Today, multi-hyphenate artist Dylan Conrique premieres her confessional new song “Polaroid” and its official music video. The singer/songwriter/actress’ first new music in 2026, “Polaroid” opens up about the crushing self-doubt she experienced upon relocating to Nashville after years of living in Los Angeles. Go here to listen to “Polaroid” now, and check out the visualizer here.
Written by Conrique, Tom Mann, and Nicole Beaubien, “Polaroid” follows the 21-year-old rising star’s recent release “How To Lose The Girl” — a fall 2025 track that landed on Billboard’s “5 Must-Hear New Country Songs” roundup, which noted that “Conrique’s dusky voice effortlessly conveys the emotional distress, before turning the song into one of bravery.” As she reveals, Conrique created “Polaroid” in an attempt to self-soothe and shift her perspective during a moment of deep confusion.
“When I first moved to Nashville, I felt so inspired by the city — but reality hit me hard,” Conrique explains. “I went through a phase of thinking, ‘I wish that could be me’ and ‘When will it be my time?’ and it took a lot out of me. When I wrote this song, I wrote it as a reminder that I’m okay, that everyone’s timing is different, and that nothing good comes from comparing myself to others. It’s been such a healing song for me.”
Produced by Brett Truitt, “Polaroid” channels self-reflection into a slow-building Country ballad. In the first verse, Conrique inhabits a bittersweet frustration as she observes the forward motion of her hometown peers (“Anna had her last day of college / She’s got her cap and gown and life laid out / Andy quit gambling, started a family / And I’m in this ten-year town”). As the song drifts along, she shares the details of her own journey and pleads for a sign that she’s on the right path (“I went from Cali to Nashville / Heard it’s the place for me to be / But I’ll be damned / No one’s holding my hand / Got no backup plan or degree”). With its tender acoustic-guitar work and soul-easing harmonies, “Polaroid” delivers an unforgettable piece of wisdom at the chorus — ultimately offering much-needed solace to anyone who’s felt lost while chasing their dreams: “I know it’s blurry, oh, don’t you worry / Where you meant to be is right here / Sometimes your world shakes / The Polaroid to make / The picture clear.”
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WATCH THE VISUALIZER HERE
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Directed by David OD and shot in gorgeous black-and-white, the visualizer for “Polaroid” finds Conrique alone in a bedroom and away from the outside world, perfectly capturing the song’s spirit of lonely rumination. Although much of the visualizer embodies a moody intensity, its final seconds convey a subtle sense of triumph as a quiet smile lights up her face.
Rooted in her gently commanding vocals, “Polaroid” is the latest in a series of head-turning releases spotlighting the incredible growth Conrique has achieved since moving to Nashville, immersing herself in songwriting, and reconnecting with her lifelong love of Country music — a passion closely tied to growing up on a farm in Northern California. Along with “How To Lose The Girl” (a one-of-a-kind breakup song that provides a step-by-step guide to wrecking a relationship), those songs include “Written In Stone” (a love song about the devastating possibility of losing the one you adore). A thrilling turn for an artist whose past success includes collaborating with super-producer Max Martin, going viral with her GOLD-certified 2022 smash “birthday cake,” and headlining her own international tour — all while gaining fame as an actor, including starring as a series regular on ABC’s The Rookie — Conrique’s new material shows the depth and complexity of her artistry like never before.
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