Avery Cochrane knows how to make heartbreak sound like a party.
The Seattle-born singer-songwriter is quickly carving out her own corner of pop with glittery disco beats, theatrical visuals and brutally honest lyrics that make complicated feelings feel a little more fun to dance through. But behind the bubbles and infectious hooks is a self-made artist who has built her career one song, one show and one leap of faith at a time.
“I always prioritize the lyrics first, striving to make them as personal as I can, but also written in a language that anyone can understand,” Cochrane tells Celeb Secrets.
That philosophy carries into her highly anticipated debut album, Vengeance Through My Omnipresence, arriving January 29, 2027. Following her breakout EP Male Validation and Other Drugs, the new project finds Cochrane exploring heartbreak, self-discovery and, ultimately, the freedom that comes with learning to let go.
She’s already giving fans another taste of what’s ahead with “You’re The Only One (I Never Performed For),” released this past Thursday (October 29). The dreamy new pop ballad offers a softer, more vulnerable side of the singer, exploring the rare beauty of being loved for exactly who you are. Its accompanying DIY music video features behind-the-scenes tour footage, moments with her band and a special appearance from the one audience member who’s never seen her perform: her cat.
The release follows “Toy Gun,” her shimmering synth-pop anthem about putting on a brave face in an emotionally draining relationship. Despite its upbeat sound, the track came from a deeply personal place.
“I learned that letting go is not easy, and has to happen when one or both parties are truly ready to,” she shares. “Once it happens though, it is so freeing.”
It’s a long way from her Seattle beginnings, where she played more than 100 shows while juggling restaurant shifts and odd jobs to fund her musical ambitions. Now, she’s taking that same determination on the road for her first-ever headlining WEAPONS OF IRIDESCENCE TOUR, which wraps with a hometown show at Seattle’s Neumos on November 7.
Along the way, Cochrane has made her concerts an experience of their own, complete with costume changes, bubble machines and fan participation. During “Toy Gun,” she even hands out bubble guns for the crowd to fire during the chorus.
“It’s a collective moment of liberation, for all the single baddies and the ones who were once in a toxic relationship that they got out of,” she says.
And while Vengeance Through My Omnipresence might sound like a declaration of revenge, Cochrane says its message goes much deeper, with the album ultimately finding resolution in genuine human connection and self-love.
With a new single out, a growing fanbase and an entire pop universe taking shape, Celeb Secrets caught up with the rising singer-songwriter to talk about her creative process, the stories behind her new music, life on the road and what fans can expect from her debut album. Keep scrolling to read the full Q&A below, and don’t forget to let us know if you’re loving “You’re The Only One (I Never Performed For)” by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecrets.
You can connect with Avery by giving her a follow on Instagram at @avercc.
Celeb Secrets: For readers who are just discovering you, who is Avery Cochrane? What do you think is the most important thing for people to understand about who you are behind the music?
Avery Cochrane: “I am a singer songwriter from Seattle, Washington. Those are my roots in a nutshell. I always prioritize the lyrics first, striving to make them as personal as I can, but also written in a language that anyone can understand. Behind the music, I am more or less the same person. Most everything I think or feel is reflected in my discography somewhere.”
CS: You’ve described your music as “cinematic,” and your songs really do feel like little worlds of their own. When you sit down to write, what do you start with?
AC: “I usually start with a lyric I’ve already written, days or weeks prior. My favorite corner of my cell phone is the notes tab I have with hundreds (or thousands) of stanzas, sentences and phrases. Finding the perfect chord progression that matches the tempo and cadence of these pre-written lyrics is so satisfying.”
CS: You write 100% of your own topline lyrics and melodies, which is such a huge part of your identity as an artist. What does songwriting give you that you don’t necessarily get anywhere else, and how do you know when you’ve written something that feels honest enough to put your name on?
AC: “Writing songs is the best way I can articulate myself. I’m a pretty awkward person, yet I’m always trying to connect with others on a deep level, but never quite finding the right words to say and questions to ask. With songwriting, it all makes sense. Everything clicks. I always find the right words, I always ask myself and my audience the right questions. It always feels honest enough because I don’t think I’m capable of writing dishonest lyrics. When that happens, I know, and I wouldn’t dream of releasing something I didn’t feel deeply in my guts.”
CS: “Toy Gun” is such a fun, sparkly, disco-pop song on the surface, but underneath it is this really vulnerable story about pretending to be brave in a relationship when you’re actually questioning everything. What did writing the song teach you about letting go?
AC: ‘I wrote the song about a month after my break up. I had spent so much time writing sad songs while I was still in the relationship, that by the time it was actually over, it felt like a weight lifted. ‘Toy Gun’ was an easy song to write. The chorus came first with the ‘I booked a ticket to your guilt trip’ line. I wanted to make it clear that, while this relationship was not healthy in a lot of ways, I was knowingly participating in it for a very long time. I learned that letting go is not easy, and has to happen when one or both parties are truly ready to. I don’t fault myself or my ex for staying in the relationship as long as we did. There was a lot of love there and it was extremely hard to make the conscious decision to call it off. Once it happens though, it is so freeing.”
CS: When you look at that version of Avery who was playing more than 100 shows in Seattle versus where you are now with your first ever headlining tour, what part of the grind do you think you’ll never forget?
AC: “I’ll never forget crying in my car before a 10 hour serving shift, knowing so confidently that it was not where I was meant to be at all. Knowing that it wasn’t my ultimate fate, and having to trust that my physical reality will have to catch up to mental reality at some point. That mental reality being a full-time pop musician living in LA. I had some semblance of that in Seattle, getting to play at least once a week, whether it was a cover gig at a seafood restaurant, or a headline show at a 200 cap club, but now it’s at a completely different level. I don’t have to balance a 60 hour customer service work week with my art anymore. It’s truly incredible.”
CS: What can fans expect from an Avery Cochrane headlining show that they might not get from simply listening to your music? Is there a particular moment of the set you’re secretly dying for everyone to experience?
AC: “I’ve been passing out bubble guns for fans to shoot off during the chorus of ‘Toy Gun.’ That is so epic on its own. It’s a collective moment of liberation, for all the single baddies and the ones who were once in a toxic relationship that they got out of. Bubbles are a huge part of this album rollout. They’re so beautiful, but so delicate. I compare the bubbles to having deep feelings for someone. At any moment, the bubble can burst, for better or for worse, and then what? Singing and dancing to Toy Gun with a room full of bubbles and wind from my stage fan feels like the ultimate embracing of the delicacy. That’s a lot of what the album explores. I also have a bit where I fill the fans in on the lore behind ‘Losing Streak’ and my longterm relationship coming to an end earlier this year. We flip a coin at the end of the talking segment to determine which version of the song we sing, ‘intricities’ or ‘intricacies.’ It’s usually always intricities (the fan favorite mispronunciation).”
CS: Your debut album, Vengeance Through My Omnipresence, feels like a pretty major next chapter after Male Validation and Other Drugs. Without giving away anything you’re not ready to reveal, what does the album allow you to say, explore or become that you couldn’t quite get to on the EP?
AC: “‘Vengeance’ seeks to close the AC1 chapter once and for all. I consider ‘Male Validation and Other Drugs’ as ‘AC.5,’ serving as a midpoint to the eventual debut album. The album piggybacks off those themes for sure, but offers more resolution and acceptance towards the end of the tracklist, ending on a more optimistic note. You’ll find that ‘vengeance’ isn’t so much about fame, conquering, and being wholly self sufficient, it’s about finding genuine human connection with a select few, and genuine self love based upon intangible factors.”
CS: When you imagine the world of this album, what does it look and feel like in your head, and how involved are you in creating that entire universe?
AC: “I’m figuring it out as I go. I wish I had an unlimited budget to create music videos for every song, because every song to me is its own little village in this universe. I envision bubbles, shiny tights, cellophane, Rainbow Road from Mario Kart, long silk gowns, small sparkly bikinis, political commentary, cats, big dance numbers, glossy eyeshadow and spiral staircases. I could go on. My creative team and I are saving the budget for one to two epic and expensive music videos, where all this and more can be featured. I’m very involved in creating this universe, but I couldn’t do it without the help of my trusted best friends and creative directors, Emma and Marlena.”
CS: You’ve called yourself a self-made pop star, and there’s clearly a lot of intention behind the career you’re building. As you step into this next chapter, what dream are you chasing now?
AC: “I’m chasing a bigger international presence. Playing shows in London, Montreal and Toronto was incredibly exciting for me. Knowing that one day I could potentially play a headline show in other international markets is thrilling. I want to one day travel to Australia to tour, as well as Asia and other corners of Europe. Utilizing social media to chase those listeners can be so powerful, and I hope the music is enough to speak for itself and break any potential language and cultural barriers to take me to new places I would otherwise not have the opportunity to travel to.”
CS: Since we are Celeb Secrets, what’s one secret (fun fact) about you or making this debut album that we wouldn’t know just by listening to it?
AC: “I used to write a lot of my music with miles of hindsight in my rear view. This album however was mostly entirely written in real time. The outro track was the most recently written song, and I’m still finishing the lyrics as of right now (mid-October 2026).”
