"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, Best Original Song at the 83rd Golden Globes, Best Song at the 31st Critics' Choice Awards, and Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards but lost all to "Golden" from KPop Demon Hunters (2025).
| "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 |
| Songwriters | Raphael Saadiq and Ludwig Göransson |
| Producer | Ludwig Göransson |
Background
editCoogler 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
editIn 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
editCaton 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
editReferences
edit- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "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.
- 1 2 "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 30, 2026.
- ↑ "'Sinners' and 'Stranger Things' Lead with the Most Nominations for the 2025 Astra Creative Arts Awards" (Press release). The Astras. November 19, 2025. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
- ↑ "'Sinners' Dominates Black Reel Awards with Record 14 Wins – Full List". Deadline Hollywood. February 16, 2026. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
- ↑ "Critics Choice Awards Nominations: 'Sinners' Dominates with 17 Noms, Cynthia Erivo Snubbed for 'Wicked: For Good'". Variety. December 5, 2025. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
- ↑ "Golden Globes Nominations Revealed: 'One Battle' Leads Way; 'Sinners', Neon, Netflix, 'Only Murders', 'White Lotus' Score Well". Deadline Hollywood. December 8, 2025. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
- ↑ "2026 Grammys: See the Full Winners & Nominees List". Grammys. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
- ↑ "'Sinners', 'Marty Supreme', and 'One Battle After Another' Among Guild of Music Supervisors Award Winners". Variety. February 28, 2026. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
- ↑ "Houston Film Critics Society (HFCS) Nominations: 'Sinners' Leads with 20". AwardsWatch. January 11, 2026. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
- ↑ "2025 Winners". International Press Academy. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
- ↑ "Ludwig Göransson and EJAE Lead Society of Composers and Lyricists Awards Winners". Variety. February 6, 2026. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
- ↑ "Georgia Film Critics Association (GAFCA) Winners: 'One Battle After Another' and 'Sinners' Take Top Awards". AwardsWatch. December 27, 2025. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
- ↑ "'Sinners' Swings with Three Wins at Hollywood Music in Media Awards; 'Golden' Night for 'KPop Demon Hunters' – Full List". Deadline Hollywood. November 19, 2025. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
- ↑ "St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Awards: 'One Battle After Another' Dominates". AwardsWatch. December 14, 2025. Retrieved March 30, 2026.
- ↑ "'Sinners' Song Nominated at 2025 World Soundtrack Awards: Full Nominations List". Billboard. September 4, 2025. Retrieved March 30, 2026.