Genre: Alt-pop, neo-soul
For fans of: Alanis Morissette, Tori Amos, Sara Bareilles
Nashville-born alt-pop and neo-soul artist Talon David announces ‘Villain’, the first half of a fairy-tale themed double album, arriving September 6.
Written, produced, arranged, engineered, and performed by David, ‘Villain’ is a fiery exploration of what it means to be cast as the bad guy in someone else’s story. Fueled by assertive grooves, sharp lyrics, powerful vocal arrangements, and an eclectic cast of musicians, the album finds David leaning into the more aggressive side of her sound while refusing to apologize for taking up space.
The concept for ‘Villain’ began with ‘Make Me the Villain’, written after David was scapegoated by music industry promoters for standing up for herself and fellow artists. What began as an angry response became the catalyst for an entire body of work.
After moving from Nashville to the UK in 2022 without knowing anyone or having an established support system, David spent the following years navigating a new country, a new chapter of her life, and plenty of personal and artistic character development. Along the way, she began noticing a recurring theme: being framed as the villain by people whose jealousy, influence, expectations, or beliefs conflicted with her simply being herself.
‘Villain’ turns that experience into a theatrical, genre-bending collection of songs. Across eleven tracks, David explores rage, grief, loneliness, awkward encounters, fake friendships, breakups, existential crises, and ultimately, the freedom that comes from refusing to live according to someone else’s narrative.
“Sometimes being the villain in someone else’s story is simply the price of refusing to play the role they wrote for you.”
The album moves freely between alternative rock, neo-soul, funk, house, pop-rock, retro R&B, reggae-pop, and dark pop. Its sonic unpredictability reflects David’s broader approach to songwriting. Drawing on her background as an actress and audiobook narrator, including work on Bridgerton, Neal Morse’s progressive rock operas, and more than 150 recorded books, she approaches each release like a manuscript, creating layered, themed worlds that are allowed to be dramatic, funny, vulnerable, and ultimately uplifting.
David’s musical upbringing was equally eclectic. Raised by two professional performers who were tired of playing country covers, she grew up surrounded by classic rock, Motown, 2000s pop, and Broadway cast recordings. She gravitated toward the piano early on, writing her own melodies and developing a musical voice that has remained difficult to confine to a single genre.
At seventeen, David won a nationwide GRAMMY Foundation songwriting contest for her song ‘Deep Snow’, earning her an invitation to attend the 2017 GRAMMY Awards. She went on to pursue a music degree before the global pandemic pushed her further into learning the technical side of her craft. In 2020, she released her first commercial project, Talon, like the Claw. Since then, she has released three albums, three EPs, and numerous singles, remaining the sole writer, producer, and audio engineer behind her catalog.
‘Villain’ continues that tradition of complete creative control while bringing in a group of musicians who help David build its expansive sound. Contributors include Stacey David on guitar, Pablo Arruda, Itaiguara Brandão, Bruno Migliari, and André Vasconcellos on bass, and Christiano Galvão, Fernando Moreno, and Bruno Werner on drums.
The album’s ten tracks each represent a different chapter in the villain’s story:
‘Make Me the Villain’ is the origin story. A slow-burning alternative rock eruption born from David’s frustration at being scapegoated by exploitative figures in the music industry. Inspired by classic rock and featuring Stacey David’s guitar work and Bruno Werner’s stadium-ready rhythms, the track establishes the album’s central question: what happens when you stop being afraid of being misunderstood?
‘Inner Banshee’ is the restless power. Written during the summer of 2025 while David was living in London and grieving her grandmother’s death, this house and neo-soul track captures the desperate need to create, perform, and scream into the void. It became a musical lifeline during a period of existential uncertainty.
‘Ghosted’ is the wake-up call. A funky, James Brown-inspired response to the frustration of being ignored by collaborators and coworkers. Packed with layers of background vocals, the track embraces the realization that sometimes the most efficient way to get something done is to do it yourself.
‘Awkward’ is the run-in. A pop-rock confidence booster about the uniquely uncomfortable experience of unexpectedly encountering someone you’ve only been on a couple of dates with. What are the rules? How should you act? And has the other person already cast you as the villain?
‘Hero Is a-Slitherin’’ is the personality. Inspired by David’s own Hogwarts House result after moving to the UK, this dark pop and alt-pop track challenges the stereotypes attached to Slytherin and the assumption that an outward label can reveal what is in someone’s heart. The accompanying music video was filmed entirely by David in London and Nashville.
‘Where Goodness Grows’ is the escape. Written in response to the exhaustion of news cycles and social media outrage, this slower-burning alt-pop track imagines escaping civilization altogether. With dystopian undertones and a pulsing groove, it asks what happens when the world’s best-laid plans begin to collapse.
‘I Wish You Well’ is the break-up. Drawing on the influence of early Mariah Carey, this retro R&B and pop/R&B track explores the difficult decision to end a relationship that does not have the foundation for a lifelong commitment. Sometimes playing the villain is the kinder choice when the alternative is a lifetime of hurt.
‘Mosaic (All of You)’ is the loneliness. The album’s most vulnerable moment. With no fiction or exaggeration in its lyrics, the piano-led ballad explores David’s experience of feeling like the villain in other people’s relationships while longing to have one of her own. It builds from quiet vulnerability into a devastating vocal climax.
‘Neverland’ is the cautionary tale. A haunting neo-soul and alt-pop track built around the chords of ‘Human Nature’. David explores her complicated impressions of Michael Jackson, another artist whose public story has been defined by the question of villainy. Stacey David contributes 12-string guitar, while shimmering vocal arrangements give the song an almost dreamlike quality.
‘Better Friend’ is the frenemies. A playful response to the fake friends and strategic competitors David has encountered throughout more than a decade in entertainment. Island percussion and carefree energy turn the track into a confident shrug at people who disguise competitiveness as friendship.
‘Last of My Kind’ is the triumph. An exaggerated, unseriously serious answer to everyone who lives in a world of endless “what ifs.” Combining retro influences with David’s trademark spunk, the album closes with a declaration of confidence, encouraging listeners to stop worrying, trust themselves, and dance anyway.
With ‘Villain’, Talon David transforms personal conflict into something theatrical, energetic, and unexpectedly joyful. Rather than running from the villain label, she turns it into a character, a concept, and ultimately a source of creative freedom.
David has previously received support from outlets including Wonderland and EARMILK, adding another chapter to the story of ‘Villain’.
Credits:
Talon David: vocals, piano, writer, arranger, producer, engineer
Stacey David: guitar
Pablo Arruda: bass on ‘The Better Friend’
Itaiguara Brandão: bass on ‘Where Goodness Grows’
Christiano Galvão: drums on ‘Last of My Kind’
Bruno Migliari: bass on ‘Ghosted’
Fernando Moreno: drums on ‘Hero Is a-Slitherin’’ and ‘I Wish You Well’
André Vasconcellos: bass on ‘Last of My Kind’ and ‘Inner Banshee’
Bruno Werner: drums on ‘Make Me the Villain’ and ‘Where Goodness Grows’
Find Talon David: Instagram, Spotify, Website
For more information, please contact: Danielle Holian | danielle.holian@decentmusicpr.com