Five years in the making, the singer-songwriter and actress opens up about revisiting her younger self, embracing a little mystery, and finally finding the right moment to release “Tricky.”
For Devin Cecchetto, “Tricky” took five years.
Released October 30, the dark, seductive pop single finds the singer-songwriter and actress exploring a more mysterious side of her artistry. It's playful, cinematic, and just a little unsettling, with a visual world that feels perfectly suited for spooky season.
But behind the song's darker aesthetic is a surprisingly personal story about growing up, discovering your own power, and learning to appreciate the versions of yourself you've outgrown.
For Everyday Jams, Devin opens up about the experiences that inspired “Tricky,” the creative process behind its accompanying music video, and why some songs are worth holding onto.
Five Years, Three Versions, One Song
When Devin first wrote “Tricky,” she was living in Los Angeles, embracing the freedom and unpredictability of her early twenties. There were late nights, new experiences, and the excitement of feeling like anything could happen.
But beneath that confidence was something more complicated.
"It was this strange combination of feeling incredibly powerful but also a little lost," she tells Everyday Jams.
Inspired by the darker, cinematic world of Lana Del Rey, Devin began writing about manipulation, control, and the sometimes uncomfortable process of discovering who you are.
When she eventually returned to Toronto, the song felt too personal to release.
"I don't think I was ready to share that version of myself with the world just yet."
Five years later, that hesitation has turned into appreciation.
"I no longer feel like I'm living inside the song. Instead, I get to step outside of it and appreciate the character and storytelling behind it."
The track has undergone three distinct versions along the way. Originally written with Ran Pink in Los Angeles as a stripped-back, piano-led piece, it was later reimagined as a more upbeat pop song before Devin returned to its haunting roots with producer Ming Goa in Toronto.
The result is a release that holds onto the atmosphere of the original while reflecting the artist she's become.
And its Halloween-season arrival couldn't feel more fitting.
A Little Darkness Looks Good on Her
There's something particularly interesting about how Devin approaches songwriting. Rather than simply documenting her experiences, she creates characters from them, exaggerating emotions and exploring the space between reality and imagination.
On “Tricky,” that meant revisiting a younger version of herself who found excitement in unpredictability and comfort in constant movement.
"Chaos was almost my version of calm," she explains.
Even the song's lyrics reveal a fascination with that mindset. Devin remembers inventing the word "psychoautomatic" to describe the way certain behaviors can become instinctive through repetition.
What once felt like a deeply personal diary entry now feels more like a character study.
That perspective comes naturally to someone who has spent much of her life performing. Devin began singing at six, trained in opera, studied musical theatre, and has built a career in acting alongside her music.
But she's discovered that performing someone else's story and sharing her own are two very different things.
"Vulnerability is definitely something I've had to grow into."
As she's gotten older, she's become less concerned with how people interpret her work and more interested in giving herself the freedom to create.
There's a confidence in that shift, and “Tricky” wears it well.
Bringing “Tricky” to Life
If the song introduces us to Devin's darker side, its accompanying music video gives that character a world of her own.
Shot in black and white, the visual draws on vampire-inspired imagery, dramatic lighting, and a deliberately timeless wardrobe. There's an interesting contrast between innocence and seduction, with shadows and movement doing much of the storytelling.
Devin wanted the video to suggest two different versions of the same person existing at once.
"Sometimes a simple expression, a shadow, or a change in lighting can communicate so much more than words."
One of the video's defining creative decisions came from an unexpected place: a RÜFÜS DU SOL concert.
While watching the performance with her boyfriend and longtime visual collaborator, Kristian Wood, Devin noticed a lighting technique that illuminated alternating sides of a person's face. She immediately knew she wanted to explore something similar for “Tricky.”
The effect became central to the video, transforming subtle changes in light into entirely different expressions and moods.
Her love for cinema is unmistakable. Devin cites David Lynch as a major influence, with Mulholland Drive holding a particularly special place in her creative world. In fact, driving past the real Mulholland Drive while living in Los Angeles inspired one of the song's lyrics.
It's these small connections between music, film, fashion, and personal memory that make Devin's creative approach so intriguing.
Rather than explaining everything, she leaves just enough mystery for the listener to get lost in.
The Right Time to Be “Tricky”
With “Tricky” finally out in the world, Devin is looking toward a future where her music and acting can become even more intertwined.
She imagines each release as its own little film, complete with a distinct character, atmosphere, and story. Darker sounds and cinematic visuals are particularly exciting to her right now, though she has no intention of abandoning the playful, feminine energy that makes her music feel like her own.
"I never want someone to know exactly what they're going to get from me next."
It's an exciting direction for an artist who seems increasingly comfortable taking creative risks.
And if “Tricky” has taught her anything, it's that good ideas don't always arrive on someone else's timeline.
"Just because something doesn't feel ready to be shared when you first make it doesn't mean it won't find its moment later."
Five years after writing it, Devin has finally given “Tricky” its moment. What once felt too close to home has become something she can celebrate, complete with a striking visual identity and a newfound appreciation for the younger woman who created it.
It's a reminder that sometimes growing as an artist doesn't mean leaving your past work behind. Sometimes it means finally understanding what made it worth creating in the first place.
And for Devin Cecchetto, that means embracing a little mystery along the way.
Stream Devin Cecchetto's “Tricky,” out now on all major streaming platforms, and watch the accompanying music video to experience the full visual world behind the release.
Photography and cinematography: Kristian Wood
