Batya Belle Explores Digital Obsession, Loneliness, and Modern Connection on New Album ‘PARASOCIAL’

Montreal-based indie-pop singer-songwriter Batya Belle takes a closer look at the complicated relationship between technology, identity, and human connection on her latest album, PARASOCIAL. Spanning 12 tracks and 44 minutes, the project explores everything from digital obsession and loneliness to heartbreak, self-image, and the increasingly blurred lines between our online and offline lives.

Opening track “ONLINE” introduces the album's central themes, setting the stage for a project that questions how much of ourselves we give away in pursuit of connection. The title track, “PARASOCIAL,” digs further into the emotional attachments we develop through screens and the strange intimacy of feeling connected to people we don't actually know.

Throughout the album, Belle balances personal reflection with observations about modern relationships. Tracks like “KIDDING YOURSELF,” “UNTIL I DIE,” and “WHY DO I” explore emotional uncertainty, while “IT BETTER BE YOU” and “LIFE” expand on the complexities of love, expectations, and personal growth.

“HERE 2 STAY,” featuring Beau Rian, adds another collaborative dimension to the record.

What makes PARASOCIAL interesting is Belle's willingness to address uncomfortable realities without pretending to have all the answers. Her bedroom-produced approach gives the album a personal quality, allowing the songwriting to remain central to the listening experience.

Having already earned recognition through Spotify editorial playlist placements, Batya Belle continues developing her identity as an independent artist with a clear creative perspective.

With PARASOCIAL, Belle delivers an album that reflects a generation constantly connected to everything, yet often struggling to feel genuinely close to anyone.

We caught up with Batya Belle to discuss the inspiration behind PARASOCIAL, the realities of modern relationships, and the creative process behind her latest release.

Your album PARASOCIAL explores a generation that grew up online, where validation, comparison, and connection are often measured through a screen. Do you think social media has fundamentally changed how we value ourselves, and what have you personally had to unlearn because of it?

There’s no doubt social media and our phones are messing with our brains. We’re exposed to so many different versions of what life, relationships, success, and happiness are supposed to look like. It’s not hard to feel like you’re falling behind when all you see is a curated feed of manicured posts. The biggest thing I’ve had to unlearn is the need to constantly think about how I’m being perceived. Sometimes I catch myself thinking about how something would look or sound to someone else rather than just enjoying it for what it is. I’m still working on it.

There's something unsettling about feeling emotionally connected to people online who don't even know you exist. When writing “PARASOCIAL,” did you find yourself questioning whether these digital relationships were helping you feel less alone or actually making the loneliness worse?

Writing the song definitely made me reflect on that, although I didn't go into it trying to answer whether it was helping or hurting me. I grew up with YouTubers in place of friends. I spent my childhood watching Rhett and Link eat gross food combos and make each other laugh, wondering what it would be like to have a friendship like that. I felt excluded a lot as a kid, and turning to the internet was second nature.

The song isn't a literal retelling of my relationship to internet personalities and artists. The writing is exaggerated to create a narrative, but the emotions behind it are very real. I was interested in writing about how someone can become such a meaningful part of your life without ever actually knowing you. I don’t think those connections are inherently bad. I still find comfort in them. But writing the song did make me think about what could happen if it went too far.

On “KIDDING YOURSELF” and “UNTIL I DIE,” you confront the damage that constant comparison can have on self-image. As an independent artist who also needs social media to build an audience, how do you navigate relying on the very platforms that have negatively affected your mental well-being? It’s so hard!! Simply put, I probably would never touch a ‘post’ button again if I didn't have to put myself out there as an artist. I try to push through that feeling of dread when I post, but it never really gets any easier. Maintaining an online presence sort of leads to me being on my phone more than I need to be. It gets me doomscrolling and doing all the comparison stuff. I’m still trying to work on it. It’s tough! I wish I could just release music and let people find it without having to constantly remind everyone that it exists.

You create much of your music from your bedroom before collaborating with Beau Rian remotely. How has having that creative independence influenced your sound, and do you ever feel pressure to make music that fits what algorithms reward rather than what genuinely represents you? I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. Most songs I write (that haven't seen the light of day) are ones I think would never catch on. Whenever I try to write since my album came out, I find myself forcing a catchy pop hit when all I really feel like making is a slow, depressing ballad. Having creative independence is great, though, because I can just make that ballad anyway. I envy artists who can fully give themselves over to making a good song, even if it doesn't accurately represent what they are currently feeling. My songs come from a very vulnerable place. It’s a blessing and a curse. Working with Beau has given me that freedom to create anything, since he takes the ideas from my dumb demos and brings them to life.

The internet has made us more connected than ever, yet loneliness seems to be everywhere. After spending 44 minutes exploring identity, relationships, and digital culture on PARASOCIAL, what's the biggest truth you've discovered about human connection, and has making this album changed the way you live your own life offline? I don’t think I left with some big realization about connection. If anything, I’m more aware of how complicated it can be. We find comfort in all kinds of places. I don’t think there's always a clear line between what’s healthy and what isn't. After making this album and realizing just how much control the internet and my phone addiction have over me, I’m definitely taking some steps to spend less time online. But I could fall right back into my old ways in a heartbeat... and then I guess I’d have to make another album about it