Sariah has seen it all before, and she's not "gonna be a second thought no more."

The pop artist's new single, "Fire," bumps hard with the R&B grind, igniting from the ground up with her sweet but fearsome vocal. "There will never be a better time than now / Trust me, I know," she attests as the production slowly builds. "We can take it higher," she later chants on the chorus.

"The energy and the sound came to us quickly. For the lyrics, I was very pressed on them being specific to empowerment, self-love, and appreciation," she reflects to PopCrush about the song, premiering today, as well as its straightforward, cut-and-dry process.

"The vibe [in the studio] was amazing. [Producer] Ruwanga Samath and I have worked together before and I truly believe this session was our favorite. We both came ready and excited to work together to create a new sound," Sariah continues. "I love all of the different styles we brought to the recording and our co-writer, Joey Diggs, brought, as well. The best part was everyone was already so mentally ready to write an empowering song. I was psyched!"

Listen below:

Samath has worked with a cavalcade of artists, from Kesha and Flo Rida to Meghan Trainor and Starley. He is also known for producing and composing the end title song for Fast & Furious 5 as well as the music for other features, including Greatest Movie Ever Told and TED.

Through the entire process, and not just work on this specific track, Sariah learned to balance industry pressure and her own wily creative freedom: "Ruwanga is a very creative and talented person and also business man. We always learn a lot from our experiences working together. His recent work has taught me that whatever I do has to come from the heart," she dishes. "Happy to say that as soon as I turn on 'Fire,' I feel the energy we all had that day in the studio come alive."

As she details on the song, the performer had to shed old ways of doing things, including cutting out the people she had around her. "I especially felt I didn't have control when I wasn't happy with the energy I had around me. I took a chance and completely moved on without really knowing where I was going. That was the best decision I could have made. Now, I have the greatest team, energy, and love in my life I could ever ask for."

While she remains tight-lipped about where she's headed next, including whether she'll release an EP or full-length, she shares that the challenges she set about mastering were tangible. "I wanted to create something fresh," she explains, adding, "I wanted to create a new sound for me and my hearts. I am thrilled with the result and can't wait for the world to hear it. Feedback from first listens recently have brought me to happy tears."

"We are always evolving as artists," she continues, musing, "I am so thankful for the previous success my songs have done. The extra pressure really came from me wanting to deliver ME with genuine writing and a fierce sound."

Beyond just her music, 2017 has been a transformative year for the pop artist: In the past seven months, she has "learned so much and feels like [she has] truly found her own two feet."

"I don't think it's a 'change,' because I prefer to call it growth," she admits. "I have fallen in true love, found a sound I am ecstatic about, and am inspired by the creativity around me."

Thirteen years ago, Sariah made a bold plunge by moving to New York City to pursue her aspirations of super-stardom. Now, she looks back at the first things she felt underneath the twinkling lights of Times Square and the rush of a new life. "I recall being nervous, bright lights, and so many life lessons. I am happy I moved to NYC at a young age because I learned so much about life. I have no regrets and I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason," she reveals. "I have never wanted to see the world more than I do now. I am excited to be in London for the first time while 'Fire' is released and working on more new material."

But the hardest lesson she's had to learn? "True happiness comes when you love yourself and you're honest with yourself," Sariah says. "That's what I will say."

Best Songs of 2017 (So Far!)

More From 98.7 Kiss FM