Maddy Hicks Turns Heartbreak Into Emotional Whiplash on “I Don’t Know You”

Maddy Hicks has built her career writing brutally honest pop songs that feel less like polished industry product and more like reading somebody’s private notes app after a heartbreak spiral.

After viral momentum from tracks like “Roster” and “Kinda Over It,” the Nashville-based singer-songwriter is stepping deeper into her independent era with “I Don’t Know You,” a track that captures the specific kind of betrayal that happens when someone you trusted suddenly feels unrecognizable.

Instead of framing heartbreak as a dramatic revenge fantasy, Maddy approaches it from a more emotionally raw angle: realizing the only way to move forward is by accepting the version of the person you loved might not have actually existed at all.

“I Don’t Know You” feels less angry and more emotionally disoriented. Was writing this song more about processing grief, or trying to reclaim power after betrayal?

This song was definitely more about processing than anything else. I wanted to figure out what I was holding myself back from saying to this person, and why I felt so strongly that I shouldn’t ever speak to them again. There was anger there, but I wasn’t writing with any sort of agenda - I just needed to genuinely sort through my emotions. That’s why I think the song has more of an introspective feel. It’s not a conversation; it’s just those incessant thoughts you have when you never got closure in a situation.

A lot of your music resonates because it feels painfully specific instead of vague breakup-pop filler. Do you ever worry about being too honest in your songwriting, especially when the people involved might hear it?

I’ve worried about it before, but I’ve yet to have it become a problem in any way. Funnily enough, I’ve had someone reach out to congratulate me on the success of a song that was about them - I think they were completely oblivious. Truthfully, my bigger fear is that someone will think a song is about them when it totally isn’t. But I’ve found that the specificity I’ve put into my songs, especially the more painful ones, is what has allowed listeners to connect to my music and heal in some way. So I find it to be a strength in my writing, and something I don’t plan on changing anytime soon!

You had songs blow up online before fully stepping into your independent chapter. How has your relationship with virality changed now that you’re building your career more on your own terms?

It’s been really nice to think of virality as a bonus goal to hit during a release cycle rather than a necessity for a release to happen at all. The only times I’ve ever gone viral have been when I was not actively promoting something, just sharing a random new song. That’s the unfortunate catch-22 of it all, and I think we’re entering a more deliberate era of that - not only do people not want to feel like they’re being marketed to, they're also very wary of being tricked into being marketed to. So it’s harder than ever for artists to make a big splash with new music, unless they already have a massive ride or die fanbase. I’m approaching this next chapter of my music with the mindset that I’m releasing the songs no matter what, because that part is for me. And I’ll post regularly and try to share the interesting aspects of each song, and if people resonate with any of them, then that’ll make my career easier. But it’s not a necessity for me, for this project at least. My biggest goal is just to maintain my passion for this project.

The line “I can’t forgive, so I’ll just forget til I don’t know you” is honestly brutal. Do you think forgetting someone is sometimes healthier than forcing forgiveness people aren’t actually ready for?

I’m not sure what the healthiest approach is (probably therapy, which I’m a big fan of), but I know that I wasn’t ready to forgive the person at the time. I let my feelings about the situation harden into a dull anger that was always in the back of my mind, so I wasn’t truly able to forget about them either. This song was written on and off over the past 3 years, and only more recently have I felt a sense of peace about it all. Time helps with both forgetting and forgiving. But I think I’m glad that I processed my feelings the way that I did - because I never involved the other person, and I never responded when they tried to reach out eventually. I just sort of disappeared. That separation was what finally led to some peace on my end.

Your music captures a lot of twentysomething emotional chaos without sounding cynical about love itself. After everything that inspired this song, do you still believe in love the same way you used to?

Oh, absolutely - my songs are very emotive and can get a little dark, especially when I’m processing pain or heartbreak. But I’m actually a very hopeful, positive person at my core! And I think especially now that I’m past those first few years of my twenties, it’s rare that something hurts in a way I haven’t experienced before. That helps me to avoid the same mistakes and the same kind of people who could hurt me again. I think love is everywhere, all the time. I just might not choose the same quick burn loves like the one that ended in me writing this song. But I have no doubt I’ll find love again.