I Lied to You (song)
| ""I Lied to You"" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Miles Caton | |
| from the album Sinners (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | |
| Released | April 18, 2025 |
| Recorded | 2024 |
| Studio | Royal Studios, Memphis, Tennessee |
| Genre | Delta blues |
| Length | 5:14 |
| Label | Sony Masterworks |
| Producer | Ludwig Göransson |
"I Lied to You" is a song by Miles Caton from the soundtrack of the 2025 Ryan Coogler film Sinners. Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Göransson wrote and produced the track, which was released on April 18, 2025. "I Lied to You" received nominations for Best Original Song at the 98th Academy Awards and Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards.
Background
Coogler brought Saadiq onto the project about a week before filming started in New Orleans in April 2024.[1] Saadiq had been sitting on the central lyric for years. As a young man of about nineteen, unable to tell a girlfriend the truth, he came up with the phrase "they say the truth hurts, so I lied to you" and thought it belonged in a blues song.[1] He and Göransson wrote and demoed "I Lied to You" in a single session at Göransson's studio, finishing in roughly two hours.[1] They later cut the final version at Royal Studios in Memphis with producer Lawrence "Boo" Mitchell.[2]
Saadiq noted that the humming on the track drew on "devotion-type singing" from Union Baptist Church, where he grew up.[1] Coogler's team wanted Saadiq to put out his own demo as a companion release, but Saadiq turned the idea down, saying listeners should only hear Caton.[1]
Context in the film
In the film, Caton plays Sammie "Preacher Boy" Moore, who performs the song at a juke joint in the Mississippi Delta circa 1932. During the number, spirits from different eras of African-American music begin to materialize in the room.[3] Sammie is a preacher's son who has turned to the blues against his father's wishes, and the lie of the title is his way of sparing his father that knowledge.[1]
Live performances
Caton performed "I Lied to You" with Saadiq and Göransson on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in January 2026.[4]
On March 15, 2026, Caton and Saadiq performed the song at the 98th Academy Awards on a replica juke joint stage. They were joined by Buddy Guy (who plays an older Sammie in the film), Shaboozey, Brittany Howard, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Bobby Rush, Alice Smith, Eric Gales, and Misty Copeland.[5][6] Only two of the five Best Original Song nominees were performed on the broadcast that year, the other being "Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters.[6]
Accolades
| Award | Year | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | 2026 | Best Original Song | Nominated | [7] |
| Grammy Awards | 2026 | Best Song Written for Visual Media | Nominated | [8] |
| Hollywood Music in Media Awards | 2025 | Best Original Song — Feature Film | Nominated | [9] |
| Astra Awards | 2025 | Best Original Song | Nominated | [10] |
| World Soundtrack Awards | 2025 | Best Original Song Written Directly for a Film | Nominated | [11] |
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Raphael Saadiq talks penning 'Sinners' hit, "I Lied to You"". Revolt. May 2, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ^ "How Ryan Coogler Discovered Musical Prodigy Miles Caton for 'Sinners'". Variety. April 19, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ^ "'Sinners' Cast Performs 'I Lied to You' at Oscars With Shaboozey". Variety. March 16, 2026. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ^ "Watch Raphael Saadiq, Miles Caton, Ludwig Göransson Perform 'Sinners' Track 'I Lied to You'". Rolling Stone. January 14, 2026. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ^ "'Sinners' Takes the Oscars to a Juke Joint for 'I Lied to You' Performance". Billboard. March 15, 2026. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ^ a b "Miles Caton Joined by Misty Copeland, Shaboozey and More for "I Lied to You" Oscars Performance". The Hollywood Reporter. March 15, 2026. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ^ "The 98th Academy Awards | 2026". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ^ "2026 Grammys: See The Full Winners & Nominees List". Recording Academy. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ^ "'Wicked: For Good', 'Sinners' & 'F1' Lead Hollywood Music In Media Awards Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. November 5, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ^ "'Sinners' and 'Stranger Things' Lead with the Most Nominations for the 2025 Astra Creative Arts Awards". The Astra Awards. November 19, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ^ "'Sinners' Song Nominated at 2025 World Soundtrack Awards: Full Nominations List". Billboard. September 4, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2026.