Gold Steps is stepping into a new chapter with “Mirrored Souls,” an emotionally layered new release that signals where the band is headed next. As the first taste of new music arriving in 2026, the track leans into the complicated act of looking back on a love that didn’t last without getting stuck there. Frontwoman Betty sat down with idobi to unpack the song’s meaning, the intentional choices behind its visual world, and how “Mirrored Souls” sets the foundation for Gold Steps’ most expansive era yet.
Watch the official video for “Mirrored Souls” below and continue to hear the track exclusively on idobi Radio. Download the free app to tune in.
In your own words, what is the message of “Mirrored Souls”?
“Mirrored Souls” is about reflecting on a past love, and how reopening that chapter can cause anguish; you look back at that person with rose-colored glasses, which can make it hard to move on and focus on the present and future, and then you reflect on why it didn’t work out, which can dredge up the pain and heartbreak all over again.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found myself thinking back to people from my past and wondering about where they are now. While sometimes the memories are good, it also reminds me why we’re not in each other’s lives anymore, and it feels like I reopened a wound that I worked hard to get past. So I’ve done a lot of work to look back on the past with appreciation, while accepting that whatever happened was meant to happen, and not let my past get in the way of my future.
“Mirrored Souls” is the first taste of new Gold Steps music dropping in the new year. What does this song represent for Gold Steps at this point in the band’s journey?
We feel that “Mirrored Souls” represents a more mature, emotionally nuanced side of our band. While we’re known for songs that are very direct and call someone out, this song shows our age a bit more. We’re old enough now that we’ve lived through impactful adult relationships and eras of our lives, and are more aware that sometimes, both people are the cause of a situation going wrong or not working out. Or, that no one was wrong in the situation, things just changed, and it didn’t work anymore, and you can still care for someone while knowing that you can’t be together. Life happens. We can still be sad or frustrated that it didn’t work out, but still hold love for the good moments we shared.
How did you use the music video to amplify the song and the overall message?
We really wanted to drive home the message that looking for answers in the past meant that there was some sort of closure needed in order to move on from the relationship. We wanted the video to reflect music videos we grew up with in the early 2000s, when emo rock was starting to really take off, as well as evoke alternative spiritual vibes. Many people use signs from nature and methods like tarot to self-reflect and reveal answers to themselves, and I’m personally more aligned with that type of spirituality. So we incorporated that in the video by filming in settings where other people go to self-reflect or look for answers.
We filmed on a beach of Lake Michigan, because I find water to be grounding and allows me to clear my mind, and the woods surrounding Holy Hill. I find the woods to be a great place for self-reflection and appreciating life and nature, while the church at Holy Hill is a sacred place for many practicing Christians, who search for answers through prayer. We were lucky enough to come across some cool, witchy-looking structures in the shadow of the basilica that were perfect for the setting.
We also utilized tarot cards to provide a past-present-future reading to the protagonist that symbolizes how her dwelling on the past relationship is causing her pain and anxiety in the present, and may prevent her from having a successful future with someone else. At the end, she throws the cards to the side, symbolizing the choice to move on and stop living in the past.
What was the hardest part of creating (writing, recording, filming) “Mirrored Souls”?
We ended up having to push the song’s release back so we could retrack vocals and get a new mix and master. The first master was finished last summer, and we had planned for an October release, but we felt like that master didn’t allow the song to shine to the fullest. After a friend confirmed our feelings on it, we pivoted to a new producer who had done a rough mix of the demo for us, and he was able to execute the vision we had in mind.
We retracked the vocals to bring back the style of the original demo vocals, because we had lost some of the magic in the original tracking due to me recovering from an illness. It was a little stressful feeling like the song might never reach its full potential, but taking the time to do it the way we envisioned paid off; we love the final version, and know our fans will love it too.
Sonically, this feels like a confident evolution for Gold Steps. Was there anything you consciously wanted to push or change with this release compared to past material?
I was really excited to show people a different side of my personality, a softer, more romantic and vulnerable side. Most of our releases in the past couple of years have leaned on a more confident, aggressive, and petty tone, and I didn’t want our music to feel one-note musically or lyrically. It was a welcome change to incorporate dreamy, sensual pop vocals in the verses, while hitting those emotionally-charged belts that I love in the choruses and bridge. It is one of our most dynamic songs to date, and really reflects the ups and downs of a romantic relationship falling apart. As far as the release and imagery surrounding it, we wanted it to feel moody, dark, and lo-fi, to really show that it’s another side of us people who are newer fans might not be familiar with.
The title “Mirrored Souls” suggests reflection and connection. What do you hope listeners see—or recognize in themselves—when they hear this song?
The song is really about a connection that once was; a love you felt so strong for someone that you considered them your other half, your soulmate, but for reasons or circumstances it didn’t work out. We’re all familiar with the concept of “the one that got away.” Continuing to revisit that and search for answers and wonder “what if” causes pain, but you can work towards acceptance and move on while still appreciating what you had together. So we hope listeners see that it’s not a problem to look back to your past, unless it prevents you from moving forward. It’s okay to let go of “what if” because it doesn’t take away from what you experienced or shared.
This single marks the start of a bigger chapter for Gold Steps. Without giving too much away, what can fans expect from what’s coming next in 2026?
“Mirrored Souls” is the first of several singles we have planned for the year, and it’s a good signal to our fans that our band is shifting and maturing, not just in subject matter but sonically too.
For the first time, we’re working to put out a full-length album that will cover a lot of different sounds within pop, pop punk, emo, and rock, as well as different emotions. We’ve generally leaned into an upbeat and assertive vibe, showing off our sense of humor and not taking ourselves too seriously. But we’re growing up and looking at life through a different lens. We’ve been reflecting on the state of the world and how our generation especially leans into nostalgia as an escape. We’ve had our own moments of being hopeless or feeling lost and searching for answers. So they can expect some songs that are a bigger commentary on the world at large, our anxieties and fears about the future, our frustration and anger with the present.
We’ll still have songs that are sonically upbeat and more lighthearted, even if the subject matter is the opposite. We’ll even have a true love song or two among some darker, more rock-focused songs. The album will truly showcase all sides of us, and even if the songs sound different from each other, they’re all Gold Steps and pull from all of our different influences.
