Fresh off of her debut album, rising singer-songwriter Carlie Hanson has released her latest single, “Illusion.” The alt-pop banger offers a look inside Hanson’s inner-thoughts surrounding her rapid rise—and the sobering reality that stardom may not have been all it was cracked up to be. The single is accompanied by a music video, where the 22-year old roams around cornfields and forests in an idyllic call back to her Wisconsin upbringing.

The video for “Illusion” is a gloomy midwestern glimpse into Hanson’s youth, backed by her signature airy vocals and pulsing production. The camo-clad singer rides around in the bed of a pickup truck, contemplating the truths, and tribulations, of her young career: “This isn’t what I thought it’d be like/ Just an illusion doesn’t sit right / At every corner, there’s a red light / Perfect moments seem to slip by.”

Hanson’s sound effortlessly walks the tightrope of pure-pop and atmospheric experimentation, using intimate lyricism to build a personal depth that is apparent in her storytelling. “I think I wrote this one from a place of understanding that nothing in life will go exactly how you plan it in your head,” Hanson shares. “You can set expectations but, in reality, you never know what’s going to happen.”

2022 has already proved to be a big year for Hanson, with her introspective, genre-bending debut album Tough Boy receiving widespread buzz. The album was preceded by two EPs, JUNK and DestroyDestroyDestroyDestroy, the latter of which features the slow-burning hit “Side Effects.” With a string of catchy singles and soul-barring projects, Hanson has certainly proved herself as one to watch.

Listen to “Illusion” below!