Dancing Through Denial: Moody Joody’s New Pop Single “Fantasyland” Is the Exact Soundtrack We Needed

If you’ve ever caught yourself romanticizing a toxic relationship just to avoid facing the exhausting truth, rising electro-pop trio Moody Joody has made the ultimate anthem for your denial.

The Nashville-based outfit—made up of Kayla Hall, Kaitie Forbes, and Andrew Pacheco—is back with “Fantasyland”, a shimmering, high-energy taste of their upcoming debut album, Plain Jane (dropping October 30 via Photo Finish Records). It’s bright, it’s infectious, and it’s a masterclass in masking a heartbreak behind sparkling production.

The Reality Check That Started It All

Every great pop song needs an origin story, and this one hits a little too close to home. Co-vocalist Kayla Hall admits the track was born straight out of a brutally honest conversation with her therapist.

“I had been caught up in a toxic cycle with an ex and she candidly told me I was living in a ‘Fantasyland’ in regards to thinking the dynamic was going to change,” Hall shares. “I was still in a place where I was romanticizing this relationship dynamic and this person and who we were as people.”

That painful realization turned into the song’s brilliant central hook: the double meaning of “lying in my fantasyland” On the surface, it sounds carefree—head in the clouds, totally relaxed. Dig a little deeper, though, and it’s a confession. You aren’t just lounging; you’re lying to yourself.

Nostalgic Synths and “Millennial Hopecore”

Musically, Moody Joody leans hard into what Kaitie Forbes calls “Millennial hopecore”

Driven by lush, pulsing synths, live drums, and an unapologetic pop sheen, “Fantasyland” throws listeners right back into the golden era of 2010s indie-pop optimism—think Passion Pit, Phoenix, or The Naked & Famous. It’s equal parts euphoric and self-aware, capturing that exact sweet spot where you want to cry your eyes out and dance under a strobe light at the same time.

“Best listened to under a disco ball wearing American Apparel with your besties,” Forbes jokes. Honestly? Spot on.

Peeling Back the Layers on Plain Jane

“Fantasyland” shows off the lighter, glossier side of the band’s upcoming record. While the rest of Plain Jane tackles deeper vulnerabilities and the messy work of burning old expectations to the ground, singles like this prove that Moody Joody knows how to make emotional baggage sound like an absolute party.

As multi-instrumentalist Andrew Pacheco points out, every piece of the puzzle they’ve shared so far gives a different look at the expansive Plain Jane universe. If “Fantasyland” is any preview, October 30 can’t get here fast enough.

Quick Facts

• Artist: Moody Joody

• Single: “Fantasyland”

• Album: Plain Jane

• Release Date: October 30, 2026

• Label: Photo Finish Records

• The Vibe: Crying on the dance floor, 2010s synth nostalgia, and total romantic denial.

Stream & Support

Ready to escape into your own head-in-the-clouds bubble? Stream “Fantasyland” on streaming platforms now, and get ready to pre-save Plain Jane.