Nessa Barrett Is Happy to Watch the World Burn in 'hell is a teenage girl'
Photo: Andrew Donoho
Alt-pop sensation Nessa Barrett has released her highly anticipated new EP, hell is a teenage girl. The vulnerable and captivating eight-song EP was written to represent the "8 stages of a breakup," making it the 20-year-old songstress's most emotional and personal release to date.
"hell is a teenage girl" is a standout title track that aims at how women are treated in the industry. "You're barely a woman, and they call you a whore, say that you're ruined when you pass 24," she sings over a haunting piano. "I'm too sensitive when I start to cry, but I'm a cold-hearted outside bitch when I keep it inside." Barrett states that it is a man's world, but when it ends, they will come to realize that hell is indeed a teenage girl. Additionally, Barrett says girls are "delicate and dangerous," and everyone should be afraid of them, painting a brutal and multi-faceted portrait of feminine expectations.
"the one that should've got away" is an ominous and eerie piano-driven tale filled with danger and regret. It's about a reckless relationship between Barrett and an unknowable "bad boy." She reflects on the relationship with regrets and slight anger and wishes it never started.
Introspective and personal, "lie" showcases the songstress' softer, more vulnerable side, with its narrator reminiscing over a failed relationship and hoping that her ex never feels love truly for anyone else but her. "lie" holds back no emotional punches, starting with the line, "The hardest pill to swallow is knowing that tomorrow you're not mine." Over ethereal drumming and a sparse piano arrangement, she admits that although she's filled with longing, she's grateful, and "If I don't get to have you, thank god our matching tattoos last for life." In the chorus, Barrett comes to terms with her lover moving on, singing, "You can kiss her softly, never make her cry," and even says that her ex can tell his new lover that he loves her "as long as it's a lie." Bittersweet and lovelorn, the single underlines the breakout star's unfiltered, authentic approach to songwriting and showcases her ability to be an artist who contains multitudes.
The EP continues with the fourth track, "plane to paris," a heart-wrenching effort written about a horrific dream of Barrett's, where she was in a plane crash. Light piano and an honest vocal delivery give shape to her doubt and fear as to whether or not death is around the corner in this "doomsday comet." "All I can think of is you," Barrett sings, almost weeping, as the song ends with the allusion that the plane is going down.
hell is a teenage girl then switches gears in "heartbreak in the hamptons." In it, Barrett relays how she's getting over a breakup by spending money to cover the heartache. The sultry "american jesus" explores themes of longing and desire. Opening with cheeky lyrics, she uses religious imagery to symbolize reckless young love. She sings, "He's got a cross on his neck / But he spends Sundays in my bed," and emphasizes her devotion with the line, "Knees down at your altar." As she coos over gently thrumming guitar riffs, she asks her lover to take her to heaven, declaring, "You know you're my weakness, American Jesus, save me... you're the greatest love of my life." Following that number, Barrett unleashes "Motel Whore," a song with a story you could partially guess but must hear in full.
The record ends with a bang on the aptly-titled finale, "BANG BANG!" With its pulse-pounding beat and insidious bassline, the punk-infused anthem showcases Barrett's quick wit, razor-sharp lyrics, and knack for unforgettable hooks, continuing to highlight her penchant for creating infectious music tinged with playful, swirling darkness. The menacing send-off opens with a thrumming, foreboding bassline that instantly builds a sense of underlying tension. "I know that it sounds absurd, but sometimes I just get the urge," the 20-year-old sings over raucous guitar riffs, "That if there really was a purge, you're the one that I'd kill first." As the track builds, Barrett talks about her intrusive thoughts and wanting revenge on an ex and their new lover. She embraces her dark impulses, giving listeners a piece of intoxicating debauchery that demands to be played again and again and again.
hell is a teenage girl picks up where Barrett left off in 2022 by demonstrating incredible songwriting prowess and versatility on a series of stunning singles like "die first," "tired of california," and "lovebomb"—all taken from her critically acclaimed debut album, young forever. With hell is a teenage girl, Barrett's distinctive style of irreverent, sultry pop that casts a lingering spell crystallizes even further.
Listen to hell is a teenage girl below:
