Xoë Miles’ latest single, “Villain,” hits like a punch you didn’t see coming.
The alt-pop singer-songwriter packs her pop-forward anthem with unflinching honesty.
Miles uses sharp lyrics and fierce vocals to tell a story of betrayal and self-reclamation, flipping the narrative on toxic dynamics. Her ability to channel emotional intensity into high-energy production makes “Villain” as exhilarating as it is cathartic.
The song’s lyrics don’t hold back: “I still smell your smoking gun / Irrational ammunition,” she sings, confronting the aftermath of betrayal. With lines like “Think you got my head to the trigger, but you’re aiming at the mirror,” Miles captures both the damage and self-destruction of those who inflict harm. The powerful ballad doesn’t wallow in heartbreak—it fights back, signaling strength and survival.
That same intensity shines through every layer of the music, thanks to Miles’ DIY approach. She’s not just the voice behind the song—she’s the producer, writer, engineer, and instrumentalist. That DIY spirit shows in every note, giving Miles’ songs a personal edge that feels intimate and polished.
Miles isn’t new to the stage, either. With performances at iconic venues like The Roxy and House of Blues, she’s spent years building her sound and reputation. Add to that collaborations with industry heavyweights linked to Beyoncé and Katy Perry, and it’s clear she’s carving out her own space in the alt-pop world—one relentless track at a time.
Congratulations on releasing your anticipated single, “Villian.” You’re a one-woman show, handling everything from production to mastering. What’s the most challenging part of doing it all yourself, and what’s the most rewarding?
Hey guys! Thank you so much! The most challenging part of doing it all myself is definitely just trying not to get overwhelmed. I struggle with a lot of anxiety, as well as being on the autism spectrum, so I tend to get overwhelmed very easily. Also, I can’t deny that it would be nice to have a team that knows how to help getting my music in front of more people. That being said, though, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I love making music, and no matter what, I can’t see myself doing anything else. The most rewarding part of it all is when people tell me that they connect with my music and that it means something to them, whether that be online or in person. I love making new friends (I view my “fans” more as friends than anything) and hearing their stories, as well as how my music reaches them in their own way.
"Villain" feels like both a release and a reclamation—was writing it a healing process for you, or did it stir up unresolved emotions? How do you personally navigate moments when trusting others feels difficult?
My single “Villain” is about a really bad best friend breakup that I’ve unfortunately been having to deal with over the past year now (crazy long time, I know - trust me, not by choice! LOL). I was just venting to my close friends Hillary Reese and Olivia Gunn about the entire situation one day back in February, and we were like… what if we wrote a song about it… so that’s what we did! It’s 100% a true story, so it definitely was both a healing process and a stir-up of emotions at the same time, but after releasing it to the world, it definitely felt more therapeutic than anything. I’m honestly still learning to navigate those moments when trusting others feels difficult! I’m so lucky to have family and a handful of close music friends that I know I can trust and count on, but outside of that, I’m still learning how to let down the wall I built up because of the situation Villain is about. Everything is a learning and growing process though, so it’s definitely one step at a time.
You’ve played some iconic stages, from The Roxy to the House of Blues. Are you staying cognizant of live performances when creating your songs in the studio, or does that not have any level of influence over you?
Of course, I’d absolutely love to play the songs I create on well-known or bigger stages! When I write/produce my music, I honestly just kind of zone into the sound itself rather than focusing on the live aspect of things, but afterward, I definitely go into my brain and scenario like (is that a word? I don’t think so… probably not… it’s fine, it is now) performances and how I want things to be played out.
With so much hands-on involvement in your music, what’s your creative process like? Do you start with lyrics, a melody, or a specific emotion?
It really just depends! When I started writing music when I was 12, I would always sit down with my guitar and kind of just do it all at the same time. Now that I’ve learned how to produce, I sometimes will start a beat and do a mumble track over it, and then I’ll kind of just vibe out what I think the song itself wants to say rather than what I logically will think of throwing over it if that makes any sense. Then, sometimes, I’ll still do the classic sit with my guitar and write a song. Or, sometimes, I’ll even just hear a melody in my head and hum it into my voice notes app - it all just depends!
What’s your go-to comfort song when you need a boost?
This is SUCH a hard question, because I feel like my music taste is so diverse, it really depends on the day. Lately, I’ve been really into super upbeat music that just makes me wanna dance (even though I cannot dance at all whatsoever), so I've loved a new artist named Adéla (she was on the Netflix show Pop Star Academy) who has two songs out now, Homewrecked and Superscar, and they are my go to’s. I also am OBSESSED with Odetari, who’s originally from Houston like I am! He has so many bangers, but my classic go-to is Hypnotic Data, even though I listen to his entire artist catalog on Spotify 24/7.
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