Lipstick Killer’s new single “Darkness” isn’t just another release — it’s a moment. Out now via Urban Sixties Records and EMPIRE, the track shows the rising dark-pop and trapmetal artist stepping deeper into her truth, using sound and storytelling to reclaim parts of herself she once had to fight for.
Where her breakout “Delaware Ave.” introduced listeners to her sharp tongue and emotional grit, “Darkness” expands the world she’s building. Produced by Greg Zola, the track erupts with haunting guitars, heavy drums, and a vocal delivery that feels both vulnerable and defiant. Lipstick Killer — real name Latasha Cottrell — has a way of making raw emotion sound empowering, and here, she leans into that balance with full force.
“Tell that bitch I said run up / He ain’t going nowhere, Glorilla glue, yeah he stuck,” she spits, turning heartbreak into something sharper, something that refuses to fold. It’s the kind of line that sticks with you because it’s honest, unfiltered, and rooted in real experience. That’s what makes Lipstick Killer stand out: she never pretends to feel less than she does. She lets the pain speak — but on her terms.
At its core, “Darkness” is about survival. It’s about owning the parts of yourself that the world tells you to shrink. Lipstick Killer explores jealousy, love, obsession, and self-protection with a kind of clarity that only comes after you’ve lived through your own storms. “I’m not a poser — I’m a rockstar. I don’t follow trends. I create them,” she says, and the song reflects that energy — bold, messy, and unapologetically real.
Her journey has shaped that voice. Born in Pittsburgh and now based in New York, Lipstick Killer has been performing since her early teens. From leaving college to chase music, to joining the Atlanta scene, to leading bands like Rebella Rising (who opened for Ariana Grande and MKTO), every chapter has added a new layer to her identity. Her live shows are notorious for their intensity — often compared to H.R. of Bad Brains — and that same electric unpredictability pulses through “Darkness.”
With her upcoming project Cigarettes & Heartbreak Vol. 1 arriving in December, “Darkness” feels like the opening statement of an artist who’s no longer holding back. The track is emotional without being soft, aggressive without losing its heart — a perfect reflection of who Lipstick Killer is becoming.On “Darkness,” she doesn’t escape the shadows — she learns how to walk through them with her head high. And that’s exactly the energy her new era is built on.