{"id":96522,"date":"2026-07-24T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/?p=96522"},"modified":"2026-07-28T08:52:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T07:52:09","slug":"reigns-serves-an-empowering-moment-in-stilettos-on-new-single-heels-running","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2026\/07\/reigns-serves-an-empowering-moment-in-stilettos-on-new-single-heels-running\/","title":{"rendered":"REIGNS Serves An Empowering Moment In Stilettos On New Single &#8216;Heels Running&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>If revenge is a dish best served cold, REIGNS prefers hers in four-inch heels.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her latest single, &#8216;Heels Running&#8217;, isn&#8217;t interested in wallowing after a breakup. Instead, it kicks the ex to the curb, fixes its red lipstick, and struts confidently into the next chapter. Equal parts soul, pop and unapologetic attitude, it&#8217;s the soundtrack for anyone who&#8217;s realised they&#8217;re the prize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8216;Heels Running&#8217; begins with deceptive restraint, easing listeners in before bursting into an irresistibly driving groove. From there, REIGNS throws everything at it &#8211; thumping beats, sweeping strings, bursts of brass and a chorus that practically dares you not to sing along. It feels big without becoming bloated, balancing slick pop production with enough rawness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The real knockout, though, is REIGNS herself. She has one of those voices that can glide effortlessly through soulful melodies before turning around and landing a lyric with enough bite to leave a mark. When she declares, &#8220;You&#8217;re going to make the biggest mistake of your life&#8221;, it doesn&#8217;t come across as bitterness &#8211; it sounds like someone who&#8217;s already moved on and knows exactly what she&#8217;s worth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><div  style=\"display: block; margin: 0px auto;\"  id=\"_ytid_31018\"  width=\"640\" height=\"360\"  data-origwidth=\"640\" data-origheight=\"360\"  data-relstop=\"1\" data-facadesrc=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LzxmdavsNms?enablejsapi=1&#038;origin=https:\/\/essentiallypop.com&#038;autoplay=0&#038;cc_load_policy=0&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;loop=0&#038;fs=1&#038;playsinline=1&#038;controls=1&#038;disablekb=0&#038;color=red&#038;cc_lang_pref=&#038;rel=0&#038;autohide=2&#038;theme=dark&#038;\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__ epyt-facade epyt-is-override  no-lazyload\" data-epautoplay=\"1\" ><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-spai-excluded=\"true\" class=\"epyt-facade-poster skip-lazy\" loading=\"lazy\"  alt=\"Heels Running - Reigns (Official Music Video)\"  src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/LzxmdavsNms\/maxresdefault.jpg?w=640&#038;ssl=1\"  \/><button class=\"epyt-facade-play\" aria-label=\"Play\"><svg data-no-lazy=\"1\" height=\"100%\" version=\"1.1\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\" width=\"100%\"><path class=\"ytp-large-play-button-bg\" d=\"M66.52,7.74c-0.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79,.13,34,0,34,0S12.21,.13,6.9,1.55 C3.97,2.33,2.27,4.81,1.48,7.74C0.06,13.05,0,24,0,24s0.06,10.95,1.48,16.26c0.78,2.93,2.49,5.41,5.42,6.19 C12.21,47.87,34,48,34,48s21.79-0.13,27.1-1.55c2.93-0.78,4.64-3.26,5.42-6.19C67.94,34.95,68,24,68,24S67.94,13.05,66.52,7.74z\" fill=\"#f00\"><\/path><path d=\"M 45,24 27,14 27,34\" fill=\"#fff\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s not a heartbreak song; it&#8217;s the moment after heartbreak, when the tears have dried, the group chat has done its job, and your favourite outfit is hanging on the wardrobe door waiting for its victory lap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The accompanying video, featuring drag performers celebrating confidence, self-expression and a shared love of fabulous footwear, feels like a natural extension of the song&#8217;s message. &#8216;Heels Running&#8217; is all about the thrill of lucky escapes &#8211; it&#8217;s about getting out, getting dressed up, and reminding yourself exactly who you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">REIGNS has been quietly building an impressive catalogue over the past few years, but this feels like one of her most complete pop moments to date. Forget the sad breakup playlist. This is the one you put on while texting your friends, booking the taxi, and walking away without looking back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stilettos on. Standards higher. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If revenge is a dish best served cold, REIGNS prefers hers in four-inch heels.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":48,"featured_media":96523,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"If revenge is a dish best served cold, REIGNS prefers hers in four-inch heels.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"REIGNS Serves An Empowering Moment In Stilettos On New Single 'Heels Running'","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"If revenge is a dish best served cold, REIGNS prefers hers in four-inch heels.","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7,9,21453,21445,21446,21449,640],"tags":[33762,77,370,1945,18471,33464,116,10677,81,22992],"class_list":["post-96522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music","category-new-releases","category-new-singles","category-reviews","category-single-reviews","category-video-reviews","category-videos","tag-heels-running","tag-new-release","tag-new-single","tag-new-video","tag-polly-havelock","tag-reigns","tag-review","tag-single-review","tag-video","tag-video-review"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5yMhl-p6O","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":70744,"url":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2021\/08\/ajada-reigns-in-more-ways-than-just-her-name-with-latest-single-ive-got-to-use-my-imagination\/","url_meta":{"origin":96522,"position":0},"title":"Ajada Reigns In More Ways Than Just Her Name With Latest Single, &#8216;I&#8217;ve Got To Use My Imagination&#8217;","author":"Lisa Hafey","date":"05\/08\/2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Based in New York, Ajada Reigns is a talented vocalist whose new single, 'I've Got To Use My Imagination' is best served loud.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Music&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Music","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/category\/music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Ajada-Reigns-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Ajada-Reigns-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Ajada-Reigns-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Ajada-Reigns-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Ajada-Reigns-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":95380,"url":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2026\/05\/pop-doesnt-often-sound-this-brave-reigns-releases-new-single-everybody-falls-apart-sometimes\/","url_meta":{"origin":96522,"position":1},"title":"Pop Doesn&#8217;t Often Sound This Brave: Reigns Releases New Single, &#8216;Everybody Falls Apart Sometimes&#8217;","author":"Polly Havelock","date":"01\/05\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"'Everybody Falls Apart Sometimes', the latest single from pop singer Reigns, is a piano-led ballad of quiet devastation and, crucially, quiet hope.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Music&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Music","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/category\/music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-28-at-13.05.00.png?fit=710%2C1050&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-28-at-13.05.00.png?fit=710%2C1050&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-28-at-13.05.00.png?fit=710%2C1050&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-28-at-13.05.00.png?fit=710%2C1050&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":94512,"url":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2026\/02\/reigns-pays-homage-to-unconditional-love-with-new-single-closer-than-your-shadow-featuring-waives\/","url_meta":{"origin":96522,"position":2},"title":"Reigns Pays Homage to Unconditional Love With New Single \u2018Closer Than Your Shadow\u2019 Featuring Waives","author":"Polly Havelock","date":"26\/02\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Reigns is ready to make her mark on the drum and bass landscape with \u2018Closer Than Your Shadow\u2019 - a fluid blend of electronica and soul-infused vocals. It\u2019s a fusion she has been meticulously refining with each release, now elevated to new heights. The track marks the second instalment of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Music&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Music","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/category\/music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/REIGNS-B-W-6.png?fit=813%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/REIGNS-B-W-6.png?fit=813%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/REIGNS-B-W-6.png?fit=813%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/REIGNS-B-W-6.png?fit=813%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":83132,"url":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2023\/07\/metal-group-shepherds-reign-announce-latest-album-ala-mai\/","url_meta":{"origin":96522,"position":3},"title":"Metal Group Shepherds Reign Announce Latest Album, \u2018Ala Mai\u2019","author":"Declan Hafey","date":"27\/07\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday, the Polynesian metal outfit Shepherds Reign announced the release date of their latest work, an album titled \u2018Ala Mai\u2019 - releasing on the 25th of August on Golden Robot Records. Alongside the album release date, the first single, \u2018Nafanua\u2019, was also stated to be releasing on the 4th of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Music&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Music","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/category\/music\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/3F6BF951-D840-4A8B-BAB5-01304C6CEC72.jpeg?fit=700%2C700&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/3F6BF951-D840-4A8B-BAB5-01304C6CEC72.jpeg?fit=700%2C700&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/3F6BF951-D840-4A8B-BAB5-01304C6CEC72.jpeg?fit=700%2C700&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/3F6BF951-D840-4A8B-BAB5-01304C6CEC72.jpeg?fit=700%2C700&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":26320,"url":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2017\/03\/essentially-pop-talks-to-dawson-reigns\/","url_meta":{"origin":96522,"position":4},"title":"Essentially Pop Talks To Dawson Reigns","author":"Lisa Hafey","date":"19\/03\/2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Lisa met up with Nashville-based Canadian artist, Dawson Reigns ahead of his UK tour, which starts on 22 March at Broadcast, in Glasgow.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Interviews&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Interviews","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/category\/music\/interviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Dawson-Reigns-pic.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Dawson-Reigns-pic.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Dawson-Reigns-pic.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Dawson-Reigns-pic.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":21993,"url":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2016\/07\/dawson-reigns-love-was-all-you\/","url_meta":{"origin":96522,"position":5},"title":"Dawson Reigns &#8211; &#8216;Love Was All You&#8217;","author":"Essentially Pop","date":"22\/07\/2016","format":false,"excerpt":"We've now featured Dawson Reigns a few times on Essentially Pop: he gave us his Essential Weekly Playlist a couple of weeks ago, and yesterday we brought to you our interview with him. His latest song, 'Love Was All You', is out now and is available to download from iTunes\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/category\/general\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/dawson-reigns-01.jpg?fit=420%2C420&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/unnamed-3.jpg?fit=341%2C512&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/48"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=96522"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96522\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/96523"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=96522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=96522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=96522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}