Press release –
Rising star Nessa Barrett continues her slide into gorgeous guitar-driven darkness on “Stay With Me,” out now via Warner Records.
In addition to sharing her hauntingly vulnerable new single, Nessa is also announcing her forthcoming EP, Jesus loves a primadonna, set to arrive March 20, as well as a series of intimate release shows in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and Toronto.
“Stay With Me” serves up a wintry, cinematic swirl of eerie piano keys, tense acoustic strum, and — going into the devastating chorus — grungey guitar and surging synth. Nessa bares her soul while addressing a would-be lover, revealing deep-seated fear and distrust in the process: “Maybe I’m not meant to be held, I get close and they always leave / Will you be like everyone else? Or will you stay with me?” The rising sonic tide only intensifies the emotion in her voice.
“I wrote ‘Stay With Me’ as a ‘borderline’ in love,” explains Nessa. “This song is all about abandonment issues and past trauma, and I truly wanted to write a track on this project for all of my lovely fans who also struggle with borderline personality disorder to feel seen and safe.”
Of the upcoming EP, she adds, “Jesus loves a primadonna is all about love. It’s beauty and demise. The villain origin story of every woman who has loved until she can not love anymore.”
“Stay With Me” follows her January release,’ High on Heaven’ a mix of desert rock breadth, trip-hop rhythms, and hypnotic vocals that pulled listeners into Nessa’s new era. Both new songs reunite Nessa with co-writers and producers CJ Baran and Arthur Besna, who worked across her celebrated second album AFTERCARE, which launched a 50-city world tour.
Anticipation has been building for Nessa’s new era. After she teased “High on Heaven” last September on socials, her 19.5M TikTok followers were relentless in demanding the song’s release. She’s similarly shared snippets of other unconfirmed tracks — like “Buffalo 66” and “Black Haired Madonna” — with the internet exhaustively documenting every lyric and chord.
AFTERCARE was a major milestone for one of music’s most fascinating rising stars, capping a banner year in which Nessa fully sold out her church club for the lonely tour, and joined Lana Del Rey on stage at Hangout Festival.
Nessa Barrett Live Dates
Apr 03 – Hollywood Forever Cemetery – Masonic Lodge @ Los Angeles, CA
Apr 04 – Hollywood Forever Cemetery – Masonic Lodge @ Los Angeles, CA
Apr 07 – Thalia Hall @ Chicago, IL
Apr 07 – Thalia Hall @ Chicago, IL
Apr 09 – St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church @ Brooklyn, NY
Apr 11 – Winter Garden Theatre @ Toronto, ON
