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Staying true to her sophisticated-spooky aesthetic, Ellise released a single on February 14 aptly titled “valentine.” Listeners will find it takes a surprising look at romance upended by betrayal and the struggle to cope with the fallout. In the track, Ellise recalls the discovery of an unfaithful lover through a series of questions posed to “the other.”

Through gauzy, delicate acoustic strings and a Broadway-musical-like conversational approach, Ellise crafts an entrancing and heartfelt number. As a profound bass hovers over each chord change, she tells a story of three people and one love—messy as it may be—worth telling, worth cautioning against.

“Oh, Valentine / He was yours when I thought he was mine / He wiped your tears while I cried all night / Oh, I can't lie to you, Valentine / I'm comparing the blue in our eyes / Your hair shines redder than wine / I can't get you off my mind,” is a poem written in scarlet letters.

Sung so gracefully, each heartbreaking lyric shimmers with hope and forgiveness. Ellise has found the perfect balance in her moody pop music, sitting somewhere between the deep shadows and brilliant highlights of nostalgia, carving a distinct niche for her artistry. Speaking of carving a niche, she is currently making her way across the United States, with coast-to-coast stops in cities like Los Angeles (March 13) and NYC (March 25).

Like any good love story, regardless of its ending—tragic or triumphant—it is the way it is told that is remembered. Ellise tells it like it is, with all the visceral questions of identity and worth laid bare. As she sets the stage, all listeners can do is pay attention and witness a moment of healing, becoming privy to something so deeply personal.

Watch the “valentine” lyric video below: