Riley Polanski Confronts the Cycles of Heartbreak on New Single “Sad Again”

Los Angeles indie folk-pop artist Riley Polanski returns with a haunting new single, “Sad Again,” out September 26 across all major streaming platforms. Known for their ability to merge aching honesty with cinematic textures, Riley continues to carve out a space in indie music that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant.

“Sad Again” arrives as the final preview before their highly anticipated EP, Thought I’d Learn By Now, set for release on November 5. With stark lyricism, delicate yet aching guitar lines, and an atmosphere heavy with longing, the track doesn’t shy away from discomfort. Instead, it leans into it, inviting listeners to sit with heartbreak, acceptance, and the bittersweet beauty of endings that feel inevitable.

At its core, “Sad Again” is both a heartbreak and a balm. It acknowledges the recurring cycles of pain while gently reminding us that healing, too, always returns. Riley’s music has long explored themes of queerness, sobriety, and the fragile complexities of human connection, and this single feels like a culmination of those stories, pared down to their most vulnerable essence.

As Riley prepares to release Thought I’d Learn By Now, the new EP promises to be their most confessional body of work yet, balancing raw storytelling with the kind of atmospheric soundscapes that linger long after the final note. It’s a project that positions Riley Polanski as one of Los Angeles’ most compelling emerging voices, an artist unafraid to bare their truth while offering listeners a place to see their own reflected back.