NYC-based indie-pop band Best Ex have shared the second single off their new album, the bouncy tongue-in-cheek “I Promise To Ruin Your Life,” is about having “innocent little crushes” which she says fuels her during bouts of creative ennui. “I write so many songs about heartbreak, but this time around, I just wanted to write something about that light, hopeful feeling of meeting a stranger you just absolutely adore.” Recalling those anxiety-inducing butterflies where you want to “peel your eyelids open at 3am because you don’t want the day to end,” she adds, “I also wanted this song to be a bit of a nod to my previous work with Candy Hearts. I referenced the song “All The Ways You Let Me Down” in the lyric ‘I know how this ends / we won’t be speaking / I’ll add you to the list of things that let me down.’ I wanted to give a nod to all the places my career has taken me. I really value those years, and my album didn’t feel complete without reflecting on that.”

Speaking about their debut album With A Smile (out on October 6, 2023 on Iodine Recordings/Alcopop! Records) Mariel Loveland says “So many times, when I feel like I’m flailing around with no direction, the universe seems to give me exactly what I need. In this case, the month I was getting ready to think about recording a new single, Iodine Records randomly reached out to me and asked if I wanted to make an album. I honestly had been feeling like I may never get the opportunity to make a full length on my own—especially with how much the industry has changed since I made music with Candy Hearts. Of course, I said ‘ABSOLUTELY YES.’ It feels like the world is giving me a second chance, and I hope fans will too.”

Pre-order With a Smile HERE.