In the fall of 2023, I released a song called “Poisonous Love,” and while I didn’t talk much about it at the time, the story behind it runs deeper than a simple breakup or sad melody. It was written in the aftermath of a real betrayal — one that left me emotionally wrecked and questioning my worth.

This song came from the most painful experience I had ever been through in a relationship: being cheated on.

The Betrayal That Sparked the Song

In late 2022, I was in a relationship that I genuinely believed was the real thing. We had our ups and downs, sure — what relationship doesn’t? — but I stayed loyal, supportive, and present. So when I found out that the person I loved had been unfaithful, it hit me like a freight train.

What made it even harder was that the emotional manipulation didn’t stop there. Even after I knew the truth, I stayed. I told myself maybe it was a mistake, maybe they regretted it. But all that did was drag me deeper into a cycle of guilt, blame, and emotional exhaustion.

That’s the place Poisonous Love was born from.

Writing Through the Wreckage

I didn’t sit down and say, “I’m going to write a song about cheating.” The words just started spilling out one night after weeks of silence — not just outward silence, but internal. I had been trying to act like I was okay, like it wasn’t a big deal. But it was.

“I kept telling myself to leave / I even tried a couple times”

That line was real. I did try. I knew I should have walked away. But something in me felt trapped — emotionally hooked by someone who knew how to say the right things while doing all the wrong ones.

“Oh your poisonous love / And the never-ending lies”

It wasn’t just the cheating. It was the lying, the cover-ups, the gaslighting, the emotional yo-yo that had me questioning if I was the problem. That line became the core of the song — the addiction to something you know is killing you.

“No matter how far I run / I always come back for more”

That one hit hardest when I wrote it. I hated that it was true. But admitting it helped me finally take my power back.

From Pain to Production

Writing Poisonous Love was the first step in healing. I remember finishing it and sitting with my guitar in silence for a long time. I wasn’t crying, but I wasn’t okay either. I had finally put everything I couldn’t say out loud into a song — and that felt like freedom.

When I finally built the courage to post a clip online in early 2023, I wasn’t expecting much. I just wanted someone to hear it and maybe feel less alone. But then something wild happened: a producer found the video on Instagram, left a comment saying he really dug the music, and asked if I wanted to record it.

I was skeptical. I mean — how often does someone legit reach out over a song about something so personal?

But something told me to take a leap. So I packed up, left my small hometown of Waxahachie, Texas, and recorded Poisonous Love in a real studio, alongside another track I had been working on, called "Overthinking." That trip felt like stepping out of the wreckage and into a new beginning.

Why I Still Sing It

Performing Poisonous Love now hits different. I’m not in that place anymore, but the song reminds me of how far I’ve come — from staying silent in the face of betrayal to standing up, telling the truth, and turning pain into purpose.

If you’ve ever been cheated on, manipulated, or made to feel like your pain didn’t matter — this song is for you. You’re not crazy. You’re not dramatic. You’re human. And your story deserves to be heard.

Listen to "Poisonous Love" on all platforms
Follow my journey on TikTok and Instagram @peytonjonesmusic for more songs, stories, and honest moments like this.