The song features New York-based singer-songwriter Holly Miranda. Sitek told "The Guardian": "I first heard Holly singing in a hallway and insisted on recording a full-length record with her. She is the real deal. She's constantly pushing herself. You can be like, - "Hey, do a cover of a GG Allin song..." and the next day you'll get the MP3 in your mailbox. She's hilarious. Her vocals on "The Lesson" are so focused I was able to strip the music down around them while retaining a cinematic quality. I love this track, it's a heavyweight".