Rie Osei Opens Up About Heartbreak Behind New Single SIMON SAYS

Singer-songwriter Rie Osei has revealed that her latest single, Simon Says, was inspired by a relationship she knew was no longer healthy but struggled to leave behind.

Speaking on Culture Daily on 3Music TV and Pluzz 89.9 FM, the musician described the song as a reflection on denial, emotional control, and the difficulty of letting go.

“Simon Says is kind of like do as I say,” she explained.

According to Rie, the song explores the tendency to ignore reality in order to preserve an idealised version of a relationship.

“You want to keep a fairy tale going, so you’d rather be told lies than to let that fairy tale come down.”

Asked about the inspiration behind the track, she replied simply: “It was just love, obviously.”

The singer said the song emerged from a period when she was examining her own behaviour in a relationship.

“It was what I was dealing with. How I was noticing even myself and how I was moving. It was like, okay, you know this thing is not good for you, but you’re staying in it because you don’t want to believe that it has to come to an end,” she said.

She admitted the experience affected her deeply.

“Bad enough to write a song about it.”

Unlike many of her previous releases, Rie said Simon Says was one of the easiest songs she has ever written.

The concept came to her first, after which the lyrics flowed naturally.

“I just started out literally with the Simon Says concept in my mind,” she said.

“I was writing it like a poem, but I just loved it too much, and I wanted it to feel free. I didn’t overthink rhyming or structure. I just talked,” she added.

The song forms part of a larger project that will explore different aspects of her personal experiences and emotional journey.

Osei said the idea of control is central to the song’s message.

“Controlling a narrative. Controlling perception,” she said.

“If I hide my whole self, or if I hide my true feelings, then I get to control the outcome. I get to control when and if this ends.”

The theme also influenced the song’s cover art, which incorporates elements of Ghana’s fancy dress masquerade tradition.

According to the singer, the imagery reflects the idea of masking one’s true identity.

“When you put on the fancy dress and you put on the masquerade, you’ve assumed that identity. You’re no longer yourself.”

She said the symbolism matched the song’s exploration of concealing emotions and presenting a different version of oneself.

“I liked the idea of bringing in that concept into the cover art for a song that’s literally about masking who you are.”

Simon Says is currently available on major streaming platforms and serves as the first release from Osei’s forthcoming project.