“lie” displays Barrett’s understanding of her ex moving on physically from her, but she hopes he won’t mentally. Barrett wants him to never truly love anyone but her, but she admits that she can’t change the inevitable fact that he will move on. She also reveals she keeps her tattoos (which match with her ex) and ring to remember him.

Via a press release in June 2023, Barrett explained the track is “about accepting that sometimes even though you want something, it’s not always meant to be.” It is a slow-tempo soft-rock instrumental, with elements of wedding music, like an organ-like synth.

The single was teased on June 20, 2023, where Barrett and Nessa Nation started posting photos and videos from a wedding chapel. On June 21, Barrett posted a video with the instrumental of the single playing in the background, which was proceeded by Nessa Nation posting a wedding invitation, with the date at the bottom teasing that the track would be released that Friday, June 23.