She said she had learned to use the internet more, for example she used Rhyme Zone to write "Smoke and Fire" along with other songs on her second album.

When asked what influenced her to write "Smoke and Fire," Carpenter said that she thought it was just "natural maturity" and that the style of music on her previous album, Eyes Wide Open, gave her the ability to be more free with what she eventually would fall into for future albums because she believed music was all about evolving, changing, growing up, and trying different things.

She says she chose this as the expected first single because she felt that it was a great transition and development from Eyes Wide Open.

She states that there are many elements in "Smoke and Fire" that set the sound and tone for the rest of the then-upcoming album.

Serban Ghenea mixed the track and Chris Gehringer did the audio mastering at Sterling Sound in New York.

Lyrically, "Smoke and Fire" is a break-up song which expresses the feelings experienced after a relationship has ended.

According to Carpenter, the video "show[s] flashback memories of an innocent love story in the midst of post breakup beauty and heartbreak.

Carpenter made her daytime television debut on March 17, 2016 performing "Smoke and Fire" on Live with Kelly and Ryan.