Colleen D’Agostino Chooses a Fresh Start on New Single “Secret”

Los Angeles singer-songwriter Colleen D’Agostino steps forward on her own with “Secret,” a new electronic single centered on leaving old chaos behind and choosing a future with someone you love.

A Grammy-nominated artist with roots in both alternative rock and electronic music, Colleen D’Agostino first gained recognition as the frontwoman of The Material before expanding into the electronic space. Her career has since included the platinum-certified deadmau5 collaboration “Seeya,” alongside releases through mau5trap, Armada, and Hypnovizion, and collaborations with artists including REZZ, Will Sparks, and EDDIE.

“Secret,” however, feels intentionally more personal.

The track captures that complicated point in a relationship where moving forward requires both people to stop allowing the past to dictate what happens next. Colleen D’Agostino spends the verses reaching toward someone who has yet to fully open up, creating an emotional tension that gives the chorus greater weight when it arrives.

Rather than romanticizing starting over, “Secret” recognizes that choosing a future together often means consciously releasing what came before it. There’s longing in the song, but also a noticeable sense of optimism. Colleen D’Agostino ultimately frames letting go as an act of freedom rather than loss.

Production from Jordan Orcaz complements that emotional progression, giving Colleen D’Agostino’s commanding vocals enough space to remain at the center of the record.

After releasing music this year with Julian Gray, REZZ, and AZRUM, “Secret” arrives without a label or featured collaborator. That independence makes the release feel particularly significant, offering a direct glimpse at where Colleen D’Agostino wants to take her own music next.

“Secret” is about choosing a future with someone while leaving old chaos behind. What did you have to understand about your own past before you could write about letting it go?

As a female in the music industry, I’d say life has always been a bit unpredictable. When I was touring with my band The Material, I had to give up all expectations of what I thought my life would look like, in exchange for chasing a dream. I think in some ways, it’s allowed me the ability to follow my own path and embrace change as it comes.

There’s tension in the verses between wanting someone to open up and realizing you can’t force them to. How have you learned to navigate that line between fighting for a relationship and knowing when something is beyond your control?

I don’t think trust can be forced. A good relationship takes time, and trust forms when you choose to keep showing up for each other, even in the chaos.

After collaborating with artists like deadmau5, REZZ, and Julian Gray, “Secret” puts the focus entirely back on you. What did you want this release to establish about Colleen D’Agostino as a solo artist?

I love writing and collaborating with other artists, but I felt like it was time to put something out there by myself. It’s easy to become labeled as “just a featured artist”. I want people to know that it’s me writing all the melodies and lyrics, recording my own vocals, and putting in the work. Each year I’m learning and growing. I love every moment of this job I get to do as a songwriter.

Jordan Orcaz’s production gives your vocals and the emotion behind them a lot of room to breathe. What conversations did you have about how the production should support the story without overpowering it?

Jordan and I go way back to when we were both signed to deadmau5’s label, mau5trap. I’m always in awe of his production, mixing, and mastering skills. We’ve written so much music together over the years that we don’t usually need to discuss what to do with the vocals. We’ve got it down to a science; I record my own vocals and send him a bunch of dry vocal stems. I honestly credit him for getting me excited to write music again after being away for a while to start my family because he’s always been so kind to pitch me for projects. In return, I try to bring him into every project that I’m a part of because I trust his ear 100%.

You’ve moved between alternative rock and electronic music throughout your career. At this stage, are you still interested in defining your sound by genre, or are you more focused on following whatever a particular song needs?

I started in the rock world with my band The Material and honestly never considered the EDM world until I got sent a deadmau5 song to write to. After that, there were more opportunities for me in electronic music, so I just kind of stayed! I’m really excited about bass music at the moment. I feel there’s a lot of crossover. The songs I did with Rezz and Azrum have some moody guitars that feel reminiscent of what I started with in rock music, so for now, I’m focused on doing more of that. I hope that I get to tour again someday with my husband and bandmates. Always.