Emerging alt-pop artist XTINE steps into a new chapter with her single Back Then, released on October 31, 2025. Soft, heartfelt, and unbearably honest, the song captures the heavy ache of looking backward while trying to move forward. It also marks the first glimpse of her upcoming seven-track EP, arriving January 9, 2026.
From the opening line, XTINE makes her vulnerability unmistakable. “Acting like I’m fine, but we both know that that’s a lie,” she delivers the line over a delicate piano, her voice carrying a quiet heartbreak. As the track intensifies, she reaches the chorus that cuts straight through the heart:
“Say you miss me, say you care, say you’re lost when I’m not there, change your mind just one more time, love me like you did back then.”
However, Back Then is more than a heartbreak song. It explores the longing for a version of someone who no longer exists, the version that made love feel effortless and whole. Moreover, it reflects a softer, introspective shift for XTINE after her emotionally heavy single Nobody Stays, revealing an artist unafraid to explore her scars with sincerity.
XTINE’s connection to emotional storytelling began long before this release. She was only 11 when she first opened GarageBand after transferring to a new school. What started as curiosity quickly became her safe place. By 12, she was writing and producing her own songs. A pivotal moment followed when Sia responded to one of her early tracks, even dancing to it: a moment XTINE still carries with her.
At 15, her track Beautiful Has No Cost reached thousands online, offering comfort to listeners fighting their own battles. Along the way, she collaborated with producers like Yoad Nevo and Megan Wilde and performed at events dedicated to healing and community support.
Now, with Back Then, XTINE shows how far she has grown, not just as an artist, but as a storyteller who transforms her own survival into sound. Her voice isn’t trying to impress. It’s trying to reach someone who needs it. And that’s exactly why XTINE continues to rise as one of alt-pop’s most compelling new talents.