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Photo: Ashley Osborn

In an industry generated by spectacle, anything can be seasoned and consumed. Nessa Barrett is taking her own power back with her latest single “madhouse,” asking those that profit off of her persecution, “Is it you or is it me?”

Spectacle can only be up-kept if there’s performance. Nessa is dismantling the fourth wall, digging deeper into her full truth as the song progresses. Unveiling the pits of her mental health as the first song she's released since being admitted into a psych ward, there’s a sense of urgency within the intimacy, as if her truth is spilling out of her body.

Accompanied by a sinister soundscape, she wears her darkness beautifully, making even the most rancid seem angelic. “madhouse” is both haunting and addictive, letting the listener peek underneath the hood of Nessa’s psyche and seeing a bit of themselves reflected back.

The single comes as an appetizer for her upcoming debut album young forever, set to release October 14. While it’s sure to encompass a variety of alt-pop bangers, what we can expect for sure is a raw Nessa Barrett. She’s weaponizing her truth, using personal turmoil as a defense mechanism against the machine that’s tried to chew her up and spit her out.

As the rising pop star garners more and more warranted attention, continuing to amass over 800 million streams and being named on Billboard’s 21 Under 21 list, we can only sit back and watch. With lines like “Love me then slut shame me,” it's hard to trust the same system that’s rewarding you: luckily, the knife is in Nessa’s hands now.

Watch the "madhouse" lyric video below: