There is a moment in every reinvention when the person you used to be no longer fits, but the person you are becoming has not fully arrived. Simone Nicole—known artistically as SMA—captures that space in her new single, “GOODNIGHT AND GOODBYE.”
Released September 19, the track opens a new creative era for the Albuquerque singer, songwriter and rapper. It is the first release from her forthcoming VOICEMAILS project, but it is not the beginning of the story. SMA intentionally starts with the ending, presenting listeners with the clarity that comes only after heartbreak, anger and self-doubt have been confronted.
“G&G is about moving on from the past: from relationships and previous versions of yourself,” SMA explains. “More than anything else, it’s about me and where I’m at now.”
The single’s visual world makes that transformation impossible to miss. SMA created two contrasting realities for the project: one rooted in glossy Y2K nostalgia and another shaped by fairytale fantasy. In the first, an early-2000s-inspired pink room reflects a version of the artist preparing to change. In the second, a dramatic ballgown, flowers and scenes filmed at the botanical gardens in Albuquerque reveal the woman who has emerged on the other side.
The concept feels playful and cinematic, but it is not simply decoration. Fashion, color and setting become part of the storytelling, showing the difference between waiting for a new life and actively stepping into one.
A self-described ’90s baby, SMA has long been drawn to thrifting, vintage accessories and the freedom of reinventing pieces from the past. That same instinct appears throughout “GOODNIGHT AND GOODBYE.” She does not erase who she was; she reshapes those experiences into something that belongs to her now.
Friends Kacee Aguirre, Mallory Laborie and Samantha Bo helped execute the visuals through filming, set building and creative collaboration, while SMA directed the overall concept. The finished world is dreamy, feminine and intentionally larger than life, giving the emotional weight of the record a visual counterpoint.
The independence behind the imagery carries into the music itself. SMA wrote the lyrics over an instrumental by Mantra Beats and recorded every vocal at home using a Volt 2 interface, an Audio-Technica 2020 microphone and Ableton. She later worked with musician Richard Baca on the mixing and mastering process.
The final vocals were completed without Auto-Tune or Melodyne, a creative milestone for an artist becoming more confident in both her voice and her instincts. Her influences include Qveen Herby, Ariana Grande and Eminem, a wide-ranging combination reflected in her fast-moving lyricism, stacked vocals and sharp sense of pop structure.
“GOODNIGHT AND GOODBYE” also contains clues to what comes next. The third verse incorporates titles from future VOICEMAILS songs, including “I JUST CALLED,” “voodoo,” “labubu,” “broken,” “yours” and “ghost.” Each title acts like a hidden marker within a much larger narrative.
The project was originally conceived as a story about toxic love told through voice memos. As SMA continued writing, it became an exploration of how resentment can evolve into understanding. The emotional movement is not about excusing the past; it is about refusing to remain trapped inside it.
That process has required SMA to draw from deeply personal experiences, including an estranged relationship with her sister and the grief of accepting a connection that could not be restored. Rather than allowing that loss to define her, she transformed it into creative material and a clearer understanding of the life she wants to build.
She also credits mentor Dounia Tazi with helping her embrace positive affirmations, intention and learning to love herself where she is.
“I want people to feel empowered: not only to let go of what no longer serves them, but to embrace who they want to be and step into their power,” SMA says. “Choosing to make music has allowed me to fully express who I am and my hope is that the music allows other people to do the same.”
With VOICEMAILS, SMA is not merely introducing a collection of songs. She is designing an era in which music, clothing, imagery and personal history all speak to one another. “GOODNIGHT AND GOODBYE” is the first look at that world—and proof that moving forward can be its own form of art.
ABOUT SMA
Simone Nicole, known artistically as SMA, is an emerging recording artist from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her work combines music, fashion, visual storytelling and pop culture, pairing fast-moving lyricism and layered vocals with personal themes of growth, identity and transformation. “GOODNIGHT AND GOODBYE” is the first release from her forthcoming VOICEMAILS project.
Artist Links
Website: www.theactualsma.com
Instagram/TikTok: @theactualsma
Spotify: SMA on Spotify
YouTube: SMA on YouTube