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Photo:  Dillon Matthew

You know when someone sucks but you just can't seem to get over them? And even though you've told yourself "I've moved on" a thousand times, there's still that tiny little piece of your heart that feels drawn to them for whatever reason? Actively moving on is arguably the most challenging part of heartbreak, and on "i h8 that i still feel bad for u," Claire Rosinkranz lets out her pent up frustrations on the matter.

"i h8 that i still bad for u" describes the experience of breaking off your attachment from a relationship that did not serve you in the way it once did - whether that relationship be platonic, romantic, or even familial. Claire's lyrics are always a little too relatable, and this song is no exception. Singing, "You tell me I’m just pretending / I swear to God it’s all ending" and "Sure I love you so, sure I love you so / But I gotta let you go, gotta let you go-oh-oh," Claire confronts the murky feelings of guilt that come with leaving a toxic partner with a noted genuine sincerity.

"I was driving with one of my friends, and we were talking about a toxic relationship. She said that she hates that she still feels bad for this person even though she was treated poorly by them. I loved that idea so I wrote a song about it," shares Claire.  

On "i h8 that i still feel bad for u," Claire strays away from her usual whimsical bedroom pop sound, trading keys and cowbells for gritty electric guitars and a full drum kit. While the sound is certainly leaning towards pop rock - think: early 2000's Avril Lavigne energy - Claire's signature "D.I.Y." aesthetic can be heard through her inflection and lyricism. The track's production mirrors the inner conflict of its subject matter, flipping between a repetitive guitar riff that intensifies with each chorus. The rock band instrumentation and simple storytelling create amazing live potential, especially during the chorus where Claire shouts, "Oh, I hate that I still feel bad for you (for you, for you)."

Overall, "i h8 that i still feel bad for u" reminds me of all the pop punk songs I had on my iPod nano growing up. Only this time around, I am old enough to find myself within the lyrics.

Listen to "i h8 that i still feel bad for u" below: