Why panicbaby’s “i hate Berlin!!” is the Messiest, Best Pop Song Out Right Now

If you spend any time on music TikTok or digging through fresh indie-pop drops, you’ve probably run into panicbaby. She’s built a following on unfiltered, deeply vulnerable songwriting that sounds less like a calculated pop release and more like someone leaving their voice memos on public blast.

Her latest single, “i hate Berlin!!”, is out now, and it’s easily one of her sharpest tracks yet.

The Track: Location-Based Heartbreak Done Right

“i hate Berlin!!” leans hard into that hyper-specific, universal pain of having a city ruined for you by a person. It captures the messy, exhausting stages of trying to move on—from running away to New York, crying in church, to wandering around LA while secretly wishing you could just pick up the phone.

The songwriting is entirely conversational and punchy:

“You made me hate Berlin and physical touch, / And now I’m scared of Miles and falling in love, / Because my tummy hurts and I miss you like fuck, / You made me hate Berlin and I hate you for that.”

It’s dramatic, completely self-aware, and sticks in your head for days.

Inside the Visuals

The official music video, directed by Till Tinsky, matches that angsty, late-night aesthetic. Featuring appearances from Leni Bahr and Emily Milkowsky, the video translates the weirdly lonely feeling of exploring a new city when your head is completely stuck in the past.

Catch It Live This Autumn

If you want to scream these lyrics out in a room full of people, panicbaby is heading out on tour this fall:

• Manchester: Victoria Warehouse (Oct 17)

• Utrecht: EKKO (Oct 19)

• Paris: La Bellevilloise (Oct 20)

• Milan: Arci Bellezza (Oct 22)

Stream It

Whether you’re going through a brutal breakup or just love diary-entry pop that doesn’t take itself too seriously, “i hate Berlin!!” is worth adding to your rotation.