Unmasking the Gloss: Why Rachel Chinouriri’s “Make Believe” Is the Most Relatable Pop Song of the Year

If you spent last year crying your eyes out to What A Devastating Turn of Events, you probably thought you knew what lane Rachel Chinouriri was staying in. The British indie-pop star carved out a massive space for herself by blending gut-wrenching, deeply personal lyricism with shimmering, guitar-driven indie production. But if her newest material is anything to go by, she’s completely tearing up her own rulebook.

Enter “Make Believe”.

As the second single previewing her highly anticipated sophomore album, I think I spoke too soon (slated for an October 16 release via Parlophone/Warner Records), “Make Believe” shows a completely different side of the artist. Trading the open-wound grief of her debut for something much sleeker, darker, and psychologically heavier, Chinouriri has delivered a pop track that feels like a late-night confession you whisper to yourself in the bathroom mirror.

Let’s dive into why this song is taking over the internet, what it means for her upcoming record, and why Rachel Chinouriri continues to be one of the most vital singer-songwriters working today.

Beneath the Gloss: The Brutal Honesty of “Make Believe”

At first listen, “Make Believe” hits you with a massive rush. It’s wrapped in rich, ’80s-leaning synth textures and a groove that practically begs you to move, fitting comfortably into the “sad bangers” playlist ecosystem. But if you actually stop to listen to what she’s singing about, the ground shifts beneath your feet.

Most pop songs about relationships lean heavily into tropes of empowerment—either you’re moving on, reclaiming your worth, or telling an ex where to go. Rachel Chinouriri completely flips that script by doing something much harder: admitting when she is her own worst enemy.

Discussing the track’s origins, Chinouriri didn’t sugarcoat her intentions:

“Make believe is about a side to me that I believe to be empowering, but really I’m masking my insecurities and betraying my self worth with obsession. Though it’s more sensual feeling, it’s actually about never holding my own boundaries and allowing someone who clearly hates me to have access to me at any moment.”

That level of raw self-awareness is rare. We’ve all been there—trying to convince ourselves that answering that text message at 2 AM is a sign of being chill, detached, or “unbothered,” when in reality, we are just feeding an addiction to someone who treats us poorly. Lines like “Am I bangin’ a loser? Am I an easy maneuver?” cut straight through any poetic metaphors to deliver a conversational, punchy reality check. It’s messy, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s painfully human.

Inside I think I spoke too soon: A Singular Night Out

To understand “Make Believe,” you have to look at the larger puzzle of I think I spoke too soon. Where her breakout era cast a wide net over various forms of life’s turbulence, this sophomore project narrows its lens significantly.

The entire album is built around a single, transformative night out. Think of it as a surrealist diary entry capturing that chaotic window of your early twenties (or late twenties, let’s be honest) where your frontal lobe is shifting, your identity is splintering into a million different versions, and you’re trying to figure out who you actually are.

In interviews leading up to the album rollout, Chinouriri has spoken candidly about the shifting landscape of her early twenties and the weird realization that you don’t actually have it all figured out. I think I spoke too soon grapples with sobriety, modern femininity, and the quiet fear of asking yourself: If I keep making these same mistakes, am I going to like the person I turn into?

By dropping “Make Believe” right after the glossy synth-pop opener “One Song Away From Crying”, Chinouriri is proving she isn’t interested in repeating herself. She’s stretching her vocal delivery, exploring a moodier, more sensual sonic palette, and proving that pop music can be both intensely danceable and psychologically profound.

What’s Next for Rachel Chinouriri?

If you want to catch one of the most exciting rising stars in modern music, the next few months are going to be massive.

• The Album Drop: I think I spoke too soon arrives everywhere on October 16. Vinyl collectors can hunt down exclusive independent record store pressings (including a gorgeous translucent blue variant).

• On the Road: Following a string of packed European festival and headline dates, Chinouriri’s live footprint is expanding rapidly. She is also gearing up for a massive run of arena shows supporting Gracie Abrams starting this December, bringing her confessional indie-pop to massive crowds across North America.

Chinouriri spent the last couple of years building a fiercely loyal fanbase by treating her listeners like best friends she’s confiding in. With “Make Believe,” she’s leaned even further into that intimacy, showing us that growth isn’t a straight line—sometimes it looks like putting on a brave face, going out anyway, and learning the hard way how to hold a boundary.