Exzenya, the genre-fluid independent artist based in Remote, United States, continues to redefine what dark electronic pop can be with her latest single, “Ugly When You Love Me.” This track, released via her own imprint Exzenya Productions, is a masterclass in psychological depth, cinematic production, and emotionally charged storytelling, solidifying her growing position in the indie electronic scene.
From the very first pulse, “Ugly When You Love Me” grabs the listener with its sleek, deliberate synths and tight percussion. Unlike chaotic expressions of anger often found in electronic music, Exzenya’s approach is calculated — every sound serves a purpose, every vocal inflection slices through with precision. The song transforms the often-idealized concept of love into a chilling confrontation with manipulation and decay, turning intimacy into something both visceral and unnerving. Here, affection becomes suffocating; what once seemed beautiful is revealed in its rot, exposing a psychological realism rarely explored so vividly in music.
Vocally, Exzenya demonstrates remarkable control. Her performance is both restrained and piercing, carrying the weight of confrontation without tipping into melodrama. The emotional dissection is surgical: each lyric acts as a mirror, reflecting the toxicity of love back onto itself. It’s a mature, cerebral approach that resonates particularly strongly given her extensive background in psychology, communications, and conflict resolution — academic experience that clearly informs the narrative depth of her music.
The production of the track reinforces its narrative with cinematic clarity. There’s a sense of space in the instrumentation, allowing tension to build and release like a story unfolding on screen. Subtle layering, rhythmic precision, and atmospheric textures create a world where listeners feel both complicit and captivated, inhabiting the space between attraction and repulsion. Early feedback from SoundCloud listeners highlights this precise balance of emotional intensity and sonic craftsmanship, praising the track’s immersive, almost visual quality.
Complementing the music is the single’s artwork, a visual distillation of the song’s themes. A bleeding rose, wilting into decay, emerges alongside a ghostly, expressionless face — a stark, gothic reminder of love’s darker realities. The aesthetics align seamlessly with the sonic landscape, turning “Ugly When You Love Me” into a holistic artistic statement.
This release continues the momentum Exzenya has built since her debut track “Drunk Texting”, which surpassed 550,000 streams on Audiomack. With each release, she blends intellectual insight with raw emotionality, crafting music that feels human, cinematic, and immediately relatable. “Ugly When You Love Me” stands out as a track that bridges dark electronic pop, narrative storytelling, and psychological depth — positioning her well for playlist features, sync licensing, and cross-genre recognition.
For listeners drawn to artists like Billie Eilish, Banks, FKA twigs, Sevdaliza, Grimes, and Caroline Polachek, this single is a perfect addition. Exzenya’s music occupies the space where beauty collides with destruction, vulnerability meets control, and emotion is laid bare with fearless honesty.
With “Ugly When You Love Me,” Exzenya proves once again that she is more than a singer or producer — she is a storyteller, psychologist, and visual artist, using dark electronic pop to illuminate the shadows of human emotion. It is music to be felt, dissected, and remembered.
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