"In My Head" is a single by Mike Shinoda and Kailee Morgue from the Scream VI soundtrack. It's one of two songs Mike wrote for the soundtrack, the other one being "Still Alive" performed by Demi Lovato.
Background
At the end of 2022, William Sherak, producer of Scream VI, reached out to Mike and asked if he would be interested in producing any music for the movie, bringing up Demi Lovato as another artist they were reaching out to. Coincidentally, Mike already had plans to work on a song with Demi, which led to Mike producing two songs on the soundtrack: "In My Head" and "Still Alive".[1]
In an interview with KROQ promoting "Lost", Mike Shinoda revealed that he had a new solo track being featured in Scream VI.[2] On March 4, 2023, Mike posted a video on Instagram of him and Kailee Morgue watching Scream and getting a call from Ghostface.[3] Over the following weeks, the two posted more videos together in the studio talking about Scream and teasing the song. Mike would later upload 3 behind the scenes videos of him and Kailee working on the song in the studio to his YouTube channel.
Mike talked about how using a widely recognized character like Ghostface in marketing comes with a lot of rules and conditions. When he would use Ghostface in promotional material for "In My Head", the studio would send him specific voice clips and video footage that he had to use.[4]
When asked about how he goes about writing songs for movies, Mike said that "If I'm gonna write a song, I'm gonna write it for me first", emphasizing that it was important for him to write without it needing the context of the movie. He went on to contrast the process for "In My Head" with a song like "New Divide", which was featured in the Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen soundtrack, where Mike riffed on concepts from the movie when writing the song. For "In My Head", Mike wrote the beat first, which he considered to be darker than most tracks he's done in recent years. He revealed that the lyrics are about intrusive thoughts and how distracting the chaos of day-to-day life can be. [5]
About having two songs in Scream VI, Mike said, "Up until this year, I've been doing a lot of writing and producing for other people. And I recently kind of got the bug to do it for myself again. I do have a new song that's gonna be in the movie Scream. So, what happened is they had reached out about like, 'Will you help us with the music for the movie?' And in the conversation it was like, 'Oh yeah', and I played them something and they were like, 'Oh my God, can we use that? Can it go in the movie?' I didn’t plan it. I would never have been like, 'Oh, we're gonna put out this big Linkin Park thing and then I wanna put my song out right on top of it!' That’s not a good planning for me, it's great planning for Linkin Park fans, because there's just more music. So, I've got stuff I've produced that are other people's songs, got my own song, and we got the Linkin Park stuff. And that's not even everything that we're gonna be doing around this for Linkin Park fans. So, this is a great time to be a Linkin Park fan."[6]
Release
In February 2023, Mike began teasing new material on Discord, saying, "I feel like 2023 is going to be an exciting year" and "Not a new album, but there will be things that are...of interest to you."[7] On February 4, a new BMI song catalog entry for a song titled "In My Head" with Kailee Morgue appeared, with producer Jake Torrey who had worked with Blink-182, Kiiara, John Legend, One Republic, Maroon 5, Justin Bieber, and more. Mike added in the Linkin Park Discord, "I can't wait until you realize why I'm so busy. Maybe I can do a hint. thinking of my hint. ok my hint is: borowoods. Oh, second hint! 2nd hint: This is a side quest!" and this lead fans to think about the Scream franchise since "Woodsboro" is where a few of the movies take place.
On February 12, 2023, Mike confirmed that he had two songs in Scream VI, which was set to be released on March 10, 2023. One song was announced as "In My Head" with Kailee Morgue while the second was a song Mike wrote and produced for Demi Lovato titled "Still Alive."[8]
"In My Head" was released on March 10, 2023. On the same day, there was a private screening for Linkin Park Underground members in Los Angeles, and Mike and Kailee Morgue surprised fans by attending the premiere and meeting them.[9]
Vinyl
On October 9, 2023, a Spotify-exclusive vinyl of "Already Over" and "In My Head" was announced to followers of Mike, Fort Minor, and Linkin Park on Spotify. Mike's message in the email said, "Hey Everyone, My new song ALREADY OVER is out and to thank you for your support, here's a VERY LIMITED 7-inch vinyl exclusive to top Spotify listeners of my solo music, Fort Minor and LINKIN PARK. Only 1,000 units are available for this offer - until October 16, 2023 at 9:00 AM PDT or while supplies last - so act quickly!"[10] The email with the link to purchase the vinyl was sent out on a rolling basis until it sold out and was not sent in one batch email to start with on October 9. The vinyl was priced at $14.98. The release date of the vinyl was announced as December 8, 2023, but orders began shipping & arriving ahead of time in late November.
Spooky Version
On April 4, 2023, Mike went live on Twitch to talk about Linkin Park's Meteora 20 release and "In My Head."[11] He jumped into the multitracks for the song and showed an alternative version of the song, saying, "I did an experiment, I told them about this but I didn't use it, I did an experiment where I made the chorus really dissonant. I liked this version, but I liked the other version better. It's more scary right? I liked that as a vibe but when I heard the whole song that way, I was like, "Damn, it's just a little much the whole time", but yeah it is darker. I thought that was an interesting experiment, but it just wasn't the song." Fans on Twitch in the comments liked the alternate version that Mike shared.
On April 28, he tweeted, "A few weeks ago, this happened... I shared an alternate, spooky version of IN MY HEAD that I thought of releasing. You all seemed to like it a lot, so I decided to release it. IN MY HEAD (SPOOKY VERSION) is out now, plus slow / reverb, sped up, a capella and instrumental!"[12]
The EP that was released for the "Spooky Version" contained six songs - "In My Head" (Spooky Version), "In My Head", "In My Head" (Slow and Reverbed), "In My Head" (Sped Up), "In My Head" (Instrumental), and "In My Head" (A Cappella).[13] Mike added on Twitter the next day on April 29, "IN MY HEAD (SPOOKY VERSION) is a darker & more dissonant version that I experimented with during the writing process."[14]
On October 27, 2023, Mike promoted the "Spooky Version" for Halloween, saying, "Halloween weekend has arrived, and to get you in the mood check out #InMyHead (Spooky Version) on YouTube."[15]
Crimson Chapter EP
On December 1, 2023, Mike released The Crimson Chapter EP which is an eight song EP centered around "Already Over", remixes/reinterpretations of it, and several other tracks. It included the main version of "In My Head."
Tracklist
Digital Single
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | In My Head | Mike Shinoda, Jake Torrey | 2:52 |
Spooky Version
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | In My Head (Spooky Version) | Mike Shinoda, Jake Torrey | 2:53 |
| 2 | In My Head | Mike Shinoda, Jake Torrey | 2:52 |
| 3 | In My Head (Slowed and Reverbed) | Mike Shinoda, Jake Torrey | 3:24 |
| 4 | In My Head (Sped Up) | Mike Shinoda, Jake Torrey | 2:33 |
| 5 | In My Head (Instrumental) | Mike Shinoda, Jake Torrey | 2:52 |
| 6 | In My Head (A Cappella) | Mike Shinoda, Jake Torrey | 2:52 |
Music Video
On March 10, 2023, Mike released a visualizer for "In My Head" on his YouTube channel. The video was directed by Jacky Lu and made using the Kaiber AI model.[16]
To celebrate Halloween, Mike released a visualizer for the "Spooky Version" of "In My Head" on October 26, 2023. The video is the same as the original, but played in reverse and with extra filters and editing added by Black Balloon LLC.[17]
Artist Name: Mike Shinoda, Kailee Morgue
Song Name: In My Head
Directors: Jacky Lu
Record Label: Warner/Chappell Music
Versions
Note: Only the date of the very first release of each version is listed.
Studio
| Title | Album | Length | Recorded | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In My Head | In My Head | 2:52 | March 10, 2023 |
| |
| In My Head (Spooky Version) | In My Head | 2:53 | April 28, 2023 |
| |
| In My Head (Instrumental) | In My Head | 2:52 | April 28, 2023 |
| |
| In My Head (A Cappella) | In My Head | 2:52 | April 28, 2023 |
|
Remix
| Title | Album | Length | Recorded | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In My Head (Slowed and Reverbed) | In My Head | 3:24 | April 28, 2023 | ||
| In My Head (Sped Up) | In My Head | 2:33 | April 28, 2023 | ||
| In My Head - Endel Version 1 (Gaming Soundscape) | Already Over / In My Head (Endel Gaming Soundscape) | 2:15 | 2024 | January 29, 2024 |
|
| In My Head - Endel Version 2 (Gaming Soundscape) | Already Over / In My Head (Endel Gaming Soundscape) | 2:33 | 2024 | January 29, 2024 |
|
| In My Head - Endel Version 3 (Gaming Soundscape) | Already Over / In My Head (Endel Gaming Soundscape) | 2:25 | 2024 | January 29, 2024 |
|
| In My Head - Endel Version 4 (Gaming Soundscape) | Already Over / In My Head (Endel Gaming Soundscape) | 2:40 | 2024 | January 29, 2024 |
|
| In My Head - Endel Warm Up 1 (Workout Soundscape) | Already Over / In My Head (Endel Workout Soundscape) | 2:07 | 2024 | February 05, 2024 |
|
| In My Head - Endel Warm Up 2 (Workout Soundscape) | Already Over / In My Head (Endel Workout Soundscape) | 2:06 | 2024 | February 05, 2024 |
|
| In My Head - Endel Warm Up 3 (Workout Soundscape) | Already Over / In My Head (Endel Workout Soundscape) | 3:38 | 2024 | February 05, 2024 |
|
| In My Head - Endel Warm Up 4 (Workout Soundscape) | Already Over / In My Head (Endel Workout Soundscape) | 3:54 | 2024 | February 05, 2024 |
|
Live
Mike performed "In My Head" for the first time during his "Already Over Sessions" in 2023, playing it in Berlin, Germany on November 13, 2023. He was joined by Damona, wavvyboi, Simon Will, Tobiplayspiano, Marti Fischer, and Raja Meissner for the performance.
Personnel
- Vocals: Kailee Morgue, Mike Shinoda
- Writer: Mike Shinoda, Jake Torrey
- Producer: Mike Shinoda
- Masterer: Brian "Big Bass" Gardner
- Mixer: Manny Marroquin
Lyrics
(In my head)
Let it begin
Push it away, but it's pulling me in
Try to pretend
I'm not aware when I do it again
I know the signs
I see the pattern in front of my eyes
Something inside me opens up wide
Stretching and coming alive
I can't stop it when it starts
Trying not to fall apart
Building up until it all goes dark
In my head
I can feel it getting closer
In my head
Breathing heavy on my shoulder
And I'm trying to fake it
But there's no way to escape it
In my head
Buried underneath the noises
In my head
There's a million little voices
Saying "You'll never make it
And there's no way to escape it"
In my head
Coming around
Thoughts are intruding, I'm pushing them down
Stopping it now
Blocking out, in fact I'm blocking it out
Holding too tight
Kidding myself, turn a wrong into right
Thief in the night
I've been the one putting gas in the lights
I can't stop it when it starts
Trying not to fall apart
Building up until it all goes dark
In my head
I can feel it getting closer
In my head
Breathing heavy on my shoulder
And I'm trying to fake it
But there's no way to escape it
'Cause I'm swirling in the panic of
A shaking confidence
No, I don't have an answer
When the questions don't make sense
In my head
I can feel it getting closer
In my head
Breathing heavy on my shoulder
And I'm trying to fake it
But there's no way to escape it
In my head
Buried underneath the noises
In my head
There's a million little voices
Saying "You'll never make it
And there's no way to escape it"
In my head
Gallery
-
Official Cover
-
Kailee Morgue Cover
-
Mike Shinoda Cover
-
mikeshinoda.com Background Image
-
"Out Now" banner
-
"In My Head" billboard at Coachella 2023
External Links
References
- ↑ Mike Shinoda Talks 20th Anniversary of Meteora | YouTube, March 10, 2023
- ↑ Mike Shinoda discusses Linkin Park's new song, the 'Meteora' box set, and reveals new solo track! | YouTube, February 10, 2023
- ↑ Mike Shinoda (@m_shinoda) | Instagram, March 4, 2023
- ↑ Mike Shinoda discusses his new solo song "In My Head" and the success of Linkin Park's "Lost" | YouTube, March 10, 2023
- ↑ Linkin Park's, Mike Shinoda, Talks with ALT 105.1! | YouTube, March 9, 2023
- ↑ YouTube: Mike Shinoda discusses Linkin Park's new song, the 'Meteora' box set, and reveals new solo track!, February 10, 2023
- ↑ LPLive: Mike Shinoda Teases New Music and Reasons for Having a Linkin Park Discord, February 4, 2023
- ↑ LPLive: Mike Shinoda - New Song In My Head Featured In Scream VI, February 12, 2023
- ↑ Twitter: @BroodingAnanas - Mike Shinoda and Kailee Morgue at the private screaming of Scream VI movie for LPU members, March 10, 2023
- ↑ LPLive: "Already Over" Spotify Fans First Exclusive Vinyl Release, October 9, 2023
- ↑ YouTube: Mike Shinoda - "4.4.23 - Meteora 20 Release, In My Head, Chatting", April 4, 2023
- ↑ Twitter: Mike Shinoda - "I shared an alternate, spooky version of IN MY HEAD, April 28, 2023
- ↑ Apple Music - In My Head (Spooky Version) - EP, April 28, 2023
- ↑ Twitter: Mike Shinoda - "IN MY HEAD (SPOOKY VERSION) is a darker & more dissonant version that I experimented with during the writing process, April 29, 2023
- ↑ Twitter: Mike Shinoda - "Halloween weekend has arrived, and to get you in the mood check out #InMyHead (Spooky Version) on YouTube, October 27, 2023
- ↑ In My Head (From the Original Motion Picture Scream VI) - Mike Shinoda / Kailee Morgue | YouTube, March 10, 2023
- ↑ In My Head (Spooky Version) - Mike Shinoda / Kailee Morgue | YouTube, October 26, 2023
- ↑ Mike Shinoda - In My Head (2023) | IMVDb, March 10, 2023