New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Bailey Bryan is kicking off 2021 not with an expected celebratory New Years bop, but with "
Sober" -- a gorgeously constructed, melancholic reflection on a love-hangover that feels all-too-relatable. Out today is the track's chillingly profound music video where glitter, plastic champagne glasses, Chinese takeout and silver balloons litter the floor as Bailey pleads to a lover to remember her after the buzz of their young love wears off.
"Sometimes being in love with the wrong person is like being drunk," said Bailey about the song's meaning. "You know the good feelings won't last, and you know you might regret it, but you just want to dive further in the moment.
Sober is about those feelings before you let it go. I hope that this song can help someone who's in that kind of situation process their emotions. That's what it did for me when I started writing it late at night, in the middle of my living room floor, with my guitar. It's just real to me."
It's her second track since announcing her current 'Fresh Start' music project, following the title track which SPIN debuted and UpRoxx named some of the "best new pop music from this week" back in early December.
After a successful debut as a rising talent in the Nashville singer/songwriter circuit followed by an artistic evolution encompassing the R&B & indie pop universes, Bailey Bryan was ready for her "fresh start". A chance to let go of the relationships and emotional baggage that no longer served her and carve out a new path of self-discovery. Though initially forged in the fires of heartbreak, this next chapter is an amalgamation of themes about owning one's worth, turning insecurities into strengths, excavating your fears, confronting your demons and discovering the flawed perfection in all of us -- all while sticking to her personal "sensitive bad bitch" mission statement.
In Bailey's words on SBB "people look at these two concepts ("sensitive" and "bad bitch") as opposites and to me, they absolutely go together and empower each one and that's the goal of the music."
Of the new nine-song 'Fresh Start' music project, she adds "you can grow into a new mindset every single day if you want to...This project is just me owning that, and revealing it in my own way, each song representing a moment that triggered that sort of growth."
Along with new music, Bailey is also launched
Fresh Start Stories back in December, a monthly Instagram Live series where she'll be performing the new track of the month, giving fans insight into how it plays a part in her own self-discovery, as well as interviewing influencers, brands, artists, and more across all industries to discuss their fresh start experiences.
Previously praised by New York Times for her "rich songwriting," Bailey is returning to music with pop-tinged tunes that showcase a newfound confidence and vision. Bailey is bringing the words "sensitive bad bitch" to life - "I'm coming from the most confident place I've ever made music from... I have a clear vision of who I am and what I'm worth more than ever before." Bailey lets you into her past year as she discusses upholding her standards, admitting feelings and generally being true to yourself. Recent singles "play w/ me" (produced by
Rihanna &
Selena Gomez production team Monsters & Strangerz), "Roster," and "Steal Your Girl" have generated buzz and put her on the map as one to watch. "Roster" has already sparked a viral moment with over 1.1 million views on TikTok to date. "play w/ me" also currently serves as the official theme song for influencer and content creator Serena Kerrigan's Instagram Live dating show, Let's Fucking Date.
