right? It sets the stage, gives you a vibe, and pulls you into the story. Then came the next line: “Rolled out of bed to calm my nerves…” Now we’ve got momentum. I thought I was onto something—a carefree, no-strings-attached party song.
But as I kept writing, something shifted. I realized I couldn’t fully buy into the lifestyle I was describing anymore. It wasn’t me. Those drinking, smoking, wild nights I was singing about weren’t just fun stories—they were reflections of habits and patterns I’d lived through. And honestly? They weren’t all that great.
That’s when the song started evolving. It stopped being about the party and started being about the aftermath. I began seeing all these vicious cycles I’d let run unchecked in my life—patterns I thought I’d left behind but had only morphed into different forms.
The title, Vicious Cycle, really hit home for me. This wasn’t just a song about partying or specific bad habits; it became something deeper. It’s about recognizing the cycles that shape your life—whether it’s drinking, self-doubt, toxic relationships, or anything else. Sometimes, the hardest part is realizing those cycles are even there.
So, while Vicious Cycle didn’t turn out to be the carefree anthem I set out to write, it became something more meaningful—a reflection on growth, self-awareness, and breaking free from the patterns that hold you back. And honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.