Darienne Savoy Dives Fearlessly Into Vulnerability On “In Too Deep”

Los Angeles may be overflowing with talent, but every so often, an artist cuts through the noise with something that feels like a gut-check. That’s what Darienne Savoy does on her latest single, “In Too Deep.”

Savoy grew up in Waldorf, Maryland, and started penning songs at just nine years old, using music the way most of us use a diary. Now based in LA, her approach hasn’t changed; she still bleeds honesty into her work, but she’s sharpened it into something that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable. Her debut project, Work Of Art: Exhibit A, is built around hurt, healing, and reclaiming power after abuse. “In Too Deep” is the first piece of that story, and it doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable truths.

The track lives in the tension between desire and damage. Darienne sings about wanting to open up to love while dragging the weight of past trauma. Lyrics like “Truth be told, it ain’t easy to love. Broke my own heart more times than enough” don’t sugarcoat the fear, but paired with smooth, sensual production, they land even harder.

Lush harmonies pull listeners into Savoy’s inner world, where every thought echoes with longing and hesitation. Then comes the curveball: a saxophone line from Evano that slides in with warmth and intimacy, adding texture without overcrowding the space. By the time the final a cappella chorus lands, it feels less like a fade-out and more like an exhale—a reminder that the vulnerability is the point.

This isn’t just a breakup song or another moody R&B slow burn. Savoy is carving out a safe haven for anyone who has wrestled with vulnerability and still chosen to show up for love anyway. That’s the power in “In Too Deep.” It doesn’t wallow; it resonates.

She’s not asking you to just listen, she’s asking you to feel seen. And if you’ve ever been scared to love again, you’ll find yourself right there with her, floating in the groove and wincing at the scars.

Stream “In Too Deep” now and keep up with Darienne Savoy on Instagram and TikTok. Work Of Art: Exhibit A is only getting started, and if this track is any indication, she’s not holding back.

“In Too Deep” captures that push-and-pull between wanting love and fearing it because of past scars. What was the most challenging part about translating that internal conflict into music without holding back?

The most challenging part was finding a balance between expressing the emotion candidly and incorporating it into the groove I envisioned for the song. I wanted to create something with “In Too Deep” that was honest and raw, but that had an upbeat tempo to it and elements of soul. I always start my writing process by just getting all of my thoughts and feelings out, almost like I’m journaling, and then circling back to give it structure and a melody.

I did that with this record, and for me, trying to find a catchy/groovy chorus and hook that still felt truthful and intimate was what took some time. I went back and forth with different versions of the song, and it got to a point where I had completed everything but a chorus to tie it all together.

I was backstage at a show for my job, and during intermission, the lyric “Truth be told, it ain’t easy to love” came to me. I immediately sat down and started writing it out, and by the end of intermission, I had completed the whole song. I think taking my time with this one was definitely worth it. I wanted to handle such an intimate and real emotional struggle with care, while also creating a sound that people could vibe with and groove to. 

You’ve described your music as a diary, deeply personal, almost like pages you’re letting the world read. How do you balance protecting your own healing process with exposing that vulnerability to listeners?

Interestingly enough, a big part of the healing process has been letting my vulnerability show and allowing myself to release it in my music! I definitely think it’s essential to have a balance between personal healing and reflection and what goes on paper at the end of it all.

A lot of what I write happens after taking needed time to process everything myself, because I always want to approach it from a place where I’ve been able to begin the healing process at least, so that I feel comfortable sharing it openly and honestly. But ever since I knew what music was, music has always been a healer for me, and I’m so blessed to be able to express myself in that way/to have supporters who see me in that way and embrace it fully. It really goes hand in hand with healing, I feel. 

The saxophone and vocal layering add such a distinct emotional weight to the track. What made you decide those elements were essential, and how do they represent what you were feeling while writing this song?

Right when I began working on this project (back in late 2023), I knew immediately that I wanted the saxophone to be included in at least one song. It’s my favorite instrument in the world, and it evokes a nostalgic and intimate feeling in me whenever I hear it. I’m always taken back to being in my hometown (Waldorf, Maryland), sitting out on the water somewhere with my family or walking around the harbor and hearing a saxophonist playing on the streets nearby. While working track by track with my amazing producer, Noriko Olling, we both decided it felt best to add saxophone to “In Too Deep.”

It brings out the intimacy and vulnerability that I wanted to express most in the record, while giving it that certain soul and groove that felt essential. The song, starting with saxophone and piano and transitioning into a more synth-based sound, to me, represented the push and pull we mentioned earlier, wanting to embrace love while battling that fear and anxiety. 

As far as vocal layering goes, harmonies are such a prominent part of everything I create, so it felt proper and necessary to have them in this track as well. I got the idea to have the staccato sound on the layers in the chorus in hopes that it would give it the feel of a pulsing heartbeat, and with each lyric, I wanted to come up with an idea for the layers to resemble the feeling behind it in that same way. To me, vocal layering gives a song so much life, and can truly set the scene you’re wanting to create within the music. That’s what I wanted to do with this record, and what I try to do with every one of my songs, on this project and beyond. 

“In Too Deep” is the first piece of your debut project, Work Of Art: Exhibit A. How does this song set the tone for the rest of the album’s journey through hurt and healing?

This song is right in the middle of the project as a whole and opens the door to the vulnerability explored and the story being told through the project. Listening to the album in order, you hear a thorough storyline. The beginning dives into the hurt, while this middle section of the project is me acknowledging the effects of that hurt and craving a sense of healing, but understanding that it is anything but linear and takes time.

From there, we enter the healing process, which is further explored toward the end of the record and even more so in Exhibit B. To my friends and family, I’ve been calling “In Too Deep” a glimpse into the gallery, because it sets the tone in all ways for what’s to come- sonically, visually, and emotionally.

You’ve said you want your music to be a haven for listeners. What does that look like for you personally? When has music been a safe haven in your own life?

I have always said that music is a universal love language, and I’ve always wanted my music to provide people with that comfort in knowing they’re not alone in how they feel. To me, music as a safe haven is the music you turn to in the midst of the chaos in the world. To feel joy, peace, and a sweet escape, or to connect - in any case, it’s a haven for the listener when it brings about that feeling. I first got into music by listening to Michael Jackson, Alicia Keys, and more with my dad growing up.

I still remember listening to “The Element Of Freedom” by Alicia and some of Michael’s greatest ballads as a 9-year-old girl, because the music was so much more than pleasing to the ear. It moved me and made me feel complete/at such peace and ease. It brought about a feeling of comfort to hear these artists tap into such vulnerability and authenticity, as seen in “Childhood” by Michael or “Wait Til You See My Smile” by Alicia.

I felt connected by way of the music, and when I began making music professionally, I did so with the goal in mind to create that same feeling. In releasing my last single, “Good In The World”, the response to it showed me how much of a superpower vulnerability is. It’s what makes music timeless, and so when I think of music as a haven, I aspire to create a world where my listeners connect as their truest selves and feel safe in their most authentic light.