In Conversation with Evil Little Thing: The Quiet Cost of Always Being Right

Evil Little Thing is the solo project of Guy Dekel, a Los Angeles-based artist who spent years working behind the scenes as a producer, drummer and cinematographer before stepping forward under his own name. His debut single “Stuck In A Coincidence,” released in June, carried a clear sense of purpose. It mapped the disorientation of a polarized world where quick opinions are demanded and nuance can feel like a liability. The song did not lecture. It simply traced the feeling of being caught between forces larger than any single person, and the quiet exhaustion that follows.

With “Unusual,” released July 10 on all platforms, the lens turns inward. The track keeps the project’s signature blend of guitar-driven indie rock and narrative warmth, but applies it to the smaller, sharper conflicts that happen between two people. It is music that understands how the same patterns of blame and defensiveness that fracture societies can quietly dismantle a relationship from the inside.

The song uses a playful, almost whimsical backdrop to carry a heavier story. It captures the moment in conflict where one partner refuses to admit fault, building walls that leave the other feeling isolated and unheard. The tension is familiar. The cost of always needing to be right is laid bare. What gives the track its weight is not the accusation but the quiet recognition that the path to healing begins when someone decides to stop blaming and start listening.

This is music with a clear sense of identity and purpose. The single earns attention through detail, pacing and control. Dekel’s voice carries the track with clarity while the production deepens its emotional range, masking the sting of the lyrics with a tone that feels both nostalgic and present. The result is a song that does not rush to explain itself. It builds its own temperature.

In Conversation with Evil Little Thing

We spoke with Guy Dekel about the shift from societal themes to personal ones, the stories that shaped “Unusual,” and how the project’s mission of empathy travels from the political to the intimate.

1. Your debut single “Stuck In A Coincidence” dealt with the feeling of being caught in a polarized world where quick opinions are demanded. “Unusual” shifts the focus to interpersonal dynamics and the walls we build in conflict. How do you see the personal and the political connecting in your songwriting, and did one naturally lead to the other?

Usually when I write I don’t have a clear idea of what I want to say. As a matter of fact I usually don’t have any idea what I am going to say. But for a very long time I have been obsessed with inner struggles turning into action. What I mean by that is when an internal conflict comes to life through someone’s behavior, and it can be a very productive and uplifting thing or it can be the exact opposite. And I think romantic relationships are very much the same as politics and societal relationships in that regard. So moving from a political theme to a personal one wasn’t a planned shift, it’s just looking at the exact same human flaw on a smaller scale.

2. The track is described as carrying the whimsical, nerdy charm of Weezer mixed with the introspective storytelling heart of Adventure Time. What drew you to that particular blend for this song, and how did the playful surface help frame the heavier themes of gaslighting and defensiveness?

Well first of all I love Weezer! They are a heavy inspiration for me. And when I wrote this song I was in the middle of an Adventure Time rerun. I am also a big fan of the Adventure Time soundtrack and I think they have such amazing songs. The way they write music and lyrics is so free and honest, I try to bring this into my writing. So I guess I wasn’t “drawn” to this blend and it was more of the state of mind I was in at the time. Regarding the framing, wrapping these heavy themes in a cute, weird kids’ show style makes them much easier to digest. It also helps the song avoid being kitschy and corny.

3. The song explores the tension in a relationship where one partner refuses to admit fault, leaving the other isolated. Was this drawn from specific observations or experiences, and what does writing it reveal about the shift it takes to finally break that cycle?

It’s not about a specific experience, it is more of a recurring theme in relationships, my own and others. I think for me it reveals that it is actually a cycle. Every time something like this happens there is always the chance that no one will take responsibility, but when someone does, it makes the next time much easier, and eventually the cycle can be broken.

4. The project name and mission center on empathy and taking personal responsibility rather than pointing fingers, even when that stance makes you the “evil little thing” in others’ eyes. How does “Unusual” carry that same intention into the intimate space of romantic relationships?

It is hard to take responsibility for your actions because when you do that you admit you have done something wrong. It becomes very easy to blame you, because it’s your fault. But when you do it you are now opening the possibility for empathy, for yourself and your flaws, and for the ones you’ve hurt by trying to make it right. “Unusual” is basically about that exact tension. It explores what happens in a relationship when someone refuses to let that empathy in, simply because they don’t want to be “the bad guy”.

5. You spent years working behind the scenes as a producer, drummer and cinematographer before releasing music under your own name. What has surprised you most about presenting your own voice and stories directly to listeners?

The biggest surprise for me is liking this. I was always drawn to BTS roles because I was afraid of putting myself out there. I also really like working with other people, but what always pushed me to the background was fear. But now that I am doing it, it’s not that scary and it’s actually really fun!

6. You have mentioned having more than three albums’ worth of material in various stages. Where does “Unusual” sit within that larger body of work, and what direction is the project heading toward with future releases?

“Unusual” is really just the beginning. Since I was writing a song a day for a long time, I have a ton of material. My short term plan is to start dropping a song a day on social media just as a personal challenge. But the bigger plan is to release a new single every month until the time is right for an album. I’m currently shaping the vision for my debut album because I want it to be a fully coherent piece that captures everything I’m trying to say. Once I have that locked in, and a fanbase big enough to make an impact, I’ll put it out.

7. The visual world around your music, from the artwork to the overall aesthetic, seems to play an important role. How do you approach pairing the sonic and visual elements, especially for a track that uses lightness to carry real emotional weight?

To be honest, right now I am just trying things out. Coming from my background as a cinematographer, I’ve helped a lot of people shape their visual identities, and experience has taught me that when you’re starting something new, you have to experiment. When you overthink your visual identity, it’s easy to get stuck and lose the flexibility to adapt. Releasing my own music is completely new territory for me, so I’m finding my aesthetic on the go.

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“Unusual” is out now on all platforms.

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