For the past few weeks, memes have been trying to capture the chaos of the start of 2025. But perhaps the most accurate comparison to what the first few months of this year have felt like are the early days of a fresh and painful breakup. The intensity of those emotions often brings out the most raw versions of ourselves – something singer and songwriter Jessie Reyez knows well. Known for her popular breakup songs, including “Mutual Friend,” “Still C U,” “Break Me Down,” and “Fuck It,” the Grammy-nominated artist has gained many fans for her artful ability to transform devastation into relatable songs.
But Reyez is turning over a new leaf with her latest track, “Goliath.” It’s a deliciously feel-good love song that would make even the biggest love cynic blush – and its larger message is one that the world seems to need right now.
“I didn’t realize how synonymous heartbreak music was with me,” she says with a laugh. “To the point that when I put stuff like this out, people are like, ‘Oh wow, she’s not depressed.’ Someone said that. Someone said, ‘She’s not depressing Reyez.’ I was like, damn.”
“I didn’t realize how synonymous heartbreak music was with me.”
But contrary to what fans might be hoping, “Goliath” isn’t inspired by a new romantic love in Reyez’s life. She keeps that part of her world private. Instead, the lyrics to the chorus – “When I say I love you / I mean I would pull every star from the sky down / Or square up with any Goliath / I’ll moonwalk it through any fire” – actually came to her after having a conversation with her niece.
“It was my youngest niece’s birthday, and I got her on the phone and I was just so happy to speak with her that I started crying,” Reyez says. “I was at the studio when this happened, so I walked out on a session, and then the waterworks happened.”
After the call, she attempted to compose herself, returned to the studio, and began crafting what would become the bare bones of “Goliath.”
I had such a sense of pure love inside, and that’s what came up,” she adds. This emotion is, she admits, a result of her being in what some have called her “lover girl era.”
“I’m in my take-my-vitamins era,” she says, laughing again. “I guess you could say I’m in my high chakra era. Lover girl era is fine. I mean – I’ll take it. I don’t hate it.”
Reyez explains that while she often writes songs long after experiencing the high-intensity moments that inspired them – sometimes years later – “Goliath” reflects exactly where she is in her life right now.
“I’m definitely experiencing more joy in my life these days than I used to,” she says. “I’m much more in touch with peace, you know? Not to say that I’m completely healed. Not to say that I’m some guru. I obviously still experience my bouts of fuckery. But I’ve cultivated more of a relationship with peace and with emotional equilibrium.”
“I’m definitely experiencing more joy in my life these days than I used to.”
She teases that her upcoming and highly anticipated next studio album will touch on all this: “It’s a bit more balanced, where it shows the whole spectrum and how I find joy,” she says of the new album. “I find it with my family. I find joy in nature. I find joy in meditation. I find joy with animals. I find joy reading. And I find joy in being fucking alone.”
Indeed, for the past year, Reyez has been leaning heavily into her wellness and self-care. She’s been prioritizing her physical, spiritual, and mental health more than before – making sure to make it a part of her daily practice regardless of what she has going on.
Despite being a jet-setting pop star, Reyez is decidedly down to earth. She spends a lot of her time with family (she’s referred to her parents as her best friends in numerous interviews), and often finds joy in nature by camping on her own. She heads to the woods with nothing but a backpack filled with her belongings, books, and a cooler filled with fresh fruits and nuts.
On more of a daily level, journaling keeps her grounded. “I journal twice a day. I journal when I wake up in the morning to document my dreams,” she says. “The night one always ends up turning into like a recap and a gratitude prayer.”
Even when she’s on tour, Reyez makes time for self-reflection. “I’ll make it a point to have a couple of days off after work when I’m completely alone because I know I need it,” she says. “It doesn’t matter where I am – I’ll just make sure I do it. I’ve just made it a cost. Because if not, I turn into an asshole. If I’m not replenished, if I’m not at peace, I’m of no use to my squad.”
In terms of how she’s navigating the heaviness that seems to be taking over the world – between the California wildfires and the mass deportations of undocumented Latine immigrants – it’s about trying to understand the role she plays in all of it.
“Some people are meant to be warriors. Some people are meant to be peacemakers, and the world needs both,” she says. “The world needs warriors for change, but the world needs peacemakers for it not to get bloody. I think [people] need to find where they feel most useful between those two poles and then activate and apply. That might be prayer, or that might be protest.”
With everything happening in the world, Reyes understands that music has always been a source of resistance and joy for the community. She hopes tracks like “Goliath,” and the songs on her upcoming album (expected to release this spring) help Latine communities tap into their inner strength and unite as a collective. As she puts it, that might mean being a warrior – showing up as an advocate or activist, speaking out against injustices, or being a peacemaker, bringing calm to the community. Or, like her, finding a way to be and do both.
“This felt like the January that never fucking ended, and if that’s any indication of what the rest of the year is going to be like, we’re in for a fucking shit show,” she says. “I understand someone would want a little bit of escapism – and I’m glad that one of my songs is able to provide that for anybody that wants to hear and maybe feel a little bit of relief.”
Johanna Ferreira is the content director for PS Juntos. With more than 10 years of experience, Johanna focuses on how intersectional identities are a central part of Latine culture. Previously, she spent close to three years as the deputy editor at HipLatina, and she has freelanced for numerous outlets including Refinery29, Oprah magazine, Allure, InStyle, and Well+Good. She has also moderated and spoken on numerous panels on Latine identity.
