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Photo: P Mastro

Young love is complicated and often all-consuming. It’s far too easy to become completely entranced by the comfort and safety of a partner, and it can be all the more terrifying when you begin to think about life without them. Speaking of her own experiences with overwhelming love, nineteen-year-old Nessa Barrett shares "die first," a track that tackles the anxiety and existential thoughts about the inevitable end.

“Life is so short,” says Barrett of the new single, whose focus shifted from loss to love while writing. “It quickly turned into a love song to the most important people in my life. I don’t ever want to think about not having them by my side. I think that’s one of the most beautiful things about this song; everyone has someone, or something even, that they can’t imagine life without.”

Despite her large audience, Barrett has never been one to shy away from sharing deeply personal parts of her relationships, and "die first" reveals another layer of complexity, telling the story of someone who loves so hard they are overwhelmed by the very thought of it. Laying out a heart-wrenching chorus, Barrett sings “I hope I die first / 'Cause I don't wanna live without you / I don't wanna ever learn / How to fall asleep without you /Tell me what's worse / Losing you now or later /Maybe I can break the curse / And I can be in love forever If I die.” These simple, stinging words tell a tale of star-crossed lovers who are destined to witness their own relationship disintegrate in front of them, even if that comes years in the future.

"die first" also holds a special place in Barrett's heart as a sonic memory she shared with Cooper Noriega before his passing. “This song means more to me than anyone could comprehend. One of the first people I shared it with was my best friend Cooper Noriega and he said it was his favorite song from my album. I’m so happy I got to tell him that it was for him and my mom before he passed. This is being released in honor of him. I want people to know that they don’t have to struggle alone and encourage anyone to join Cooper’s discord community Coop’s Advice, which is a safe place for all of us," shares Barrett. 

Even if it’s not romantic, everyone can relate to the idea of being unable to live without someone, and Barrett was able to capture that feeling and put it in an earworm on a song. If you are ready to get in your feels on a nice summer day, this is the moment you've been waiting for. 

Watch the "die first" video below: