On February 13, timed deliberately as a Valentine’s Day surprise, Lipstick Killer released the official music video for “Real,” one of the tracks from her latest EP Cigarettes & Heartbreak Vol. 1. She introduced the visual on Instagram with a caption that reads:
“Shot this like nobody was supposed to see it. Now everybody can. ‘REAL’ out now. 🖤”
The message feels less like promotion and more like exposure. Which is fitting, because “Real” is built on exactly that.
In her own words, Lipstick Killer has described “Real” as one of the most personal songs she has ever written. The track was originally penned for what she believed was a once-in-a-lifetime love — a relationship that ended after the man she loved had a baby with someone else. She never released that version. At the time, she thought she would never experience a connection like that again.
Later the heartbreak repeated itself in the same devastating way.
“What’s wild—and devastating—is that the next great love of my life betrayed me in the exact same way,” she shared. That repetition fuels the emotional gravity of “Real.” The song unfolds like a direct address — unfiltered, spoken straight to the men who tried to break her.
Yet the core message isn’t defeat. It’s survival.
That resilience threads throughout Cigarettes & Heartbreak Vol. 1, a five-track emotional arc that includes “Real,” “Who Dat,” “Delaware Ave,” “Darkness,” and “Have A Nice Day.” Together, the songs move through suspicion, confrontation, collapse and ultimately self-recognition. Each track stands alone, but collectively they read like one continuous confession.
The project’s title stems from a real moment: sitting alone on her porch, noticing an ashtray overflowing with cigarette butts, physical evidence of grief. That image became symbolic: love burned down to remnants, survival marked by smoke and reflection.
With the “Real” video, Lipstick Killer doesn’t soften the story. She documents it as it is.
Not polished. Not performative. Just real.