NASHVILLE, TN (August 7, 2023) – Well-versed in the art of transforming angst and heartbreak into pristine, catchy bedroom Pop, SAVANA SANTOS delivers another “mesmerizing and perfectly crafted track” (Wonderland) with “cheater,” out now via The Valory Music Co. In “cheater,” Santos shows off her penchant for wordplay, writing about a protagonist that isn’t actually having an affair with someone else, but instead is pinning for the old version of their love interest. In it, she quickly narrates the tension in a changing relationship, admitting “I’m a liar I’m a cheater I’m in love with the old you” over tense, distorted guitars that escalate at the chorus before a spiraling bridge. Watch the lyric video here.
“This was about a specific time in my life,” Santos says. “It’s one of the songs that I didn’t love the day I wrote it, but a few weeks later I felt it with all of my heart. I have this note in my phone with just random shit that pops into my brain. I remember seeing the words ‘I’m a cheater I’m in love with the old you,’ and it stuck out at me. I like to pull situations apart in songs and explore them in different ways. This song was me doing that with a feeling I was having. It felt like a niche emotion that I needed to express in a way other people could understand.”
“cheater” follows the singer/songwriter/producer’s lead track “messy” off her brave and brilliant forthcoming full-length solo debut. LADYGUNN proclaims “her captivating soundscapes take the listener on the ins and outs and her most intimate journeys” while also highlighting her “…signature crystalline vocals that melt in your soul” as Wonderland declares Santos “proves once again why she’s become a sought-after artist in the Nashville scene. Her ability to explore niche emotions and pull apart situations in her songs is truly remarkable.”
Raised in Quincy, Illinois, Santos has been penning songs since she was just 14, cutting her teeth with visceral, diary-like storytelling. Launching her career as lead vocalist of Avenue Beat, Santos’ love for sharp songwriting lead her to production, where she taught herself to craft captivating soundscapes for the viral trio. She co-penned and produced the group’s Top 40 pandemic track “F2020,” which garnered 17M+ views on TikTok and introduced the world to her knack for earnest, witty and devastatingly relatable hits. Since then, Santos has set her sights on herself and made a name in Nashville working with acts like Bea Miller, Cat Burns, Little Big Town and JP Saxe, among others. For the latest, follow Savana Santos’ journey on Instagram and TikTok.