The expiration of a non-disclosure agreement has given Haley Faye Rosenthal the freedom to tell a story she was unable to share the way she wanted for a long time, parts of which are now revealed in her latest single, “Legally Lobotomized.”
“I can finally share my story on my own terms! It’s been really freeing and healing,” says Haley with quiet satisfaction.
“Legally Lobotomized” transforms the disorientation of being gaslit into a dark dance-pop track, where bright synths and explosive drums accompany the biting humor with which she confronts difficult experiences. Co-written with Chelsea Collins, She Is Jules, and Olivia Frances, the track brings together pain, drama, and the reclamation of a voice that is no longer held back.
The sarcasm behind the project's title, the boundaries that come with writing about her most personal experiences, and the musical universe she is building around her authentic voice are some of the things we discussed with Haley in this conversation.
“Legally Lobotomized” is a striking title. What made it feel like the right name for this song, and how did it shape the writing?
Dark humor is a huge part of my personality, my music, and how I handle life. The title came from being gaslit until you start questioning your own sanity and thinking, “I just want to be lobotomized at this point.” It’s obviously a very dramatic thing to say, haha, but that’s what made it feel right for the song. There’s dark humor in that thought, but there’s real hurt underneath it too. I wanted the writing to hold both.
You’ve described this release as taking back control of a story that other people had shaped for you. What did telling it on your own terms let you say that you couldn’t express before?
Now that my NDA has expired, I can finally share my story on my own terms! It’s been really freeing and healing. For a long time, I couldn’t tell it the way I wanted to. Now I can. I’m releasing the full project that tells this story backwards to forwards, starting with “Second Chance at Life” and “Legally Lobotomized.”
Gaslighting can gradually change the way someone sees themselves. How did you approach capturing that unraveling in the lyrics while giving the song such a bold, assertive voice?
I wanted the lyrics to capture how disorienting it is to start doubting yourself. You can end up questioning your own memory and wondering if you’re the problem, which is a pretty cruel plot twist. The boldness comes from telling the story now, in my own voice. I can write about the unraveling without having to stay in it.
You worked with Chelsea Collins, She Is Jules, and Olivia Frances on the song. What did that collaboration bring out in you, and was there a moment when the track really clicked into place?
I co-wrote the song with Chelsea, She Is Jules, and Olivia. It was so much fun! The collaboration helped us keep both the humor and the hurt in the song. The track clicked for me when we found a way to hold both at once: I’m poking fun at how upside down the experience made me feel, but I’m not pretending it didn’t hurt.
For a listener who is still questioning their own experience or struggling to trust their judgment, what do you hope stays with them after the song ends?
I hope they feel less alone and remember that they’re allowed to trust what they felt. You don’t need to have every detail perfectly organized to deserve support.
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Your debut EP, “My Ghost,” brought deeply personal experiences into your songwriting. How has your sense of what you want to share, and what you want to keep for yourself, evolved since that project?
“My Ghost” was deeply personal, and that honesty is still incredibly important to me. Since then, my sound has shifted into pure mainstream pop. This project draws from my own story, but I want the songs to feel universally relatable—to leave room for people to find their own experiences in them. I’ve also learned that I can write very honestly without sharing every detail. Some things are still just for me.
Your background spans singing, dance, acting, and training at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. How does that experience influence the way you inhabit a song as emotionally charged as “Legally Lobotomized”?
I’m always thinking about the performance while I’m writing! I imagine how a song might move, where the energy shifts, and what it could feel like onstage. My training gave me tools for that, but I think it’s also just how my brain works. I can’t seem to write a song without envisioning how the stadium tour performance will look.
Looking beyond this single, what are you curious to explore next, whether that’s a different sound, another side of your songwriting, or the way you bring these songs to the stage?
I’m waterfall releasing the full project backwards to forwards. It started with “Second Chance at Life” and “Legally Lobotomized,” and the rollout will continue through the rest of 2026 and the entirety of 2027. It’s a mainstream pop project rooted in my personal story, but written to feel universally relatable. There are tons of easter eggs and foreshadowing throughout, and I’m excited to see what people catch. I’m also looking forward to bringing the songs to the stage and building out the world around them.
Listen to “Legally Lobotomized” and connect with Haley on Instagram and TikTok.
