BLACK DOG: LEAVING THE 405 • NEW EP • August 2026
The courage to leave. The work of rebuilding.
Award-winning singer-songwriter Rehya Stevens enters a bold new creative chapter with Black Dog: Leaving the 405, a deeply personal EP exploring the emotional aftermath of toxic environments, identity loss, and the courage required to begin again.
Blending cinematic production, alternative-pop influences, and emotionally honest songwriting, the project reflects on survival, healing, and what remains after walking away from a life that no longer serves you.
Featuring the singles Black Dog and Comedown, this collection reveals a more vulnerable side of Stevens' artistry while exploring resilience, transformation, and the journey back to self.
TRACK LIST
Seven songs exploring identity, resilience, healing, and the courage to begin again.
1. Black Dog
2. Comedown
3. I'm On Fire
4. Inconsistent Man
5. Dreams
6. Ride or Die
7. Ride or Die (stripped)
Credits
All songs written by Rehya Stevens & Brian Steckler | Produced, Mixed & Mastered by Brian Steckler | Photography: Randy Shropshire | Photo Session Coordination: Alexis Ramer-Artin
"Some days the black dog scratches louder than others, but healing begins when you stop running from it." - Rehya Stevens
The Story Behind Black Dog: Leaving the 405
Award-winning singer-songwriter Rehya Stevens enters a bold new creative chapter with Black Dog: Leaving the 405, a deeply personal alternative-pop EP examining the emotional aftermath of toxic environments, burnout, isolation, and the difficult process of rebuilding a sense of self.
Known for emotionally resonant songwriting and more than 60 film, television, and advertising placements, Stevens has built a career spanning projects for Disney+, Hallmark, CBS, HBO Max, and major national brands. Her music has earned more than 5 million Spotify streams and a Hollywood Music in Media Award for Best Holiday Song.
While Stevens is widely known for uplifting holiday music and cinematic storytelling, Black Dog: Leaving the 405 reveals a more vulnerable side of her artistry. Drawing from more than two decades in and around the Los Angeles entertainment industry, the EP explores survival, identity, resilience, and healing in the aftermath of chronic stress and difficult environments.
Produced, mixed, and mastered by Brian Steckler at The Stickhouse in Granite Bay, the project blends atmospheric production, dark-pop textures, alternative influences, and introspective lyricism. Inspired by artists such as Annie Lennox and Kate Bush, the songs explore what remains after a person walks away from a life that no longer serves them.
“Black Dog: Leaving the 405 is about what happens after you walk away,” Stevens said. “It's about the emotional fallout, the grief, the confusion, and ultimately the process of reconnecting with yourself. Some days the black dog scratches louder than others, but healing begins when you stop running from it.”
The project was shaped not only by Stevens' experiences in the music industry, but also by her academic journey. After leaving Los Angeles in 2023, she returned to school and earned a degree in psychology, gaining a deeper understanding of the emotional impact of chronic stress, rejection, and toxic environments while discovering new tools for recovery and resilience.
The visual aesthetic surrounding the EP carries personal significance as well. Several promotional photographs were taken when Stevens was 27 years old during a session arranged by former neighbor and artist Alexis Ramer. Stevens shelved the images for years after being told she looked “too old” in them. Their inclusion in the project now represents an act of reclamation—honoring the younger artist who continued creating despite criticism, instability, and self-doubt.
With Black Dog: Leaving the 405, Stevens offers her most personal work to date—an honest reflection on resilience, self-discovery, and the courage required to begin again.
Release Date: August 2026
About Rehya Stevens
Rehya Stevens is an award-winning singer-songwriter whose music has been featured in more than 60 film, television, and advertising placements. Her songs have appeared in productions for Disney+, Hallmark, CBS, HBO Max, and numerous national advertising campaigns. Known for blending cinematic storytelling with emotionally resonant songwriting, Stevens has amassed more than 5 million Spotify streams and earned recognition from the Hollywood Music in Media Awards for her original music.