Will Hyde and Stephanie Poetri deliver emotions across borders

Indie-pop singer-songwriters Will Hyde and Stephanie Poetri unite for their new collaborative single Better Without Me, released on March 6 via Ostereo. Produced by US artist Flawed Mangoes, the track blends emotionally-vulnerable songwriting with a shimmering, guitar-led indie production.

Sonically aligned with the heartfelt intimacy of Keshi, D4vd and Jeremy Zucker, the melodic warmth of Lany and Lauv, and the atmospheric textures of Oneheart and Joji, Better Without Me sits at the intersection of Southeast Asian indie-pop and global alt-pop sensibilities.

The song opens with tender, clean electric guitars and Poetri’s effortless ad-libs before Hyde delivers a yearning, emotionally raw first verse. Poetri responds with dynamic vocal phrasing before both artists converge on a warm, swelling chorus. A shuffling drum pattern and swaying guitar motif create a floating, almost weightless atmosphere – mirroring the song’s central tension.

At its core, Better Without Me is a breakup song rooted in kindness and self-awareness – the painful realisation that sometimes love means letting go.

Hyde explained, “I wrote Better Without Me as an acoustic song, about feeling like a burden in a relationship. You can love someone and also realise that feeling is like a burden, isn’t healthy for either person. Sometimes the most loving thing you can do is walk away, so you can both grow. Working with Evan Lo (Flawed Mangoes) and Nick Cassidy made it feel like you’re floating – which is exactly how the song feels emotionally.”

Poetri added, “When I first heard the demo, I immediately understood why Will thought I’d be the right collaborator. I could already hear myself harmonising with him – writing my verse felt really organic.”

Better Without Me marks a meeting of two distinct yet complementary voices in contemporary indie-pop – intimate, cross-border and built for global audiences.

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 The Sun Malaysia