Some songs document heartbreak while it is still happening. SMA’s “GOODNIGHT AND GOODBYE” comes from the moment after—the point when the questions have quieted, the lesson has landed and leaving finally feels more powerful than looking back.
Released September 19, the new single from Simone Nicole, known artistically as SMA, introduces her forthcoming VOICEMAILS project through its final chapter. The remaining songs will reveal the relationships, resentment, grief and personal growth that led to this conclusion, allowing the larger story to unfold in reverse.
“G&G is about moving on from the past: from relationships and previous versions of yourself,” SMA says. “More than anything else, it’s about me and where I’m at now.”
That sense of ownership runs through both the writing and recording. SMA wrote the lyrics over an instrumental by Mantra Beats, then recorded every vocal herself at home with a Volt 2 interface, an Audio-Technica 2020 microphone and Ableton. Working alongside musician Richard Baca during mixing and mastering, she made a deliberate choice to complete the vocals without Auto-Tune or Melodyne.
For SMA, that decision was less about proving a point than documenting her growth honestly. The performance keeps the focus on phrasing, layered harmonies and the conviction behind the words. Her musical influences—Qveen Herby, Ariana Grande and Eminem—surface through quick lyrical movement, vocal stacks and a pop melody built to carry emotional weight.
The song also rewards close listening. Its third verse incorporates the titles of unreleased VOICEMAILS tracks, including “I JUST CALLED,” “voodoo,” “labubu,” “broken,” “yours” and “ghost.” Those references function like a track list hidden inside the lyrics, offering an early map of the story still to come.
VOICEMAILS began as a concept about toxic love told through voice memos—the kind of messages people leave when emotions are too immediate or complicated for a polished conversation. Over time, the idea expanded into a broader examination of what happens after hurt changes you.
The project moves from resentment toward perspective. Its emotional arc begins with the feeling of “I hate you for what you did” and eventually reaches “thank you for what you taught me.” One song, “I JUST CALLED,” grew from SMA’s idea of reversing the familiar sentiment behind Stevie Wonder’s “I Just Called to Say I Love You.”
Her writing also draws from losses beyond romantic relationships. An estranged relationship with her sister became part of the emotional foundation beneath the music, pushing SMA to confront the absence of someone she once expected to remain in her life. Songwriting gave her a way to acknowledge that grief without letting it become the final word.
Mentor Dounia Tazi also played an important role during this period of change, encouraging SMA to focus on affirmations, intention and building the life she wanted while learning to accept herself in the present.
The result is a song centered on release rather than revenge. “GOODNIGHT AND GOODBYE” does not ask listeners to forget what happened. It asks them to recognize when an experience has already taught them everything it can.
“I want people to feel empowered: not only to let go of what no longer serves them, but to embrace who they want to be and step into their power,” SMA explains. “Choosing to make music has allowed me to fully express who I am and my hope is that the music allows other people to do the same.”
That emotional directness is matched by an ambitious visual presentation. SMA developed two aesthetics for the single: a nostalgic Y2K-inspired pink room and a dreamlike fairytale setting featuring a ballgown, flowers and footage from the botanical gardens in Albuquerque. Friends Kacee Aguirre, Mallory Laborie and Samantha Bo helped with filming, set construction and creative collaboration under SMA’s direction.
Although “GOODNIGHT AND GOODBYE” closes the narrative of VOICEMAILS, it opens a significant new stage in SMA’s career. She is currently finalizing three “baby albums,” developing a live set and preparing to build a wider audience through performance.
“My only dream is that my work resonates with someone else,” she says. “Whether it’s a melody, a mantra, or meaning.”
By trusting her natural voice and writing from a place of earned clarity, SMA has created a song that feels deeply personal without becoming inaccessible. “GOODNIGHT AND GOODBYE” is her goodbye to what no longer belongs—and an invitation for listeners to do the same.
ABOUT SMA
Simone Nicole, known artistically as SMA, is an emerging recording artist from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Blending pop melody, layered vocals and fast-moving lyricism, her work explores identity, relationships and personal transformation. “GOODNIGHT AND GOODBYE” introduces her forthcoming VOICEMAILS project.
Artist Links
Website: www.theactualsma.com
Instagram/TikTok: @theactualsma
Spotify: SMA on Spotify
YouTube: SMA on YouTube
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