There are songs that sing to your heart, and then there are songs like “Intermittent Love”—songs that study it, dissect it, hold it up to the light, and ask, “Is this really love… or is it just manipulation dressed in longing?” Let me introduce you to Exzenya; a global soul with a passport stamped by rhythm, language, and emotion. Rising from Remote, United States but spiritually woven through every corner of the world, she is a storyteller, a traveler, an entrepreneur, and a genre-defiant alchemist who blends human experience into song. Her music is a living journal: emotionally immersive, brutally honest, and as rich with psychological insight as it is with melody.
Her latest release, “Intermittent Love,” is a soul-infused pop/R&B confessional that could double as a behavioral science case study. It opens with an almost whisper-like vulnerability: “You used to tell me I was beautiful. Then you’d tell me beauty’s only skin deep.” In just these two lines, we’re pulled headfirst into a world where love is a game of contradictions, and affection is weaponized with cruel precision. Exzenya isn’t recalling heartbreak; she’s unpacking its mechanics. And the result is devastatingly honest.
When it comes to the vocals, Exzenya’s voice is a revelation: emotive, restrained, and brimming with a kind of painful wisdom. There’s a siren-like quality to her delivery; lush background harmonies curl around her lead vocal like fog around a lighthouse. Her performance is cinematic, pulling you through waves of betrayal, self-doubt, confusion, and psychological awakening. Every “why?” she utters feels wounded and accusatory, like someone unraveling a mystery that was their life. She doesn’t just sing the story—she becomes it.
At its core, “Intermittent Love” explores the haunting cycle of intermittent reinforcement and punishment; a psychological loop where affection and cruelty are served in unpredictable doses, creating a powerful and addictive emotional bond. The lyrical terrain is dark, raw, and unnervingly familiar for anyone who has found themselves locked in toxic love cycles. “Is this what it’s like when it’s intermittent love?” she pleads, and the echo of that question lingers like smoke in the air.
Musically, the production here is gorgeously moody and minimal, letting the emotion do the heavy lifting. The beat pulses with a slow-burning intensity, wrapped in atmospheric textures and dark, shimmering synths. Subtle percussive elements tap like anxious fingers on a table, echoing the unpredictability of love’s comings and goings. The track leans into soul and R&B sensibilities, but there are flecks of jazz, dream-pop, and electronic elements that feel almost ambient at times. It’s a genre-fluid soundscape—true to Exzenya’s global, borderless creative identity. The instrumental restraint allows the emotional weight of her lyrics to stay front and center, where it belongs.
As I listened, what made this song more compelling is that it didn’t just lament love gone wrong; it educated. There was a therapeutic depth to the way Exzenya weaved applied behavior analysis into the narrative. This is not your typical breakup ballad. It’s an exposé, a siren’s song for the emotionally intelligent, a soft-spoken scream for those stuck in manipulative relationships. “Intermittent love. It’s the most addictive kind. As a behaviorist would surely know.” Lines like these are rare in pop/R&B. They’re not just poetic—they’re pedagogical, showing us how love can morph into control, how kindness weaponized can become something more sinister than cruelty.
In the end, “Intermittent Love” is a mirror and not just a song. It reflects the complex, often invisible patterns of emotional manipulation that many endure without realizing. And through that reflection, it offers healing. Exzenya has not just stepped into the music scene—she’s brought a world of insight, pain, and beauty with her. She is an artist for the global age, unafraid to blend genres, cultures, or hard truths. Her music doesn’t just sound good—it feels true.
Listen to “Intermittent Love” on Spotify
You can follow Exzenya here for more information.
