Dylan Recruits Bastille's Dan Smith For 'Liar, Liar'

08-04-2023

Single art

(Republic) Having entered 2023 as one of UK pop's hottest prospects, Dylan is back with a new single 'Liar, Liar' featuring Bastille's Dan Smith. Available now via Republic Records, the new track signifies the beginning of a thrilling new era for DYLAN, uniting her bold hooks with widescreen, stadium-filling production.

A track that steadily builds into a perfectly executed hit, 'Liar, Liar' signals a shift for DYLAN. The song arrives in a swell of orchestrated strings before clicking into a surging chorus that takes DYLAN's vocals to new heights.

DYLAN and Dan Smith (Bastille) met while on the road for a recent tour, on which she supported Bastille across the UK. The pair formed a strong friendship, later working together during a writing stint at Decoy Studios in Suffolk, where 'Liar, Liar' came to fruition.

"We'd written 9 songs that week and I was convinced I'd burnt myself out," explains DYLAN. "Dan (Bastille) arrived on the Friday morning and I presented the very last idea in my head, which was literally just the 'liar liar liar liar' part of the song, and everything came to form quite quickly from there.

The song is about deception from someone that you put your full trust in. When it came to recording the vocals, I very sheepishly suggested Dan recorded the second verse, just in case he wanted to be a part of it, which luckily he ended up doing! What is so lovely about this song is it was written a couple of months ago, in a matter of hours, with no pre-plan on it being a feature. Normally songs take huge amounts of time to see the light of day, but this one managed to slip through the cracks very quickly, with one of my favourite artists being a part of it."

Speaking about collaboration with DYLAN, Dan Smith of Bastille adds: "I had the best, best time making this song with DYLAN and everyone. We were all dancing 'round the studio like idiots the whole day, it was well fun (I'm not a dancing round the studio kind of person)."

The track is supported by a video directed by Charlie Sarsfield (Unknown Studios) and was shot in Nashville towards the end of DYLAN's time in North America this summer. "I'd been in America touring with Ed Sheeran for a couple of months and luckily Dan (Bastille) was also out there touring, so it seemed fitting to meet him in Nashville and film the music video." notes DYLAN. "Nashville is a wicked place with so much personality, and the video ended up being exactly what the director, Dan and I had been discussing in a matter of weeks.

I guess the video is telling two kinds of stories, mine is of love and broken trust, and I will leave Dan's up for interpretation. Of course, I have my version of his back story but it's more fun for me to see what other people think. In true Dylan style, it was extremely chaotic, and I'm so glad you get to see it."

Having entered 2023 as one of UK pop's hottest prospects, BBC Radio 1 Sound Poll, MTV Push and Amazon Music Artist to Watch shortlisted artist Dylan might only be at the beginning of her journey as one of the UK's most exciting new pop talents, but she's had her sights set on big things since her childhood.

Her candidness and determination is part of what has already scored her praise from the likes of BBC News, The Times, NME, Rolling Stone UK, i-D, Notion, Vogue Italia, The Line Of Best Fit, Dork and BBC Introducing; amassing an incredibly loyal and passionate fan base to form around her via her own sold out headline performances across the globe - whether it be multiple nights at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London or an appearance at the iconic Baby's All Right in Brooklyn - a mammoth UK & US stadium tour alongside Ed Sheeran, and support slots with Yungblud, Bastille and Tate McRae.

Since 2019, she's been on a journey to find her own voice, moving through more electronic-focused, synth-pop songs ('Good Enough') and mournful piano ballads ('IKWYDLN'). After two EPs ('Purple' and 2020's 'Red') worth of finding her feet, 2021 brought three singles in 'Nineteen', 'You're Not Harry Styles' and 'No Romeo' that started to shape the real Dylan sound - big pop hooks driven by crunchy guitars, dissecting her life and loves into incisive, memorable lyrics. Released in the Fall of 2022, Dylan's first mixtape - "The Greatest Thing I'll Never Learn"- was a collection of impeccable pop anthems readying audiences for her inevitable takeover in 2023.

Stay tuned for more from DYLAN, who will return stateside soon!