DRUNK ON ALCOHOL, A CRUSH, AND HONEY – rienne’s new indie-pop single, “honey”, invites us to attend a college party where meet-cutes and fleeting attractions may occur for one night only, but leaves us with a sweet hangover that lasts a lifetime.

Drunk and on a party high after attending their first ever American college party since moving from the Philippines, rienne wrote “honey” as they were trying to sober up both from the alcohol they drank and the girl they just met. “honey” talks about rienne’s internal struggle of wanting to make a move while trying to keep their cool in front of the girl they’re attracted to. “The story plays out to be a mutual attraction, but there are some lines meant to display hesitation such as ‘I shouldn’t say that’, which I repeatedly sang to show my internal struggle while in that situation”, shares rienne. “I wanted to make a move, but at the same time I was afraid I’d be rejected.”, a fear that we can all relate to when it comes to flirting and dating regardless of age and preference.

Knowing that they won’t cross paths with the girl again, rienne decides to just keep the sweet memory of this night alive through “honey” where they can relive the feeling every time they sing and listen to it. With that in mind, rienne recorded “honey” with the intention of having listeners feel the same vulnerability and boldness they did that night – as if they were also in that party themselves.

The upbeat tempo and fun indie-pop sound of “honey” sets the mood for a carefree night out with friends and when paired with the amusingly relatable lyrics that perfectly captures what goes inside one’s head while flirting, “honey” is like the soundtrack to a coming-of-age indie film where the protagonist may not get the girl, but instead gains a memory that is sweet as honey.

rienne is a non-binary alt-indie pop artist who’s born and raised in Manila, Philippines but is currently residing in West Virginia, USA. rienne’s music and lyricism are mainly taken from their personal experiences as a Gen Z who’s part of the LGBTQ+ community. “honey” is the fourth single rienne has released under indie record label Off The Record.