27 October 2026
Mahalia makes her way back to the forefront of the UK’s cultural consciousness with her new single ‘the five stages of heartbreak’. Reminiscent of 1990s R&B and the UK garage vocalists that took inspiration from that, Mahalia, quite literally, takes us through ‘the five stages of heartbreak’.
Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance are the emotions she explores for us. Impressively, the lyrics are detailed, honest, and colloquial, writing believably from the unique emotional turmoil of each stage. She marks each stage with the chorus: “x stages of heartbreak to go, oh that man really left, he ain’t ever coming home”, as she counts down from five to zero. The video imagines her saying these words to her ex-partner in a couple’s therapy session – an apt but playful visualisation of the tune.
Speaking on the release, Mahalia says:
“After 14 years of writing, making and releasing music, I can confidently say that this is my proudest moment. This is the most ‘me’ I have ever felt and the most excited I have been about what comes next in a long time. This song is just the beginning of what’s to come. It’s been a year of grief, heartbreak, messiness and growth. I hope you can feel it and I can’t wait to show you more!”
Over her remarkable 15-year career, Mahalia has earned accolades such as three MOBO Awards, four BRIT nominations, and a GRAMMY nomination. Hopefully, ‘the five stages of heartbreak’ signposts even more remarkable work to come from Mahalia in the near future.
Words by Charlie Edmondson