Who Wrote The Song Bad Liar And What Inspired It?

When 'Bad Liar' by Selena Gomez slid into my headphones, what hooked me first was how spare and weirdly confident it sounded. The song was co-written by Selena with hitmakers Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter, and produced by Ian Kirkpatrick. They built something that felt small but cinematic — the verses are almost whispery and the chorus lands like a confession. One of the coolest facts is that the track borrows that instantly recognizable bassline from Talking Heads' 'Psycho Killer', which they used in a very tasteful, minimalist way; that sample gives the whole thing a nervous energy that matches the lyrics.

The inspiration behind this 'Bad Liar' is basically that awkward, fumbling moment when you’re trying not to reveal a crush. Julia Michaels and the writers have talked about the idea of pretending you’re fine when you’re not, and Selena’s delivery sells that: you can hear the effort to keep composed while everything inside is chaotic. Critics loved the songwriting for being intimate and sly, and for me it’s one of those pop songs that feels like a secret being shared across a crowded room — I still play it when I want something subtle but emotionally loud.

I dug into the other track with the same title and found a very different beast. Imagine Dragons' 'Bad Liar', written by Dan Reynolds together with his bandmates Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee, and Daniel Platzman (and collaborators involved in production), appears on their album 'Origins'. This version is built on the band’s knack for big, anthemic beats, but the lyrical center is personal and tense — it’s less about a flirtatious crush and more about the guilt and self-deception that can come with messy relationships.

From what I gathered, the song was inspired by internal conflict: trying to be honest with someone while also lying to yourself. Dan Reynolds has been public about wrestling with complicated emotions and identity in his life, and that rawness bleeds into the track. Musically it's punchier and cinematic compared to Selena’s intimate take, and thematically it explores the darker side of pretending things are okay. I appreciate both songs for their different perspectives on the same concept — one whispers and wiggles, the other stomps and confesses — and they both stick with me for different moods.

I always mix these two up in playlists, and honestly I love that they show how the same title, 'Bad Liar', can live in totally different worlds. The Selena Gomez version (co-written with Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter, produced by Ian Kirkpatrick) is inspired by trying to hide a crush and uses that clever 'Psycho Killer' bassline nod to give it a jittery cool. The Imagine Dragons take was penned by Dan Reynolds and his bandmates for 'Origins' and feels motivated by the heavier, more guilt-ridden side of lying to yourself or someone you love. Both songs are about not being truthful, but one is intimate and sly while the other is loud and fraught; I tend to pick one or the other depending on whether I’m nursing a secret smile or a messy heart — either way, they both hit in their own special way.

If you mean the 2017 hit 'Bad Liar,' the core writers were Selena Gomez, Julia Michaels, Justin Tranter, and producer Ian Kirkpatrick. They built the song around a very conversational vocal style and a tight, minimalist arrangement that lets the lyrics do the heavy lifting. The central theme — failing spectacularly at hiding romantic feelings — came straight from that writing-room vibe of candid, almost embarrassing honesty.

An important production note is that the song's bassline resembles Talking Heads' 'Psycho Killer,' and that resemblance led to Tina Weymouth receiving a songwriting credit after the song was released. So the record blends fresh pop songwriting with a clear nod to an older groove. I like how that mix makes the track feel both modern and rooted; it’s clever, intimate, and a little vulnerable, and I still find it oddly comforting when it pops up on my playlist.

Gotta say, the backstory of 'Bad Liar' is one of those neat little pop-music corners I love digging into. The 2017 single is primarily credited to Selena Gomez, Julia Michaels, Justin Tranter, and producer Ian Kirkpatrick — that quartet crafted the melody, lyrics, and production that made the song stand out. Lyrically it's very specific: it's about the messy, awkward business of trying not to admit you’re falling for someone. The verses come out almost like spoken confession, the chorus is tight and repeated, and Selena’s delivery sells that nervous honesty perfectly.

What really colors the creation story is the production detail: the bassline and the groove in 'Bad Liar' echo the iconic bass riff from Talking Heads' 'Psycho Killer.' After listeners and critics pointed out the similarity, Tina Weymouth — the bassist from Talking Heads — was later given a songwriting credit. So while the modern team wrote the song and shaped its contemporary pop-minimalist sound, that 1970s bass flavor ended up being important enough to require proper recognition.

Beyond the credits, the inspiration is emotional and pretty universal: hiding feelings you don’t want to confront, trying to play it cool while your body and voice betray you. Julia Michaels has a knack for diaristic, blunt lyricism, and Justin Tranter’s pop instincts help the lines land memorably. Ian Kirkpatrick’s sparse production left space for Selena’s odd, conversational rhythm in the verses, which is why the song feels intimate and slightly off-kilter in a good way. For me, that combination — honest writing, a retro-tinged bassline, and restrained production — is why 'Bad Liar' sticks around in my playlist. It’s the kind of pop song that feels like overhearing someone you like, and I still catch myself singing the chorus under my breath sometimes.