Tessa Dalton's new single “Hit the Lights” is a raw late-night confessional

20-year-old Nashville-based singer-songwriter Tessa Dalton‘s new single “Hit the Lights” is all about late-night thoughts and impulses. There’s a confessional undertone throughout the lyrics that are known to be true to many young girls navigating first-time relationships. Having that uncertainty and understanding logically that someone might not be good for you but still wanting them close is a universal concept.

The rustic, slow acoustic guitar intro creates a mellow atmosphere. It has a country twang in the introduction, but as soon as the chorus comes in, that alternative pop/rock sound swoops in to carry the rest of the song. The electric guitar melody at the end also empowers the last couple lines, highlighting the lyrics “All I gotta do, is hit the lights.” The overall mid-tempo speed has a nice buildup to the last verse that keeps the listener engaged and at the edge of their seat, hanging onto every word.

Lyrically, the song is short and sweet in the way that it’s candid in its confession. The lyrics go “It’s not that I can’t have you / It’s that I know I’m right / when I say how wrong you are for me.” The straightforward lyricism also ties into how late-night thoughts come into play. It’s often the case that your mind will just run wild at night, being blunt and honest about topics you may avoid during the day.

Overall, the song is catchy and relatable. It also shows Daltons strengths within candid lyricism and being able to effortlessly blend genres to reach a broader audience.