Review: "If You Have To Lie" - Jake Cornell

Jake Cornell’s “If You Have to Lie” is a lyrical anthem that dives into emotional insecurity and longing. Sounding like a late-night confession, the honesty and unspoken fears come to life through his tone. Cornell explores the mental spiral that can come from past heartbreaks, especially when trust has already been broken before. Speaking on his real pain, Jake notes, "After having almost every ex in my life cheat on me, I wrote this from a place of not wanting that to happen again." With an introspection into his own experiences, this song mimics that relatable feeling of love and blindness.

The combination of Jake's voice with the stunning production allows for this ballad to dive deeply, hitting where it hurts. The soft build-up to the chorus and shifting tone of hurt can be easily interpreted for its worth.   The reverb on his vocals or a subtle swell in the background gives the song emotional depth without distracting from the story. The raw and real narrative Jake emphasizes not only creates an intimate third space, but also transports you through the message. The overall product of this song enhances any pain into art.

Originally from Houston, Jake Cornell began his musical journey in 2018 when he taught himself to play the guitar, ukulele, and piano. Over time, Jake has created a fan base, garnering his 147 million streams across all platforms.  His first single, “tmrw,” dropped in 2021 and introduced fans to his honest and emotional songwriting. Since then, songs like “Strangers” and his hit “forgive and forget” (with nearly 7.3 million Spotify streams) have only grown his fanbase. Now, Jake has over 4 million followers across social media and 272,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.

Written By Adalyn Reichenberger

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