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Photo: Ron Dandon

We’ve come to grips with the fact that Hunter Daily is just a little too good to be true. She's talented, remarkably personable, shows up for her fellow artists like a good friend does, and returns to us with claw marks, a stirring six-track sonic diary entry. So, we were wondering by the title of her latest EP who this devil was that partially inspired such a rambunctious, emotional, and raw release, unveiling a part of her that we rarely see at shows and about town. Wanting to get the tea on this amazing release, what she's been up to, and if her claws are on the mend, we reached out to find out.  

"Claw Marks"

"Claw Marks" came from the pain of watching someone I loved walk away like it was easy—while I was still holding on for dear life. After a 4.5-year relationship, letting go wasn’t clean. It was messy, desperate, and it left marks.

At the time, I was filled with speculation about what my ex might be doing now that he was single, and I poured all of those fears into the song. Writing "Claw Marks" was like pulling a splinter out of my chest. It hurt, but there was so much relief in finally saying the things I hadn’t been able to say. "Claw Marks" is the perfect song to crash out to. It’s sad AF, but it’s got energy—it’s not a typical sad girl ballad; it’s intense and it cuts deep 

"Cowboy’s Gonna Ride"

This song is about acceptance—realizing you can’t change someone who doesn’t want to change.

There’s one line that always stands out to me, “A spaceman’s gonna suit up, a cowboy’s gonna ride.” On the surface, it sounds playful, but it’s really about inevitability. People are going to do what they’re going to do, no matter how much you want them to be different. This song was my way of making peace with that.

It actually took the longest to finish—at one point, it almost didn’t make the project. But I kept pushing for the finish line, and I’m so glad it’s here.

"Wedding Season"

"Wedding Season" is about how I would let literally any excuse be the reason I stayed in a relationship. Their birthday, a holiday, a wedding — I always found a way to put off doing the hard thing. I didn’t want to face the reality that the relationship was over, so I kept waiting for the ‘right’ time to leave, which of course never came. 

You can always find an excuse to stay, because it feels easier than facing the truth, but in the end postponing only drags out the pain. 

This song captured a feeling I know so many of us have lived through, but I hadn’t really heard put into a song before.

"Hope for the Best"

"Hope for the Best" sits in the denial stage of clinging to comfort, even when the red flags are waving in your face. It explores the emotional crossroads of a relationship on the verge of collapse—the moment when you know it’s over, but you’re still holding on. But instead of facing them, you close your eyes, hold on, and hope for the best.

"Dead End"

I wrote "Dead End" pretty recently compared to some of my other songs. Some tracks take me years to evolve, but this one came together quickly—it just clicked.

I wrote it when I was still seeing my ex and knew I shouldn't be. It was clear we had hit the end of the road for the relationship but I wasn't ready to fully let go.

If anything, I hope this song serves as a warning: don’t do what I did. Just because love feels familiar doesn’t mean it’s safe.

"Video Games"

Dating an extreme gamer boy was… an experience. I felt like I was in a love triangle with him and his console, and I was always the third wheel. I couldn’t wrap my head around the desire to spend hours staring at a screen when there was a real person right there begging for attention (hi, me). 

"Video Games" was my way of asking for the passion back, of wanting to feel like first place again. If nothing else, it’s proof you can write a pop song about being rage-quit.

This song became my one last plea for him to put down the controller and show up — and, spoiler alert, it didn’t exactly work out. 

This song is my PSA to the girls: if the only thing he’s turning on is his monitor, it’s GAME OVER.