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We asked pop darling Leah Mason to walk us through her latest release, HEXED, so we could experience the journey through her eyes. It has a lifespan rich with love, betrayal, and the full spectrum of emotions between, soundtracked by lilting pop sensibilities. But let’s let the artist speak for herself: 

Leah Mason: HEXED is the story of my mid-twenties. I constantly feel like I’m somewhere between a teenager and an adult, and it has really been an emotional rollercoaster for me over the past few years. I’ve never felt such deep heartbreak, anger, resentment, betrayal, or frustration than I have in the past year, but I’ve also never loved as deeply, felt as confident, or been as outspoken. This phase of my life has forced me to face a lot of harsh realities about both myself and the people around me. It’s shown me who is meant to be in my life and who isn’t, something that I haven’t always found easy to accept. 

The songs on this record all come from a place of deep emotion. They’re blunt, honest reflections of how I felt in the moment they were written. Songwriting is therapy for me, and it felt good to get all of these feelings off my chest. No matter what happens, I know that this album will serve as a real timestamp of this period in my life.

1. Hexed

Sometimes it feels like life is just out to get you, like you have some sort of self-deprecating sign on your back that’s asking for it. I’ve had a few moments in my life, especially in the past year, where it’s honestly slightly funny just how much bad shit was happening to me all at once. It was mostly irritating and inconvenient little things, but when it’s one thing after the next it starts to feel like the universe is conspiring against you. It felt almost like someone had made a voodoo doll of me and was just relishing in my misfortune. And as irrational as I know this all sounds, this song is really about trying to find an explanation to the insanity of all of these conveniently “coincidental” series of unfortunate events. 

2. Kissing Friends

Isn’t it crazy how tempting it is to do something that you KNOW is “bad” for you? It’s like the red button theory — the more someone says not to push it, the more you want to. That’s what wanting to kiss your best friend is like. My rational thoughts were screaming not to do it, but it didn’t matter. I wanted to do it, no matter what the consequences were, and I knew I was going to do it. I figured that regret would be a far worse fate than whatever consequences I had waiting for me, and I honestly still stand by that thought process! You have to take risks sometimes. 

3. Klepto

“Klepto” is a song about this “friend” I had who I noticed started to take a lot of “inspiration” from me. She would subtly ask me where my clothes were from, and the next week she’d show up in the exact same thing I had been wearing. It was flattering at first, but she eventually started messing around with the people in my life, like talking to guys she knew I was interested in and inviting my friends to hang out without me. It felt like she wanted to steal my life. It was so frustrating because it felt like she was trying to take everything and everyone from me. It was like she was a goddamn klepto!

4. Dime Bag

I know I’m really down bad when I start sitting in the shower. When standing up feels like an impossible tak, that's when I know I've been entirely drained of energy. And that’s exactly what a bad breakup does to you — especially a breakup where you’ve been lying to yourself about it or, even worse, you’re lying to the other person to spare their feelings. It’s ironic how we often try to act like we’re fine to the people who broke our hearts just so THEY don’t feel bad. I guess that’s just what you do when you love someone more than you love yourself. 

 5. Insomnia

I’ve never been a good sleeper. I think it’s something my parents passed down to me. I’ve tried every homeopathic remedy available, like cherry juice, magnesium, melatonin… but nothing has ever worked. It hit a point where I wouldn’t sleep for three days at a time and I’d have to take prescription sleeping pills just to get a few hours of sleep. However, when I met my now partner, Tommy, my sleep entirely changed. I’ve never slept well on my own, let alone with someone else sleeping beside me, but with him it was different. I think the safety and security of having someone there that I feel totally comfortable with was the only medicine I needed to fix my sleep. 

6. YOUR BOYFRIEND SUCKS

I have this stunning, gorgeous, smart, outgoing, and extremely funny friend that had been seeing this guy for a few months and it felt like every week she would tell me the most awful stories about the way he treated her. I always felt so confused as to WHAT her infatuation with him was because, to put it simply, he sucked! She is the best person and friend and I just knew she deserved so much more than what he was giving her! I wrote this song as a way to be brutally honest and tell her what I thought of the situation. I believe it’s for the best to just be brutally honest with your friends in these kinds of situations as that’s what a real friend does!  

7. Everything's Gonna Be Alright

I’m a pro at masking my emotions and suppressing my feelings until I can deal with them later. But the thing about emotions is that they don’t wait for the most convenient time to bubble to the surface. “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” is about surrendering to your mind and acknowledging how you’re feeling. Truthfully, that’s the only way to start the healing process.

 8. Midas Touch

 It seems like every other post on my Instagram feed is someone flashing a ring. But, the weirdest engagements to see are when it’s your ex getting engaged. I feel like I have a talent for always being the one before THE one. When you know you’ve left someone a better person than you found them, it can just feel so unfair that someone else gets to reap the rewards. This past year it’s felt like the year of engagements, like every other post on my Instagram feed is someone flashing a ring. The hardest is seeing your exes get engaged though. It always feels quite jarring to see the person you once loved and taught how to love go on to build a life with someone else.

9. Spirits

I wrote this song for one of my best friends who was in a very loving and seemingly healthy relationship that was torn apart by her partner’s drinking. She never had anything bad to say about him unless he was drinking. It was like he turned into a different person. My heart went out to her because she felt so conflicted in her feelings for him — he was everything she had ever wanted when he was sober, but she couldn’t ignore the dark side that came out when he was drinking. I was telling my brother about it one day and he said to me, “that’s why they call ‘em spirits, Leah. It brings out the demons.” It just really stuck with me and I knew I had to write about it. I’d written the lyrics to the song less than 24 hours later. 

10. 8Ball

“Karma’s a bitch but I’m bitchier” was my personal slogan when I was a teenager. I always felt like it was my duty to deliver karma where I believe it was due. As I’ve grown up, I’ve learned it’s best to let God do the work. With that being said, every once in a while it feels like the universe is taking a little bit too long, and all I need is a little sign or permission to take matters into my own hand… and what better way than consulting a magic 8 ball! 

11. First Prize Money

Sometimes I miss the way I felt about music before I started pursuing it as a career. It’s hard to not let the business side of music take over your thoughts and dictate your every move. The deeper I’ve gotten into the music industry, the more I’ve realized how transactional relationships in this industry can be. There’s so much worth placed on what you can offer someone else financially and socially. I’ve never considered myself a jaded person, but seeing certain sides of the music industry has really tested me. Honestly, this past year has just proved how much I really love making music, writing songs, and being an artist, because putting up with all of the other BS that comes along with this industry is not easy!

12. Guilty Pleasure Place

I feel like I’ve experienced a lot of self-growth over the past few years. I used to be a very reactive person and I’ve had to learn how to have impulse control. I’m able to deal with situations in my life in a way that’s much healthier for me now… but, sometimes I do let myself think about revenge. This song is about how just thinking about it can satisfy the itch. I know I’ll never follow through with my grand plans of revenge, but sometimes you just have to let your imagination go there for a little bit…