[2026] Heartbreaking English-language breakup songs sung by women: Tear-jerking breakup tracks to discover

You Break Me FirstTate McRae

Tate McRae – you broke me first (Official Video)

This is a heartbreak song by Canadian singer-songwriter Tate McRae that holds both strength and fragility.

It portrays the cold yet sorrowful feelings when an ex who once hurt you reaches out only when it’s convenient for them.

The line “You’re the one who broke me first” pushes them away, squeezing your chest as you hear it.

Behind those searing words, it feels as if there’s a deep sadness so intense that without saying them, her heart might fall apart.

For anyone who’s been through a painful love, it may resonate with that moment when you put on a brave face to protect yourself.

Her delicate vocals riding over a quiet beat gently wrap around that pain and bring you to tears.

HarrietChloe Slater

Chloe Slater – Harriet (Official Video)

Chloe Slater, based in Manchester, is a rising singer-songwriter who captures the reality of Gen Z in her music.

This song portrays the fear of a partner’s ex’s lingering presence and a mind consumed by jealousy.

The everyday traces left around the room make her imagine a very different kind of ex-girlfriend—an agonizing obsession and inferiority complex spilling out alongside her emotional vocals.

Released as a single in July 2025, it also drew attention for its music video, which recreated the world of the hit drama “Normal People.” The powerful sound, following her February EP release Love Me Please, leaves a strong impression.

Even on nights when your head knows “it’s already over” but your heart can’t catch up—when the past gnaws at you and your confidence starts to waver—this song will gently stay by the side of any woman who needs it.

Love Me DifferentHayley Williams

Hayley Williams – Love Me Different (Official Visualizer)

Have you ever felt the pain of wanting to be loved while sensing a mismatch in how you’re treated? For anyone grappling with that complicated mix of emotions, this song—performed by Hayley Williams, also known for her work with Paramore—is one to hear.

It’s a track from the album “Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party,” released in August 2025.

Set against a gentle, marimba-like timbre, it depicts the sorrow of the gap between someone else’s ideal and who you truly are.

The earnest wish to be loved in a different way will resonate deeply with listeners’ loneliness.

It’s a song that quietly stays by your side on nights when your relationship feels off, and when you long to be accepted just as you are.

Year of TroubleStella Donnelly

Stella Donnelly – Year of Trouble (Official Lyric Video)

Stella Donnelly, originally from Wales and now based in Australia, is acclaimed for her sharp social insights and witty songwriting.

Released in October 2025, this single—forming the core of her album “Love and Fortune”—is a touching ballad performed in a stripped-down, piano-only singer-songwriter style.

The irony characteristic of her earlier work recedes into the background, and lyrics that candidly acknowledge heartbreak and her own shortcomings are sure to tug at listeners’ hearts.

The song is also known for its use in Season 2 of the Apple TV+ drama “The Buccaneers.” It’s the perfect track for a quiet night alone, when you want to face your vulnerabilities and let the tears flow.

WHAT NOWUMI

UMI – WHAT NOW (Official Music Video)

Umi is a singer-songwriter from Seattle with Japanese roots.

Like her name, which means “sea,” her voice envelops you with depth, offering healing music often called “healing neo-soul.” The song I’m introducing today is a heart-wrenching ballad from the album “people stories,” released in July 2025.

It portrays the protagonist right after a breakup, sitting in the car where the couple used to spend time together, asking themselves what to do from here.

The intentionally stripped-back, low-end-light arrangement conveys a raw sense of emptiness, as if a hole has opened in the heart.

It’s a song that gently stays beside those who feel a directionless sorrow—as if they might collapse alone amid the crowds of Shibuya.