One of the many things that ‘Pretend’ gets right, it’s that feeling of trying to walk away from someone, but your feet just keep dragging you back. Luke Champion and Elsa have teamed up for a track that sums up the struggle of wanting to move on from a relationship that’s exhausting yet magnetic—kind of like that one ex you know you shouldn’t text, but somehow still do at 2 a.m. It’s a song that hits right in the feels and all with a delicious wub-wub.

Elsa’s thick and honey’ed vocals play like a seductively intimate voice of every bad decision you’ve ever made in a toxic relationship—hopeful, regretful, and stuck in a loop. Champion’s snappy drums and low-end wobble evokes a deep emotional thrum through the chest, that frame Elsa’s voice perfectly; effortlessly blending those elements of Soul/R&B with Alt-Pop and a more progressive sound.

Elsa, who’s been busy making noise on BBC Radio 1 and Spotify’s Fresh Finds, brings a touch of emotional clarity to the track. It’s almost like she’s the voice of reason, even if the song’s about the complete lack of it. The vulnerability in her delivery gives the whole thing a certain weight—like when you’re mid-breakup and, somehow, you know you’re both in the wrong but still somehow need to have that final conversation.

And don’t let Luke Champion’s CV fool you—this isn’t just some top-tier producer flexing his connections (though he has worked with Idris Elba and AlunaGeorge). He’s got his own statement to make, weaving together thoughtful lyrics with the kind of production that’s both tight and loose, complex but still easy to listen to. After clocking up over 4 million streams as a songwriter and a UK album chart-topper, it’s safe to say Pretend isn’t just another one of those “filler” tracks in an artist’s discography. It’s the real deal.