‘Ugly Things’ serves as the second single from Lizzy McAlpine's fourth studio album, Angel, with McAlpine first teasing a clip of the evocative track on August 14th, 2026.

Thankfully, the ‘Soccer Practice’ hitmaker didn't keep us waiting too long before she released the full version, with McAlpine dropping ‘Ugly Things’ the following week.

It's an ethereal, atmospheric meditation on the pain of seeing your ex happy after you've broken up, with McAlpine wishing all the ‘Ugly Things’ about him would make her hate him.

‘Ugly Things’ opens with a sparse, noodling guitar riff, with McAlpine's hushed, contemplative vocals then entering the fray as she recalls happier times in their relationship. The undulating instrumental creates a deceptively peaceful ambience, but a sense of unease and foreboding swells as she approaches the drawn-in chorus.

While much of the track continues along this meandering, laid-back vein, towards the end, McAlpine introduces thrashing drums and dramatic, orchestral instrumentation, accentuating the turmoil she feels as she watches her ex move on.

‘Ugly Things’ starts off on a rose-tinted note, with our narrator sharing that she carries a picture of her partner in her wallet, and admits they have plans to get married this summer. She describes how they happily share a bed, before declaring, “I love you”.

But the picture quickly darkens, as the protagonist shares another vignette from the relationship - seemingly after they've tied the knot and things have settled down a little - with McAlpine singing about a partner that is often absence. She describes how she watches him “move from a distance”, with her suggestion that he writes her letters implying that he works elsewhere for long periods of time, as well as symbolising the growing emotional distance between them.

As the scene progresses, it appears the couple have now split, with McAlpine struggling to adjust to seeing her old flame walking around with his new partner. She desperately wishes that all the ‘ugly things’ he does and unpleasant qualities that have come to light would make her stop loving him - but she can't help it.

There's a jarring juxtaposition when McAlpine accuses him of trying to “burn this city down” purely as a way of getting back at her, but then she immediately apologises (“Seems like you want to burn this city down / To hurt me / I'm sorry”). This seemingly hints that her ex is manipulative, and makes her feel like she's always in the wrong, even when it's clear that he's the one being unkind and vindictive. There is a hopeful undertone, however, with McAlpine reassuring herself that all the ‘ugly things’ her ex is doing will one day come back to haunt him.

“Picture of you in my wallet
Want to get married, Hawaii in August
Sharing a home and a bed and a promise
I love you
-
Watching you move from a distance
Coming back home to a lonely existence
Reading your letter, you did all the dishes
I love you
--
All the ugly things that you're doing now
Try to help you sleep, try to push it down
All the ugly things will come back around
Wish they made me not love you
-
Hiding your sweatshirt on the top shelf
Watching you walk around with someone else
Seems like you want to burn this city down
To hurt me
I'm sorry
-
All the ugly things that you're doing now
Try to help you sleep, try to push it down
All the ugly things will come back around
Wish they made me not love you
Wish they made you love me too”

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